GLO - Senior Data Engineer (Programmer V)

The Texas General Land Office is seeking a Senior Data Engineer (Programmer V) within the Information Technology Services Department of the agency.

Performs highly advanced (senior level) computer programming and software engineering work for the Information Technology Services department. Work involves designing, developing, testing, and maintaining complex software solutions across a holistic application domain or shared platform to support agency programs and operations. The position addresses ambiguous or novel technical problems requiring advanced analysis and judgment.

Responsibilities include providing technical leadership across an application domain or platform; shaping and applying domain-level standards, patterns, and delivery practices; and designing and implementing complex or non-routine solutions. This role ensures consistency, reliability, maintainability, and SDLC alignment across related applications or services and balances hands-on software development with broader technical leadership responsibilities.

Works under minimal supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. This position serves as a senior technical authority and provides technical leadership and mentorship through hands-on implementation, code and design reviews, and technical guidance, without formal supervisory or people management responsibilities. All levels in this job series are expected to perform hands-on software development work; the scope and complexity of implementation responsibilities increase with level.

About the Information Technology Services Department

The Information Technology Services (ITS) team advances the mission of the Texas General Land Office through technology. We deliver secure, reliable, and innovative solutions that enable the agency to serve Texans efficiently and transparently. ITS operates with a growth mindset, committed to sustainability, operational excellence, customer service, and safeguarding the agency’s information resources. By leveraging modern cloud, automation, and data technologies, ITS drives efficiency, innovation, and resilience across the enterprise.

About the Role

The Senior Data Engineer position is critical to developing, enhancing, and sustaining enterprise data platforms that support analytics, reporting, regulatory compliance, and operational decision-making across the Texas General Land Office. This role serves as a senior technical contributor within Information Technology Services (ITS), providing hands-on expertise in the design, implementation, and support of complex data engineering, integration, and data management solutions.

The position plays an important role in advancing the agency’s transition from legacy data architectures toward scalable cloud-based data platforms, including modern warehouse and distributed processing environments such as Snowflake, Databricks, and similar technologies. This role contributes to technical solution design, implements data pipelines and platform enhancements, and collaborates with architects and senior engineers to ensure data solutions are reliable, efficient, and aligned with modernization objectives.

Operating with considerable latitude for initiative and independent judgment, the Senior Data Engineer applies advanced technical expertise to deliver and maintain enterprise data solutions while supporting the adoption of engineering standards and best practices. The role also provides technical guidance and knowledge sharing to other team members. The absence of this position would increase operational risk to data integration and reporting processes, reduce the agency’s ability to deliver trusted data products, and slow progress toward modernization and scalability goals.

Our Mission:
The Texas General Land Office primarily serves the schoolchildren, veterans, and the environment of Texas. The agency does so by preserving our history, maximizing state revenue through innovative administration, and through the prudent stewardship of state lands and natural resources.

What Your Contributions to the GLO Will be:

• Software Development & Solution Delivery

Leads the delivery of complex software solutions across a holistic application domain or shared platform. Writes and reviews complex, novel, or high-risk production code; implements precedent-setting features; and resolves advanced defects to ensure reliable and scalable solutions.

• System Analysis, Design & Implementation

Guides domain-level system analysis and solution design across applications or services. Designs complex integrations and technical approaches to address ambiguous requirements while ensuring alignment with established architectural direction.

• Quality, Reliability & Operational Support

Establishes and enforces domain-level expectations for quality, reliability, and operational readiness. Leads analysis and resolution of systemic or recurring technical issues and supports complex incident response efforts.

• Automation, Tools & Continuous Improvement

Shapes and advances domain-level development, deployment, and operational practices through automation, tooling, and process improvements. Promotes consistency and efficiency across teams working within the domain or platform.

• Documentation, Standards & Compliance

Establishes and maintains domain standards, technical documentation, and implementation guidance. Ensures solutions comply with security, operational, and policy requirements and supports long-term sustainability of the domain or platform.

• Technical Leadership & Knowledge Sharing

Provides technical leadership across teams by leading complex code and design reviews, mentoring peers through hands-on collaboration, and guiding technical decision-making. Serves as a trusted technical resource without supervisory authority.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting data platform modernization efforts, including migration of legacy systems to cloud-based environments.
• Experience implementing data quality controls, monitoring processes, and operational support procedures for enterprise data pipelines.
• Experience working with large-scale structured and semi-structured data in batch and distributed processing environments.
• Familiarity with data governance concepts, metadata management, data lineage, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience using SQL, Python, Spark, or similar technologies for data engineering and data processing workloads.
• Relevant industry certifications in cloud technologies, data engineering, analytics, or database platforms are preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Modern data platform architectures, including cloud-based data warehouses and distributed processing technologies (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, or similar platforms).
• Data warehousing concepts, dimensional modeling techniques, and reporting data structures.
• ETL/ELT methodologies, data integration patterns, and orchestration tools.
• Data governance principles, including data quality, metadata management, and lineage tracking.
• Database design, performance tuning, and data optimization techniques.
• Security, privacy, and compliance considerations applicable to enterprise data environments.

Skill in:

• Designing, developing, and maintaining scalable data pipelines and integration solutions.
• Building and supporting cloud-based data warehouses and modern data platforms.
• Developing data transformation processes using SQL, Python, Spark, or similar technologies.
• Implementing data quality validation, monitoring, and operational support processes.
• Troubleshooting and resolving complex data integration, performance, and reliability issues.
• Creating technical documentation, solution designs, and operational procedures.

Ability to:

• Serve as a senior technical contributor on complex data engineering initiatives.
• Collaborate effectively with architects, analysts, developers, business stakeholders, and project teams.
• Exercise sound judgment in designing and implementing enterprise data solutions.
• Translate business, operational, and reporting requirements into reliable and scalable data pipelines.
• Support data modernization efforts while maintaining operational stability and performance.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to less experienced team members while promoting data engineering best practices.

Physical Requirements:

This position requires the employee to primarily perform sedentary office work; however, mobility (moving around the worksite) is routinely required to carry out some duties. This position requires extensive computer, telephone and client/ customer contact and communication. It requires the ability to move and position oneself as needed for filing and similar routine office duties. The job also requires normal cognitive abilities requiring the ability to learn, recall, and apply certain practices and policies. It requires the stamina to maintain attention to detail despite interruptions. Ability to read printed materials and computer screens. The individual must be able to move and transport records, documents, boxes, and all related information and materials, weighing up to 20 pounds when required.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Free Parking
• Defined Retirement Benefit Plan Optional 401(k) and 457 accounts
• Medical Insurance - State pays 100% of the health plan premium for eligible full-time employees and 50% of the premium for their eligible dependents. The State pays 50% of the eligible part-time employees’ premium and 25% for eligible dependents.
• Optional Benefits such as dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Minimum of 96+ Hours of Annual Leave a year **Annual leave increases with length of service.
• Professional Development Opportunities: The GLO offers numerous courses to help our employees grow using resources through LinkedIn Learning and our EAP provider.

Veterans:
Use your military skills to qualify for this position or other jobs! Go to www.texasskillstowork.com to translate your military work experience and training courses into civilian job terms, qualifications and skill sets. Also, you can compare this position to military occupations (MOS) at the Texas State Auditor's Office by pasting this link into your browser:

Military Crosswalk for Occupational Category - Information Technology

How to Apply:

• To be considered, please complete a State of Texas Application for Employment and apply online at www.workintexas.com or in the CAPPS Career Section.
• You may apply for the job directly through the CAPPS Career Section. It is not necessary to apply both through Work in Texas and the CAPPS Career Section.
• Applications must be fully completed with a detailed job history, including job title, employment dates, employer name, supervisor's name and phone number, and a summary of responsibilities. Incomplete applications may lead to disqualification. Please be aware that resumes will not be accepted in place of a completed application.
• In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
• A position utilizing this classification will be designated as security sensitive according to the Texas Labor Code, Section 301.042.
• Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.