Lead Data Engineer

The State Bar of California•San Francisco, CA

23d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of Information Technology is seeking a Lead Data Engineer to join our dynamic team at the State Bar of California. In this role, you will define and drive the modernization of our data infrastructure using Microsoft cloud technologies. As the technical authority for the Bar’s data platform, you will lead the development of scalable, automated data pipelines, establish governance standards, and guide cross-functional teams to deliver data driven solution that support Analytics, AI, compliance, and operational efficiency. The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader with experience in building scalable, cloud-based data solutions. This individual brings a strong understanding of modern data architectures, data integration patterns, and secure design principles and is capable of driving architectural decisions that align with long-term business goals. They have demonstrated success in leading cross-functional collaboration, setting standards for data quality and governance, and building reusable data frameworks that support analytics, automation, and decision making. A clear understanding of compliance standards (e.g.,PII, PCI, HIPAA, CPRA) and experience applying those principles in large scale environments is essential. Microsoft certification in one or more of the following is strongly desired: Azure Data Engineer Associate; Power BI Data Analyst Associate; Azure Solutions Architect Expert; or any other data analysis-related certifications.

Requirements

Advanced functions of computer information systems, including the core hardware and software components that comprise complex IT systems and networks, as well as personal computer applications, word processing, and spreadsheet programs.
Analysis and evaluation techniques to plan, design, integrate, implement, maintain and troubleshoot complex IT systems and networks.
Techniques and practices of supervision, leadership, project management, and training.
Project management and information systems development, design, and maintenance.
Technical, operational, and programming problem-solving analysis.
Principles of Agile application development methodologies.
Problem identification, analysis and evaluation.
Principles of effective writing and verbal presentation.
Exercise independent judgement, decisiveness, and creativity in designing, planning, troubleshooting, and integration of complex systems or networks based on the potential benefits and/or consequences.
Analyze, evaluate, present and recommend technology methodologies and solutions.
Solve problems with minimal disruption or impact to the organization business functions.
Develop technology guidelines and standards.
Develop alternative solutions within established guidelines and standards.
Prioritize competing requests for service.
Develop policies, procedures and standards relevant to the area of expertise.
Interpret and implement IT policies, procedures, and standards.
Operate modern office equipment including computer hardware, software, and internet and web-based applications.
Compile data and prepare narrative and statistical reports.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships at all organizational levels as well as with the public.
Maintain the confidentiality of information.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a closely related field that develops skills related to the essential duties, or equivalent academic achievement.
Five (5) years of experience at the advanced journey-level in the information systems field including system analysis, business process design, development and implementation of business application solutions or IT project management, of which at least one (1) year was in a lead capacity.

Nice To Haves

Proficient in building scalable data pipelines using Azure Data Factory, Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake, and Logic Apps.
Strong SQL skills with experience in data transformation, validation, and optimization for reporting and analytics.
Skilled in dimensional modeling and modern data platform design to support dashboarding and analytical use cases.
Familiar with data quality frameworks, including validation, anomaly detection, and exception handling processes.
Experience with metadata management, data cataloging, and governance tools such as Azure Purview (or equivalents).
Familiarity with CI/CD practices and version control systems such as Git.
Demonstrated ability to translate business needs into technical requirements and collaborate effectively across IT and business teams.
Strong communication, documentation, and stakeholder engagement skills to support alignment and knowledge sharing.
Data engineering languages such as Python.
Knowledge of data security best practices including encryption, data masking.
Familiarity with data visualization tool Power BI.
Technical, operational, and programming problem-solving analysis.
Problem identification, analysis and evaluation.
Principles of effective writing and verbal presentation.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, and maintenance of scalable data pipelines using Azure Data Factory, Synapse Analytics, and Data Lake Storage to ingest, transform, and publish structured and unstructured data.
Drive the automation of end-to-end and event-driven workflows using Azure Logic Apps, ensuring real-time or scheduled data synchronization and integration with external systems.
Direct enterprise-level data modeling and transformation efforts to support reporting, dashboards, and analytics, including validation and quality checks to ensure consistency and reliability.
Guide and collaborate with IT and business teams to gather data requirements, define transformation logic, and develop shared documentation such as the data dictionaries.
Develop and oversee enhancements of the Azure-based data architecture, focusing on scalability, reusability, and long-term maintainability.
Establish and implement data governance standards, including metadata management, lineage tracking, and data privacy and security controls aligned with organizational compliance needs.
Optimize datasets for Power BI and promote self-service analytics through clean, reusable data models and standardized practices.
Manage, monitor, troubleshoot, and tune pipeline performance, proactively resolving issues and establishing observability standards for operational reliability.
Ensure comprehensive documentation and lead knowledge transfer efforts to support long-term IT business and user sustainability and system adoption.
Maintain and support databases for custom and legacy applications, including performance tuning, backup and recovery, indexing, and monitoring.
Spearhead the optimization of stored procedures, ETL jobs, and scheduled tasks, ensuring efficiency and reliability across both modern and legacy environments.
Partner with application teams to troubleshoot and resolve data-related issues, implement fixes, and ensure data integrity in legacy platforms.
Lead enterprise data migration efforts aligning strategies for access control, security, and compliance as data moves from legacy to modern platforms.
Build and maintain an enterprise data dictionary and catalog to improve data discoverability and consistency across the organization.
Lead and implement data security and compliance standards, across the Bar’s data footprint.