POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position: Data Engineer I

Officeof Data Governance and Analysis

Employment Status: Temp/Full-Time/Exempt

ABOUT LSC:

Established by Congress in 1974, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the country’s single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. LSC currently funds 131 independent nonprofit legal aid organizations with more than 800 offices throughout the nation. LSC’s mission is to promote equal access to justice and provide grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans. This position is based in Washington, DC, and will require working from an office in DC in accordance with LSC’s hybrid work model. The successful candidate must live in the DC metropolitan area.

BASIC FUNCTION:
Legal Services Corporation’s Office of Data Governance and Analysis (ODGA) is looking for a data engineer interested in being at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative that combines advanced technology with a mission to drive social justice. As a Data Engineer, your primary responsibility will be collecting and integrating new civil court data to enhance our comprehensive database. Additionally, you will play a crucial role in ensuring data accuracy and integrity through innovative debugging and error-checking techniques. This is a unique and exciting opportunity to apply your technical expertise to address pressing legal issues and make a substantial positive impact on society. The Data Engineer collaborates with research associates, data scientists, web developers, and other staff to support the ongoing operation, continued expansion, and usage of civil court data. This is a grant funded position for three years with the possibly of extension contingent on the availability of funding.

LSC’s Civil Court Data Initiative:
Join us in revolutionizing the way civil legal issues are understood and addressed in the United States. LSC launched the Civil Court Data Initiative in 2019, creating an unparalleled repository of civil court records in near real-time. With over 35 million civil court records collected from more than 30 states, this initiative empowers legal aid providers, researchers, and policymakers with critical data on eviction, debt collection, domestic violence, and other pressing civil legal matters. Our cutting-edge web applications, such as an eviction tracker, deliver vital analytics and insights, helping to drive informed decision-making and social change.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Collects and integrates new sources of civil court data to enhance and expand the existing database.
2. Collaborates with ODGA staff to determine the technical requirements needed to ensure high-quality civil court data is accessible and reliable for various end users.
3. Develops, tests, and maintains software applications for collecting and parsing unstructured and semi-structured data in a serverless cloud environment.
4. Engages in debugging and error-checking processes to identify and resolve discrepancies in civil court data.
5. Develops source code and data documentation for software and datasets, with an emphasis on scalable and automated solutions.
6. Performs other related duties, as assigned.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

General:

• Proactive: Take initiative and tackle challenges head-on. Thrive in a dynamic environment where proactive problem-solving is key.
• Tech-Savvy: Eager to explore and master new tools. Continuously seek out new technologies to enhance data collection and analysis.
• Organized: Excel in managing time and juggling projects. Maintain a high level of efficiency while managing multiple tasks.
• Communicative: Articulate complex ideas clearly. Ensure effective communication with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Detail-Oriented: Ensure accuracy in all work. Pay meticulous attention to detail to maintain data integrity.
• Ethical: Uphold integrity and ethical standards. Foster a culture of trust and accountability within the team.
• Collaborative: Work well independently and in teams. Contribute to a cooperative and productive work environment.
• Mission-Driven: Align with LSC’s goals and mission. Demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing social justice.

Technical/Specialized:

• Educational Foundation: Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience Level: This position is open to recent graduates or those with 1 years of data engineering experience.
• Python Proficiency: Fluent in Python and able to submit code for review upon request.
• Valued Experience: Understanding of the Requests library, Selenium, and BeautifulSoup in python as well as SQL and R coding languages.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Data Engineer I

Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000.

LSC has a competitive market-based salary structure that establishes a specific salary range for this position. The salary range has eight pay levels separated by seven steps. A new employee will be hired at Step 1 and must wait two years to advance to each of the next three steps (Steps 2 through 4), and one year to advance to each of the next four steps (Steps 5 through 8).

This position is eligible to participate in LSC’s excellent employee benefits program, including medical, dental and vision plans, 403(b) thrift plan, paid leave, and other employee benefits.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Please apply through LSC’s online application portal at www.tinyurl.com/applytoLSC. A cover letter and résumé must be included. To have your application considered, please answer all application questions and provide all requested information.
Note: If you need reasonable accommodations in the application process, please notify the Office of Human Resources at jobapplicant@lsc.gov.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT:

We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Our differences fuel excellence, and we strive to create an environment where every individual is valued and feels empowered to bring their full, authentic self to work. We are building a community rooted in openness and trust where colleagues have the resources to grow, thrive and fully contribute to achieving equal access to justice.

LSC is an equal opportunity employer.