EIM Data Manager (IT Data Management – Journey)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Lacey, WA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Ecology is hiring an EIM Data Manager (IT Data Management – Journey) within the Information Technology Services Office (ITSO). This position serves as Ecology’s subject matter expert for the Environmental Information Management System (EIM), Ecology’s authoritative repository for environmental monitoring data. The role involves leading technical and strategic initiatives and projects, managing complex scientific reference tables and data schemas, and ensuring data integrity and interoperability across agency, state, and national standards. As chair of the EIM Steering Committee, the position facilitates collaboration and decision making among Ecology’s environmental programs. The role requires collaboration with diverse teams, including scientists, developers, and external partners, and helps shape the direction of environmental data management agencywide. It is both intellectually and operationally challenging, requiring skills in environmental science, database design, and customer service, while providing experience in cross-agency collaboration, governance, and continuous learning. The position offers opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and exposure to innovative projects that directly impact regulatory, scientific, and operational outcomes across the agency. It also contributes to the reliability and accessibility of environmental data, gains expertise in technical documentation and user support, and plays a key role in advancing Ecology’s mission to protect and enhance the state’s environment.

Requirements

Five years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following:
Environmental Data Modeling and Schema Management – Demonstrated experience designing, assessing, and refining environmental data schemas to support standardized, scientifically credible, and structurally sound environmental data storage.
Environmental Valid Value and Metadata Management – Demonstrated ability to evaluate scientific methods, parameters, units, and taxonomic values to maintain accurate and consistent metadata and reference tables that support data integrity.
Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving – Demonstrated ability to evaluate complex environmental datasets and reference resources to identify issues, interpret scientific implications, and ensure credible, accurate environmental data.
Technical Coordination for System Integrations and Data Quality – Proven track record collaborating with partners to resolve technical issues and maintain alignment across integrated systems.
Advanced Querying and Data Analysis – Demonstrated ability to perform complex database queries, diagnostics, and statistical evaluations to identify data issues, support system improvements, and resolve user inquiries.
Strategic and Systems Thinking – Demonstrated ability to align environmental data management activities with agency, state, and national standards to guide long-term direction, improve systems, and support governance decisions.
User Training and Documentation Development – Demonstrated ability to create and maintain technical documentation, training materials, and guidance to help users correctly use EIM systems and submit compliant data.
Customer Service and Issue Resolution – Demonstrated ability to respond to inquiries, diagnose data-related issues, and prioritize customer service needs to ensure users and data submitters receive timely, accurate support.
Education involving a major study in Computer Science, Information Technology (IT), Environmental Science, or another closely related field.
Examples of how to qualify: 5 years of experience.
4 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
3 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
2 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
1 year of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.

Nice To Haves

Ability to understand environmental sampling approaches, laboratory analyses, and monitoring program structures to support accurate interpretation of reference values and data issues.
Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data.
Ability to understand or work with API specifications, XML/JSON formats, or data exchange tools to support modern, scalable system interoperability.
Knowledge of federal National Hydrography Data (NHD) or 3D Hydrography Data (3DHP).
Ability to guide staff and partners through procedural, technical, or standards-related change to ensure smooth adoption of new data practices.
Ability to lead collaborative technical conversations across agencies, laboratories, and external partners to support shared data standards and problem resolution.

Responsibilities

Serve as the agency's technical expert and point person for environmental data management.
Manage key system metadata in 60+ EIM reference tables per request or need, including parameters, field and analytical lab methods, taxa, and units.
Lead technical documentation efforts spanning multiple system applications and types of environmental monitoring data.
Lead customer service efforts, including managing system accounts and responding to a wide variety of technical and scientific questions.
Lead coordination, research, and identification of valid values based on best available science for new collection methods and devices that collect environmental data stored in EIM.
Define data requirements for system upgrades or new functions.