Platform Manager & Data Engineer

Job Purpose

The KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI) is a large-scale coral reef restoration program in the Red Sea in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). KCRI was established in 2021 and is funded by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a world-class graduate research university in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The KCRI will take place at Shushah Island, in partnership with NEOM, a region in northwest Saudi Arabia that is being sustainably developed from the ground up with the world’s most advanced technologies to redefine how people live, work, and play.

Digital technologies play a key role in supporting this ambitious project. As part of the program, we are developing a digital twin of the coral reef system. The digital twin of the coral reef and nurseries is a virtual replica that collects, displays, analyses, and thinks with real-world data. It will serve as the central digital hub of the project, aggregating data from the corals and reefs to generate actionable insights for strategy and planning. The digital twin supports reef monitoring and protection, facilitates coral restoration management, enables research, and provides KCRI with a platform and portal to engage the public and other stakeholders.

In the Monitoring Visualizations, and Database Management Team, the Platform Manager & Data Engineer serves as the technical backbone of the system, ensuring its reliability, scalability, and seamless integration of data and services. Built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure, the digital twin operates as a secure, cloud-based platform. The responsible will enable scientists and users to access accurate and timely information by setting up data pipelines, infrastructure, and the integration of datasets, tools,and user-facing applications. Additionally, they act as a bridge between technical teams, governance, and stakeholders, maintaining smooth and secure platform operations.

This role will be a part of KCRI’s Monitoring, Visualization, and Database Management Team, butwill work across all project teams to aid in data continuity across the project. This role is based at KAUST but may require travel to our project site in NEOM periodically to support project needs.

Major Accountabilities

The KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative’s Platform Manager & Data Engineers specific responsibilities include:

• Oversee platform infrastructure for scalability, security, and availability.
• Defining and managing the structure of the database
• Design, implement, and maintain robust data pipelines.
• Manage ingestion and storage of diverse datasets.
• Establish monitoring, logging, and disaster recovery protocols.
• Collaborate with engineers, database specialists, external partners, and GIS experts.
• Ensure compliance with KAUST IT and KSA (SDAIA) governance and security standards.
• Optimize platform performance and resolve technical issues proactively.

Person Requirements

Competencies

• Works well in a fast-paced and diverse team environment yet can progress individually on tasks
• Pays close attention to detail
• Excellent English written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to be adaptable in challenging and remote environments that will be developing during the life of the project
• Ability to organize workload, adapt quickly to change, and deliver under the pressure of deadlines
• High problem solving and time management skills

Qualifications

Advanced degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or Data Engineering. A specialization in cloud computing, big data, or platform engineering is a plus.

Experience

• 7+ years in platform management, cloud computing, or data engineering.
• Proven experience in designing, building, and managing cloud-based platforms (Microsoft Azure preferred), including data lakes, pipelines, and secure infrastructure.
• Strong background in data engineering: integration of diverse data sets (sensor, geospatial, nursery, monitoring), ETL processes, and scalable data models.
• Ability to act as the bridge between technical teams and stakeholders, ensuring platform reliability, scalability, and smooth operations.
• Knowledge of data governance, security, and compliance standards to protect sensitive environmental and research data.
• Hands-on expertise in Azure services (Databricks, SQL DB, Data Factory, etc.) and ability to set up automated workflows, monitoring tools, and performance optimisation.