Data Engineer III

Weekly Work Hours

Compensation Range

Salary Minimum

FLSA

Position Type

The Data Engineer III will lead the design and implementation of robust, scalable data solutions and analytical models to support enterprise analytics and AI initiatives. This role requires advanced technical expertise, leadership in setting architectural standards, and the ability to drive innovation through automation and cloud integration. The position involves leading technical initiatives, mentoring team members, and ensuring compliance with data governance and regulatory requirements.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced data engineering principles and architectural design.

• Cloud integration strategies and AI/ML pipeline design.

• Regulatory compliance frameworks (FERPA, TRAIGA).

• Best practices for data security, privacy, and governance.

• DevOps methodologies for data engineering.

• Ability to lead technical initiatives and set organizational standards.

• Expertise in automation and CI/CD for data workflows.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

• Proficiency in performance tuning and cost optimization.

• Effective leadership and mentoring skills.

• Advanced communication skills for technical and executive audiences.

• Ability to design and enforce governance standards across the enterprise.

• Ability to evaluate and integrate emerging AI technologies.

• Ability to manage complex projects and prioritize competing demands.

• Ability to foster collaboration across technical and business teams.

• Ability to anticipate future data needs and plan scalable solutions.

Physical Requirements

Normal physical job functions performed within a standard office environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with physical challenges to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related field.

• Experience: 5+ years of relevant experience in data engineering or related field.

• Advanced proficiency in data processing frameworks, programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python), and databases.

• Expertise in designing scalable architectures and analytical models.

• Strong knowledge of cloud-based integration, AI, and analytics platforms.

• Ability to automate pipelines using DevOps practices.

• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure of Dallas College.

Other Preferred Qualifications for Role

• Bilingual or multilingual preferred

***Will be subject to a criminal background check. Some positions may be subject to a fingerprint check. ***

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement enterprise-scale data architectures and pipelines using Microsoft Fabric components (OneLake, Data Factory, Synapse Data Engineering, Synapse Data Warehouse).

• Develop analytical data models to support business intelligence and advanced analytics.

• Automate and streamline data workflows using DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines.

• Lead technical initiatives and establish best practices for data engineering standards.

• Conduct performance tuning and capacity planning for large-scale data systems.

• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend adoption strategies.

• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and security compliance for data platforms.

• Integrate data solutions with cloud-based platforms and AI services.

• Optimize data systems for scalability, performance, and security.

• Implement cost optimization strategies for cloud resources.

• Design and enforce data governance standards, including data quality frameworks and classification policies.

• Maintain compliance with FERPA and TRAIGA requirements.

• Document data lineage and catalog datasets in Microsoft Purview.

• Establish monitoring and auditing processes for data governance adherence.

• Architect AI/ML Data Pipelines: Design and implement robust, scalable pipelines optimized for machine learning workloads, including feature engineering and real-time data ingestion.

• Evaluate AI Services: Assess and recommend AI platforms and services (e.g., Azure OpenAI, Copilot Studio) for institutional use cases, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.

• Model Operationalization: Collaborate with data scientists to deploy models into production environments, integrating monitoring and retraining workflows.

• Experiment Management: Establish frameworks for experiment tracking, version control, and reproducibility to support research and development.

• Compliance & Governance: Ensure all AI/ML initiatives comply with FERPA and TRAIGA (Texas Responsible AI Governance Act, effective January 2026), including ethical AI practices and risk assessments.

• Performance Optimization: Implement strategies for model performance tuning, scalability, and cost efficiency in cloud environments.

• AI Strategy Leadership: Contribute to institutional AI strategy by defining standards, best practices, and governance for AI-driven solutions.

• Security & Privacy: Design secure data handling processes for sensitive datasets used in AI/ML workloads, including anonymization and encryption.

• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers, fostering technical growth and knowledge sharing.

• Collaborate with engineers, data scientists, analysts, and product teams to align data strategies with business objectives.

• Lead cross-functional technical workshops and architecture reviews.

• Microsoft Fabric (OneLake, Data Factory, Synapse Data Engineering, Synapse Data Warehouse)

• Power BI (semantic models, dataflows, paginated reports)

• Microsoft Purview (data governance, lineage, cataloging)

• Azure OpenAI

• Copilot Studio

• Required Dallas College Professional Development Hours per Academic Year. - All employees are required to complete a minimum of 19 hours.

• Perform other duties not listed as assigned.

• If physical presence is required for the role: This position may be eligible for remote work only under conditions permitted by Texas SB 2615, including temporary illness, disability accommodations, or assignment to approved remote instruction programs

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Incumbents may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description. Position requires regular and predictable attendance.

About Us

Since 1965, Dallas College, formerly known as the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), has served more than three (3) million students. Comprising seven (7) campuses located around the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we are one of the largest community college systems in the state of Texas. We strive to be a leader in the community college space, placing students at the center of everything we do.

Dallas College is committed to cultivating an environment of opportunity and belonging for all students and employees. We recognize that the Dallas College workforce, and the diverse talent that stems from it, is directly linked to our success. We are part of an equal opportunity system that provides education and employment opportunities without discrimination on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, veteran status, pregnancy or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, Dallas College will make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.