Animal Life History Database Developer - IT Data Management - Journey - Project

Company:  State of Washington
Location: Olympia
Closing Date: 29/10/2024
Hours: Full Time
Type: Permanent
Job Requirements / Description
Salary: $6,806.00 - $9,154.00 Monthly
Location : Thurston County - Olympia, WA
Job Type: Project (limited duration)
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 2024-12188
Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Opening Date: 10/24/2024
Closing Date: 11/17/2024 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
Title- Animal Life History Database Developer
Classification- IT Data Management - Journey Level
Job Status- Full-Time/Project
Appointment Length- 12-18 months (depending on funding)
W DFW Program- WildlifeProgram - Wildlife Species Data Management
Duty Station- *Olympia, Washington - Thurston County
*A partial telework schedule is possible depending on work needs and discretion of supervisor
Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW !
Photo Caption: Two elk colliding - Photo Credit: Geoffrey Dodd
Within the Wildlife Program's Wildlife Species Data Management section, this position is responsible for the design, development and maintenance of an enterprise "Individual Animal Life History" database, and related scripts and applications. This database allows individual animals to be tracked through time, including animal samples and related lab results, for tracking disease and other animal health issues.
This position supports Wildlife Program staff in the management of individual animals by collecting and storing data related to individual wildlife animals. Tracking individual animal data is important for both wildlife health and disease management, as well as tracking the individual animal biometrics and morphometrics for species that have a conservation need ("at-risk" species).
What to Expect-
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Animal Life History Database Developer is responsible for,
Database development
  • Requirements gathering: Translates current business data needs and legacy systems into modern data frameworks (collection, editing, viewing, analysis, reporting and storage). Consults with subject-matter experts, application users (e.g., Wildlife Biologists), and other stakeholders on business requirements, risks, and impacts.
  • Data gathering: Review and organize relevant animal data to identify the entity and attribute requirements of the database.
  • Designing database: Creating conceptual, logical, and physical designs to ensure that the database meets identified business needs and meets modern database design standards.
  • Developing scripts to automate the creation and maintenance of the database schema. Manages source code repositories for these database scripts.
  • Data loading and testing on a development instance of the database.
  • Creating and maintaining a production database with production data loaded
  • Ensures database compliance with agency policy and industry best practices regarding data security, access constraints, usability, and database longevity.
  • Develops documentation to track the development and maintenance of the database.
Data management
  • Develops and maintains Extract-Transform-Load (ETL) and other automation scripts to parse, leverage, and migrate data between Cloud environments, on-premise enterprise databases, and project datasets.
  • Develops, maintains, and enhances ingest and egress workflows from data collected in mobile and web applications, as well as vendor services. Builds processes to extract data for use by staff.
  • Monitors script error handling messages to ensure that data processing, data transfers, and other automated processes are working as expected.
  • Streamlines and automates workflows using Microsoft COTS products (e.g., Power Automate) to improve integration with Microsoft products.
  • Develops, publishes, and maintains web services (map, feature, and geoprocessing services) to improve web-based accessibility of data in this database.
  • Creates technical documentation and metadata for data products that details sources, limitations of use, and processing steps.
Application development
  • Gathers business requirements, objectives, and use-cases from Wildlife Program staff and translate these into appropriate applications.
  • Customizes commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions, primarily Esri desktop and web-based applications such as ArcPro plugins, webmaps and dashboards.
  • Develops and maintains custom applications using modern programming languages (.NET, Javascript) for more complex solutions.
  • Troubleshoots and resolves application issues.
  • Monitors, maintains, and documents source code to accommodate changes over time, inconsistencies in protocol and/or schema of source data, and version control (e.g., Microsoft DevOps, git).
  • Creates and maintains technical documentation on application business rules, data management processes, procedures, and content.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis. '
  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Information Technology, Computer Science, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Natural Resource Science, or closely related field., including a minimum 9 semester or 15 quarter hours of computer science courses.
  • Four (4) years of database development experience including data modeling, relational database design, database administration; use of Structured Query Language (SQL) and Python to access and manipulate data in an enterprise database.
Licenses: Valid driver's license
Preferred Qualifications:
In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess some or all the following:
  • Experience with ArcPro (or legacy software ArcGIS for Desktop) and related code (such as Arcade Expressions and ArcPy).
  • Experience with ArcGIS Online (AGOL) or ArcGIS Enterprise (Portal) and ESRI CoTS app (Dashboards and Experience Builder).
  • Experience with publishing and maintaining ArcGIS Server (AGS), map and feature (web) services and hosted layers in ArcGIS Online and related code (ArcGIS API for Python, ArcGIS REST API, ArcGIS API for JavaScript).
  • Experience with software-as-a-service/platform-as-a-service (SaaS/PaaS) solutions such as AWS and related cloud software.
  • Web GIS application development experience using modern Javascript or .NET frameworks.
  • Experienced with standard wildlife data collection activities, survey techniques, and sampling protocols with focus on data management.
  • Master's Degree (MS) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Quantitative Ecology, Data Science, Wildlife Biology, Natural Resources, or closely related disciplines.
Your application should include the following:
  • A completed online application.
  • An up-to-date resume (chronological preferred) showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
  • A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
  • At least three professional references with current contact information.
Working Conditions:
Work Setting, including hazards: Office environment
Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00p.m.. Flexibility for alternate schedules at discretion of hiring manager.
Travel Requirements: May travel to meetings/conferences, requiring overnight travel.
Customer Interactions: Communication with both internal and external customers.
Supplemental information:
In addition to and other , there are other that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the "Benefits" tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.
Important Note:
All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link:
Union - WFSE:
This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). This recruitment may be used to fill positions in addition to those listed.
Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice:
Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and spouses of active-duty military personnel who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following:
  • Notify us of your veteran or military spouse status by email at
  • Veterans only - Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
    • Please redact any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
  • Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2024-1234 - Biologist 1 - Veteran)
  • Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer
As part of WDFW's efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
Request an accommodation: Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email , or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.
Technical Difficulties: If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or .
Other questions: If you have other questions regarding this position, please reach out to and reference the job number in the subject line:
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More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.
Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.
Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.
Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.
Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.
Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.
Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.
Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.
Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.
Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.
Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in (1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.
Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with (1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.
Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.
As provided in , an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.
Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.
Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.
Bereavement Leave
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, are entitled to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.
Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay
Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.
Updated 12-31-2022
01
Do you have a valid driver's license? Write "Yes" if you possess a valid driver's license, or write "No" if you do not possess a valid driver's license.
02
Please select the option below that best describes the highest level of education you have completed.
  • High School Diploma/GED.
  • Some College.
  • Vocational Degree or Certificate.
  • Associate's Degree.
  • Bachelor's Degree.
  • Master's Degree.
  • Ph.D.
  • None of the above.

03
What is your major area of study? If you possess multiple degrees, please list each degree and major. (If this does not apply to you, please put N/A.) This includes both vocational and college education.
04
Which of the following best describes your database development experience including data modeling, relational database design, database administration; use of Structured Query Language (SQL) and Python to access and manipulate data in an enterprise database.
  • Less than four (4) years
  • 4-6 years
  • 6-8 years
  • 8-10 years
  • More than ten (10) years
  • No experience

05
Please briefly describe your database development experience including data modeling, relational database design, database administration; use of Structured Query Language (SQL) and Python to access and manipulate data in an enterprise database. ("See Resume" is not a valid response, if you do not have this experience, put N/A).
06
Do you have experience with ArcPro (or legacy software ArcGIS for Desktop) and related code (such as Arcade Expressions and ArcPy)?
  • Yes
  • No

07
Please briefly describe your experience with software-as-a-service/platform-as-a-service (SaaS/PaaS) solutions such as AWS and related cloud software. ("See Resume" is not a valid response, if you do not have this experience, put N/A).
08
Do you have experience with standard wildlife data collection activities, survey techniques, and sampling protocols?
  • Yes
  • No

09
How did you hear about this job posting? (Select all that apply).
  • American Fisheries Society (AFS)
  • Careers.wa.gov
  • Community Based Organization
  • Community/Technical College
  • Conservation Job Board
  • El Informador
  • Facebook
  • Four W's Fishing Team, LLC - Willard Franklin III, LinkedIn
  • Handshake
  • Hiring Event/Workshop
  • Indeed.com
  • Job Board
  • Job Fair
  • LinkedIn
  • Newspaper
  • Other
  • Other State Agency
  • Other Website
  • Professional Association
  • Society of American Foresters (SAF)
  • Texas A&M
  • Twitter
  • University Job Board
  • UW College of the Environment
  • WDFW Employee
  • WDFW Recruiter
  • WDFW Website
  • Word of Mouth
  • WorkSource

10
Tell us more - kindly share which website, organization, person, or other source led you to this job posting.
11
Are you currently a permanent employee of the Department of Fish and Wildlife? ("Permanent employee" means an employee who has attained permanent status in a job classification upon successful completion of a probationary, trial service, or transition review period; this would include "Seasonal Career" appointments).
  • Yes
  • No

Required Question
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