Data Systems Engineer

As one of the go-to technical experts in the room, the Data Systems Engineer is instrumental in projects that improve the organization's use of data by identifying and driving efficiencies in our processes while working closely with staff to maintain and upgrade our in-house online reporting system. The Data Systems Engineer builds and develops cloud-based data pipelines and architecture while maintaining and improving back-end Python applications for this system, which are used to develop and deliver the Center for Effective Philanthropy's (CEP's) assessment tools to foundation leaders and YouthTruth's student survey reports to schools, districts, and networks nation-wide.
This position is available in our Cambridge, MA office.
In this role, you will lead and carry out a variety of tasks, including:

• Supporting the creation and rollout of our cloud-based data ingestion and translation architecture (tech stack includes, DBT and Airflow)
• Maintaining and building upon our relational databases
• Ensuring smooth functioning of our development, quality assurance, and production environments
• Developing and maintaining (debugging, improving, testing, and deploying) Python scripts
• Building integrations applications and solving integrations issues
• Creating and executing unit test plans based on system and validation requirements
• Documenting changes in software for end users
• Serving as a thought partner with colleagues and internal stakeholders about the feasibility and time intensiveness of proposed projects

As an integral part of CEP's tech team, your time will be spent on CEP's technology infrastructure, working on YouthTruth and Assessment and Advisory Services teams' projects.
The Ideal Candidate:

• You exhibit excellent judgment and can work with low direction to support your data and client analyst colleagues in a fast-paced environment while being thorough and results-oriented.
• You take pride in your work and take the necessary steps to ensure the production of reliable and sustainable code.
• You have exceptional communication skills. You are collaborative and excited to work cross-functionally while building relationships and generating influence across the company.
• You bring an aptitude for continuous improvement within processes and disciplines, helping to evolve from the current state into leveraging new mindsets and approaches.
• You are tolerant of ambiguity and have the desire to create structures, evolve systems, and build new capabilities to better serve our customers.

Your Background, Experience, and Interests:

• Experience with the following languages: Python and SQL
• At least 3 - 5 years' experience as a software developer, data analyst, engineer, or similar, in a full-time role.
  • Understanding of cloud architectures and their applications within a data-driven environment
  • Integration among different applications through APIs
  • Experience using Python with datasets
  • Experience with SQL language and tools to help build data transformation models
• Experience with code management and review such as Github
• A degree (or related practical experience) in computer programming, or related field
• Experience with cloud deployed applications using AWS a plus
• Experience with AWS, data modeling and implementation, and/or Ruby on Rails a plus but not necessary

Benefits:
Our nonprofit model is central to our identity: our bottom line is impact, not profit. Yet even as a nonprofit, we successfully compete for top talent across both the public and private sectors and offer competitive compensation and benefits, including:

• A commitment to pay parity and salary equity. The annual base salary for this position is $134,274. In addition, this role is eligible for a competitive Performance Based Incentive Compensation.
• Comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance plans.
• Generous paid time-off plan, including three weeks of annually accrued vacation, up to 15 holidays, plus an end-of-year break.
• 401(k) plan with a 1:1 Employer Match up to 5% of total compensation.
• Generous annual personal professional development allowance.
• Health savings, flexible spending and dependent care tax free savings plans.
• Life insurance is covered 100% by the organization.

We strive to balance in-person time with flexibility and the needs of each person, their team, and the larger organization. We believe culture, collaboration, communication, trust- and relationship-building, training, and certain kinds of creative work benefit from in-office interactions - and we believe that the flexibility of remote work also has many advantages. We expect staff to be in the office at least two days per week, and more frequently during new staff introduction periods to support a robust orientation. Everyone will enjoy the option to work fully remotely from anywhere four weeks per year.
About CEP:
For over 20 years, CEP has led the movement to improve philanthropy through a powerful combination of dispassionate analysis and a passionate commitment to improving lives. Today, over 350 foundations around the world have used CEP's assessment tools to gather honest feedback from their stakeholders in an effort to learn how to be even more effective. CEOs and trustees have come to rely on our research for insights into foundation effectiveness on a wide range of topics, from assessing performance to developing strategy to managing stakeholder relationships. Our highly regarded programming-including our biennial conference-gives foundation leaders an exclusive and unprecedented opportunity to connect with their peers. Through custom workshops and peer learning cohorts, our new Learning Institute supports funders in driving changes in their philanthropic practice.
Youthtruth, a team within CEP, provides tools to listen to students, families, and staff; learn from what they're saying; and make real and lasting change in schools. At the heart of each engagement are our surveys and dynamic online reports. Since 2008, YouthTruth has been a leading organization in its field, with nearly 3 million students sharing their experiences with us. We have partnered with schools, districts, states, and philanthropic funders to create real and lasting change.
Strengths of our work culture are entrepreneurialism, accountability, teamwork, collegiality, diversity, and mutual respect.
Location:
We have offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California. The YouthTruth team resides alongside staff in other departments at The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), YouthTruth's parent nonprofit. This role is based in our Cambridge, MA office.
Our Process:
Our rolling process includes three interview rounds: an initial phone conversation, a skills assessment, and a team interview round. Our process also includes the checking of references in the final stages. Check out CEP's careers page to learn more about how we hire. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
To Apply:
Please fill out our application for employment and attach a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.
If you have any questions, please contact our People and Culture department at jobs (at) cep(dot) org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
We believe that a diversity of thoughts, experiences, backgrounds, personalities, and identities helps us think bigger and better, and enables us to reach our goals more effectively. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.
Once a candidate begins our process, we discourage outreach to our staff for interviews or conversations that are outside our standard interview process. We have worked hard to design a process that is fair and rigorous and achieves a good match between candidates and CEP.
CEP evaluates candidates based on their merits. We strongly discourage unsolicited references. We will ask for references if and when a candidate reaches a finalist stage.