DATA ENGINEER, GIS

Job DescriptionNew York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) helps New Yorkers before, during, and after emergencies through preparedness, education, and response. NYCEM is responsible for coordinating citywide emergency planning and response for all types and scales of emergencies. We are staffed by more than 200 dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including individuals assigned from other City agencies. The Office of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) is comprised of Human Capital Management (HCM), Information Technology (IT), Support Services, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The Office of the COO is focused on implementing agency initiatives and strategies and incorporating them into daily operations to meet agency objectives and goals. The NYCEM Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Unit produces reliable location-based information through the integration, analysis, and visualization of essential data distributed in the form of maps, datasets, summary metrics, and associated applications.Guided by the recommendations from the City’s after-action report following the extreme rain event associated with Post-Tropical Cyclone Ida in September 2021, NYCEM is embarking on an Emergency Data Improvement Initiative to more readily and accurately integrate the field data collected after an emergency by various entities assisting in canvassing, response, and recovery operations; to improve data sharing amongst agencies; and to develop new data products for emergency response. The heart of this effort is the establishment of an interagency Emergency Data Governance Committee (EDGC), chaired by NYCEM, with the mission of identifying gaps and obstacles in acquiring and managing the data needed for operational response and situational awareness; critiquing and testing proposed solutions; and establishing standards and protocols for data management and governance. Both organizational and technological solutions will be examined by the committee.NYCEM has an exciting opportunity for a motivated data professional to join the GIS unit as a Data Engineer. NYCEM is creating a data integration team comprised of data engineering and geospatial experts to help implement EDGC recommendations. Reporting to NYCEM’s Director of Data Engineering, the selected applicant will:

Develop and maintain ETL pipelines, with a focus on writing scalable, clean, and fault-tolerant code to handle disparate data sources.

Create databases for emergency events on demand, setting up processes to join base data with event data, handle frequent updates, share data with other city agencies and outside organizations based on security protocols, and log data errors.

Collaborate with internal divisions to acquire or create data sets needed for situational awareness and recovery operations.

Collaborate with other city agencies to improve base data. As needed, convert base data into more useable form for emergency needs.

Perform exploratory data analyses as needed.

Collaborate with other data engineers on the best technologies to use, with a goal toward building a sustainable, robust framework.

Participate in code reviews and develop documentation for both code and procedures.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: The selected candidate will be assigned to an on-call Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team and will be expected to work non-business hours during some emergencies. These non-business hours include nights, weekends, holidays, and extended week hours outside of a 9AM-5PM schedule. The selected candidate will also participate in trainings to build skills and competencies in emergency response; will participate in drills and exercises associated with the on-call EOC team; and may volunteer to assist with Ready NY emergency preparedness presentations to external groups. EOC teams are on call for three weeks at a time, with six weeks off in between. Funding – This position is supported by a federal Community Development Block Grant for disaster recovery (CDBG) and has three (3) years of guaranteed funding, which will start once the position is filled. There is a possibility of extension beyond the three years. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer support to be eligible for selection.For this position, the “Special Note” below in the Minimum Qualification Requirements does apply. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS JOB, PLEASE SUBMIT A SEPARATE COVER LETTER IN THE ATTACHMENTS SECTION OF THE APPLICATION PORTAL.Preferred Skills:

Two or more years of experience in the field of data engineering.

Proficiency in scripting processes with Python and SQL, automating processes using GitHub Actions, and utilizing containerization software like Docker.

Experience with cloud-based data warehouses like Google BigQuery and ArcGIS Online

Familiarity with spatial data formats and experience working with spatial data in Esri products, Carto, PostGIS, or GeoPandas.

Familiarity with NYC data sets and geocoding processes.

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Strong presentation skills.

Strong interpersonal skills.

Experience working with technical and non-technical staff.

Strong initiative and ability to perform with minimal supervision.

Prior experience with emergency management operations and/or NYC municipal government operations is a plus.

In addition, the selected candidate will be able to demonstrate a proven ability in the following areas, from the agency’s performance management model: Competencies:o Knowledge – possesses appropriate subject matter expertise.o Work Ethic and Productivity – produces consistently high quality, accurate, and on-time deliverables; takes responsibility, is dependable, and accountable, and follows through; is responsive to requests from leadership.o Strategic Problem Solving and Innovation – is thoughtful and deliberate in approach to solving problems; demonstrates innovation and creative thinking. o Effective Communication – communication is clear, precise, and timely; understands their audience and display confidence in delivering their message.o Teamwork – encourage collaboration and motivate others; is able to both lead and follow when necessary; is an active listener and consider a broad range of perspectives.Studies have shown that women, people of color, and other under-represented groups are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are interested in finding the best candidate for the job and will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education and experience to meet qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.Qualifications

A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a state's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and six years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in one or a combination of the following: emergency management, fire, police, or military service, public safety, public health, public administration, urban planning, engineering, or another specialized area to which the appointment is to be made; or

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of satisfactory full time professional experience in the areas listed in "1" above; or

A master's degree from an accredited college in emergency management, public administration, urban planning, engineering, economics, political science, the physical sciences ,or related field and one year of satisfactory full-time professional experience in the areas listed “1" above, at least two years of which must have been in one of those areas, or another specialized area to which the appointment is to be made.

Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above. However, all candidates must have a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.

Special Note: To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level II, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in ""1"" above.Additional InformationThe City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.