District Integration & Support Engineer (Systems Engineer I) - 61161120

State of South Carolina•Lexington County, SC

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is seeking a District Integration & Support Engineer to serve as a hands-on, technically skilled member of the team. This role blends the capabilities of a forward-deployed engineer such as building integrations, writing automation and integration code to automate repetitive work, and solving complex data and systems problems, with the responsiveness of a front-line support engineer who answers calls and tickets, walks districts through resolution steps, and delivers training where it is needed. You will work across pre-K-12 student information systems, educational technology platforms, and data-exchange processes (including Ed-Fi and rostering), diagnosing issues that span district data entry, system configuration, application dependencies, vendor systems, and integrated applications. You will write and maintain automation and integration code, troubleshoot and resolve operational issues, and turn recurring, manual support tasks into reliable, repeatable processes. Equally important, you will engage directly with district staff and vendors clearly, patiently, and professionally as the technical face of the team. The ideal candidate is comfortable moving between the terminal and the phone: writing SQL and Python one hour, leading a district troubleshooting call the next, and building a training walkthrough the same afternoon. You bring genuine technical depth, a service orientation, and the initiative to improve the systems and processes you support. This role collaborates with SCDE IT teams, as well as district technology staff and vendors, to ensure all work meets SCDE governance, security, and compliance requirements.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in computer science or related field and experience in computer system development and modification in either an on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid environment.
Relevant experience may substitute for the bachelor's degree on a year-for-year basis.

Nice To Haves

Working proficiency in SQL: writing queries, investigating data issues, and understanding relational data structures.
Hands-on scripting or development experience in Python (or a comparable language) for automation, data processing, and API integration, using version control (Git).
Demonstrated troubleshooting and root-cause-analysis skills across multiple systems, platforms, and vendors.
Familiarity with the Ed-Fi data standard and K-12 student information systems (PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, etc.).
Experience with rostering, data validation, and information-exchange processes between educational systems.
Experience with cloud data warehousing (Snowflake preferred, or Redshift, BigQuery, Azure Synapse).
Experience with data-pipeline or workflow-automation tools (Apache Airflow, dbt, Prefect, or equivalent).
Experience building BI/visualization or self-serve reporting solutions (Power BI, Tableau, Looker, Superset, or similar).
Experience with data integration or API platforms (MuleSoft, Talend, or similar) and with Salesforce.
Experience delivering technical training, walkthroughs, or documentation to non-technical stakeholders.
Experience automating workflows or providing technical support in educational or government environments.
Familiarity with data governance, data-quality frameworks, and managing sensitive data in production systems.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Strong customer-service orientation with the ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences, in writing and by phone.
Ability to work independently, follow established procedures, and manage multiple concurrent support requests.

Responsibilities

Support and maintain integrations across educational technology systems, including rostering and information-exchange processes.
Assist districts with routine data processing, publishing, and synchronization, and monitor system status, processing queues, dependencies, and error-reporting tools.
Identify repetitive support and operational activities suitable for automation and build solutions that reduce manual effort.
Write production-quality SQL and Python, use version control (Git), and follow code and security standards.
Participate in proof-of-concept projects involving automation, process simplification, and operational efficiency, and recommend improvements that strengthen customer support services.
Independently analyze, develop, test, implement, and maintain moderately complex web, client-server, and/or cloud-based solutions that support district operations.
Modify software and configurations, develop tooling for monitoring and reporting, and consult with IT staff on system design, performance, and feasibility.
Serve as a technical contact for districts participating in SCDE-supported services.
Respond to calls and tickets promptly, diagnose issues, and drive them to resolution.
Participate in support calls with districts, vendors, and SCDE staff, and document findings and resolutions clearly.
Determine whether issues originate from district data entry, system configuration, application dependencies, data-exchange processes, vendor systems, or other integrated applications.
Research data-validation errors and operational issues, analyze dependency chains that block processing of records and transactions, and investigate missing or inaccurate student, staff, course, section, and school information across connected systems.
Walk district staff through resolution steps, publishing and synchronization activities, and best practices.
Develop and deliver training, walkthroughs, and documentation that help districts operate confidently and reduce repeat issues.
Document escalation paths and recommended solutions for recurring problems.
Prepare clear technical documentation, runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and knowledge-base articles.
Categorize and track common data-quality problems so the team and districts can resolve them faster over time.
Work with sensitive student data while maintaining confidentiality and security controls.
Follow all SCDE IT policies, data-classification standards, and regulatory requirements (FERPA, etc.).
Access and responsibilities are governed by district participation and SCDE security procedures.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Generous paid time off
Preeminent health care benefits
Professional development opportunities
Pension
401(k)
Hybrid work schedule with opportunity for remote work
Health, Dental, Vision, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Children
15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
15 days sick leave per year
13 paid holidays
State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Programs