Director of Data Engineering

• Serves as the Data Engineer Director for the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC), ensuring that clean, organized, and timely data is available to downstream users. 

• Directs, plans, and manages the IDEC Data Engineering Section database and infrastructure management programs. 

• Directs, plans, and manages the IDEC Data Engineering Section collaboration and integration functions. 

• Serves as a full-line supervisor.    

• Performs other duties as required or assigned, which are reasonable within the scope of duties enumerated above. 

• This position requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college with coursework in business or public administration, data science, and/or data engineering or analytics or closely related fields. 

• This position requires four (4) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or private organization in data science, data engineering, education policy, statistics, and/or economics or closely related fields. 

• Prefers five (5) years of experience designing or developing complex data architectures and data pipelines using modern tools and technologies [e.g., Python, Structured Query Language (SQL,) Spark, Databricks, Data Build Tool  (DBT)], managing cloud-based data platforms (e.g., Amazon Web Services/AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), and/or implementing scalable storage and compute solutions. 

• Prefers five (5) years of experience with data modeling, governance, cataloging, lineage practices, and/or AI machine learning data processes and frameworks.  

• Prefers a master’s degree with coursework in Information Management, Data Science, Data Analytics, Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field. 

• Prefers four (4) years of experience working with data related to Early Childhood services/education. 

• Prefers four (4) years of experience ensuring continuous improvement by modernizing data infrastructure to automate processes that optimize performance, reliability, efficiency, and accountability. 

• Prefers three (3) years of professional work experience serving as a full-line supervisor. 

All applicants must be able to meet the following Conditions of Employment to be considered for this position. The State of Illinois complies with federal and state disability laws and will make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.

1. Requires ability to obtain and maintain advanced proficiency with DevOps practices (e.g., Continuous Integration, Infrastructure as Code, automated testing, collaboration, and version control)

2. Requires a criminal history check.

3. Requires the ability to use state issued equipment, such as a cell phone or laptop

4. Requires the ability to travel with overnight stays.

5. Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This requires the ability to work evenings and weekends.

6. Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.

7. This position has been found to meet the requirements in section 4A-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act requiring the occupant/employee to file a Statement of Economic Interest. The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A et seq.) requires certain state officials and employees to file annual Statements of Economic Interest with the Office of the Secretary of State that will be made available for examination and copying by the public. All employees required to file a Statement of Economic Interest are also required to file the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with the Executive Ethics Commission. (See Executive Order 15-09) Fines and penalties apply to untimely filings.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description. 

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) was signed into law in June of 2024 with the focus of making early childhood education and care services simpler, better and fairer for families with young children across the state. During fiscal years FY25 and FY26, IDEC will be working through transitioning data, programs and services from three state agencies – the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), – to IDEC in order to be fully operational by July 2026.     

Illinois strives to be the best state in the nation to raise a family with young children and IDEC is committed to continue putting children and families center while reducing complexities and finding efficiencies in the system and advancing equity.