Summer 2026 Data Engineer

Boston Public Health Commission • Boston, MA

5d

About The Position

The Data Engineer Intern will support the Boston Public Health Commission Data Modernization Initiative (DMI), helping modernize public health data systems through cloud-based engineering, automation, and analytics solutions. The intern will gain hands-on experience designing and supporting scalable data pipelines, improving data quality and governance practices, and contributing to BPHC’s secure cloud based Data Lake ecosystem. This internship provides exposure to real-world public health technology initiatives focused on interoperability, automation, near real-time reporting, and AI-ready data infrastructure. The intern will collaborate with data engineers, analysts, epidemiologists, and bureaus on projects that directly support public health decision-making for Boston residents.

Requirements

• Coursework in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or Public Health Informatics.
• Basic knowledge of SQL or Python.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Interest in cloud technologies, data engineering, and public health innovation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Eagerness to learn modern data engineering and DevOps practices
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the role of public health in addressing racism, the social determinants of health, and inequities in health outcomes as well as strategies to advance racial justice and health equity.
• Commitment to health equity and racial/social justice issues

Nice To Haves

• Microsoft Azure ecosystem (ADLS Gen2, Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL, Azure Functions)
• Python, SQL, or R for data engineering and automation.
• GitHub, GitHub Actions, or other version control systems.
• Power BI or other visualization/reporting tools.
• APIs, data integration, and cloud-based data platforms.
• Data governance, metadata management, or data quality practices

Responsibilities

• Assist in building, testing, and maintaining ELT data pipelines using cloud-based technologies
• Support ingestion and integration of public health data from multiple data systems.
• Contribute to the development and optimization of BPHC’s Data Lake architecture.
• Help automate data workflows and improve operational efficiency using scripting and orchestration tools.
• Perform data validation, cleansing, transformation, and quality assurance activities.
• Support development of dashboards, reports, and analytical datasets for public health programs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including informatics, enterprise applications, security and infrastructure teams.
• Assist with troubleshooting pipeline failures, monitoring jobs, and improving system reliability.
• Follow secure coding, documentation, and DevOps best practices within a regulated public health environment.
• Perform data validation, transformation, and documentation activities while helping automate manual workflows and improve reliability of public health reporting processes.
• Contribute to Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, standups, and retrospectives.

Benefits

• Hands-on experience working on a large-scale public health data modernization initiative.
• Exposure to enterprise cloud technologies and secure data platforms.
• Experience working in Agile and DevOps-driven environments.
• Opportunity to contribute to AI-ready public health infrastructure and near real-time analytics initiatives.
• Mentorship from experienced data engineering and public health technology leaders.
• Meaningful work that supports public health outcomes for Boston communities.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed