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THIS POSITION IS BASED IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

The Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID) at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is a leading nonpartisan research center focused on elections, voting behaviors, and electoral and political participation.

Founded by political sociologist Dr. Mindy Romero, CID has been a driving force for more than a decade on dozens of national and multi-state research initiatives that harness big data to effect change. Its studies have been widely used to inform public policy at all levels of government, as well as empower local communities seeking to eliminate disparities in social and economic well-being of the electorate.

As a research Database Engineer, you will be responsible for maintaining CID’s cloud Postgres database architecture and ETL pipelines. With opportunities to design new technologies in areas of potential research growth, this position will require close collaboration with other CID staff to ensure data integrity and synchronicity of front and back-end codebases. There are times you will be expected to work independently to meet tight deadlines following design guidelines, and other times where you will work closely with colleagues to collaboratively problem-solve complex research questions outside the database domain. While database engineering and/or administration experience is critical for this role, the successful applicant will also possess creativity and flexibility in their philosophical approach to programming and an interest in delivering high-quality voting research output.

This is a part-time, 60% effort, six month fixed term position with a remote work arrangement.

CID recognizes that not all qualified candidates may possess the exact skillsets described below; we encourage you to apply if you feel that you are able to demonstrate equivalent experience/capabilities for core competencies.

Database Engineer Responsibilities:

• Maintaining and enhancing the performance of CID’s existing cloud database infrastructure, ETL pipelines and related projects

• Assisting in the design of new database programs and processes that meet the organization's data storage needs

• Monitoring databases and related systems to ensure optimized performance

• Reviewing database and user reports, as well as system information

• Performing debugging procedures on database scripts and programs, as well as resolving conflicts

• Develop and implement data security policies, procedures, and best practices

• Documenting processes related to database design, configuration, and performance

• Conduct research and drafts reports and results, and contributes to writing for reports, summaries, visualizations, and content for lectures and talks, as directed

• As needed, assist colleagues with other aspects of CID’s research

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in information systems, information technology, computer science, or similar

Minimum Experience:

3 years

Preferred Skills:

• A minimum of 3 years experience in database engineering or database administration

• Experience with DBaaS platforms (PostgreSQL)

• In-depth knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL)

• Proficiency in (or a willingness to learn) either R or Python

• Extensive experience with wider database technologies and architectural practice

• Sound knowledge of best practices in database engineering and data security

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

• Exceptional problem-solving and critical thinking skills

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills

• Experience with spatial datasets, PostGIS and QGIS

• Experience processing Census and voting data

• Proficiency in other programming languages (R and Python)

• Familiarity with AWS

Preferred Education

Master’s degree in information systems, information technology, computer science, or similar

Compensation

The hourly rate range for this position is $31.51 - $36.24. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

About the Sol Price School of Public Policy

Ranked among the top schools of public policy in the nation, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and has as its mission to improve the quality of life for people and their communities worldwide. The School is composed of overlapping disciplines that generate innovative approaches to critical issues ranging from health-care policy to homelessness, and sustainability to congestion – to name a few. A wide-ranging curriculum, including extensive experiential learning, prepares our graduates to navigate problems that demand multi-layered solutions driven by critical, informed thinking.

The Price School, founded in 1929, is anchored by four departments: Public Policy and Management, Health Policy and Management, Wilbur H. Smith III Department of Estate Development; and Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis. The School’s rigorous academic programs provide students with the knowledge and distinctive opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their professions. Integrating classroom instruction with real-world experience and led by some of the world’s most renowned faculty in their fields, our students establish a clear pathway to successful careers.

Our academic programs are augmented by numerous research centers, institutes and initiatives that provide additional research expertise and experiences, notable among them are: The Judith and John Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public; The Center for Philanthropy and Public Policy; The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate; The METRANS Transportation Consortium; The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics; and The Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Together, they account for over $100 million in externally funded research grants and contracts.

Our departments and research enterprise provide unmatched breadth and depth to tackle an enormous range of challenges facing our country and the world. Our graduates hold leadership positions across diverse sectors – public, private, and nonprofit – championing the advancement of the common good. They come from around the world and from a variety of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds to create a rich intellectual environment that celebrates, supports and benefits from diverse people and opinions.

Join the Price School and work as a trusted partner in shaping an environment of innovation and excellence.

The University of Southern California values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment.