Data Engineer & Insights Analyst

Overview

GDC IT Solutions is currently seeking a Data Engineer & Insights Analyst to support the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's analytics initiatives and the Pennsylvania Longitudinal Data System (PALDS). This position will focus on developing and optimizing enterprise data pipelines, integrating complex datasets, and delivering actionable insights to support data-driven decision-making across state government agencies. As a Data Engineer & Insights Analyst you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining scalable data pipelines and cloud-based data solutions that transform complex, disconnected datasets into trusted, usable information. This role will support the Pennsylvania Longitudinal Data System (PALDS) by integrating data from multiple sources, improving data quality, and developing analytics products that support education and workforce outcomes, operational improvements, and executive decision-making. The successful candidate will collaborate with data scientists, research analysts, policy analysts, and other stakeholders to build reliable data environments, support advanced analytics, and optimize the Commonwealth's longitudinal data architecture.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipeline architectures to support enterprise data and analytics initiatives.
• Design and implement cloud-based data solutions using AWS services, including S3, Glue, Redshift, EMR, Athena, Kinesis, and Lambda.
• Build and maintain data orchestration workflows using Apache Airflow, AWS Step Functions, or similar technologies.
• Develop and optimize infrastructure for extracting, transforming, and loading data from multiple sources using SQL and big data technologies.
• Assemble and manage large, complex datasets that meet functional and non-functional business requirements.
• Engineer analytical data environments that support statistical analysis, predictive modeling, machine learning, and evidence-building activities.
• Develop and maintain data pipeline monitoring, alerting, logging, and validation frameworks to ensure data quality and reliability.
• Design and implement data transformation processes, metadata structures, dependency management, and workload management solutions.
• Develop dashboards, reports, analytical models, and decision-support products for executive and non-technical audiences.
• Build analytics tools that provide actionable insights into education and workforce outcomes, operational efficiency, and key business performance metrics.
• Partner with data scientists, research analysts, and policy analysts to support reproducible research and statistical modeling.
• Identify and implement process improvements through automation, infrastructure optimization, and scalable data delivery solutions.
• Perform root-cause analysis to identify data quality issues, resolve technical challenges, and improve internal and external data processes.
• Support data conversions associated with system modernization and replacement initiatives.
• Collaborate with executive, data, design, and support teams to address technical issues and support enterprise data infrastructure needs.
• Ensure compliance with Commonwealth policies, data governance standards, privacy requirements, security controls, and interagency data-sharing agreements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Advanced SQL knowledge and experience working with relational databases, query authoring, and various database technologies.
• Experience building, optimizing, and maintaining big data pipelines, data architectures, and complex datasets.
• Advanced experience designing, developing, and refining dashboards, reports, analytical models, and decision-support products for executive and non-technical users.
• Experience working with student-level higher education data, including linking education records with employment and wage data to measure outcomes and generate actionable insights.
• Experience manipulating, processing, and extracting value from large, disconnected datasets.
• Experience building data transformation processes and managing data structures, metadata, dependencies, and workloads.
• Experience performing root-cause analysis on internal and external data to answer business questions and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with unstructured datasets.
• Working knowledge of message queuing, stream processing, and highly scalable big data storage technologies.
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams in a dynamic environment.
• Hands-on experience designing and implementing cloud-based data solutions using AWS services such as S3, Glue, Redshift, EMR, Athena, Kinesis, and Lambda.
• Experience with Apache Airflow, AWS Step Functions, or comparable data orchestration technologies.
• Experience developing analytics environments that support predictive modeling, machine learning, advanced statistical analysis, and reproducible research.
• Experience developing data quality controls, pipeline monitoring, automated validation, alerting, and logging frameworks.
• Experience supporting enterprise data modernization, system replacement, and data conversion initiatives.
• Familiarity with data governance, confidential data management, privacy requirements, and interagency data-sharing practices.

GDC IT Solutions (GDC) is a full-service Information Technology (IT) company providing solutions that empower businesses to increase employee productivity, maximize investments, and improve operational efficiencies. With experienced and certified professionals, we deliver services in the areas of application development, data center, 24/7 multilingual service desk, desktop lifecycle management, project management, business process consulting, and IT staff augmentation.

What Makes GDC Different:

Our employees are our greatest asset continually driving our success each and every day. We attract and maintain the best talent to provide a personal customer experience at every touchpoint. Our technology professionals care about day-to-day client interactions and resolving customer issues quickly and efficiently, the first time. We deliver services with a code of high ethical responsibility, both to protect our clients and to assure that the work is carried out at the maximum level of professionalism. We are technology experts remaining one step ahead as technology evolves and constantly engaging to understand our clients’ business technology needs in order to deliver the best possible solution. Why Work for GDC?

• Cutting Edge Technology and Innovation: GDC fully supports and embraces continuing education and industry certifications to stay ahead of trends and remain current within the technology landscape. We recognize that our employees add the real value to our clients and to our business. By approaching our daily operations with a passion for innovation and a shared-learning environment, everyone can make a positive difference.
• Career Growth: GDC is one of the fastest growing companies in the region! Sustained growth means ongoing opportunity. Many of our senior leaders have grown within the company, starting with the helpdesk or other entry-level roles to become thought leaders in the fields of IT infrastructure, application development, project management, and business development.
• Employee-Centric Environment: GDC prides itself on employee satisfaction with a firm belief that happy employees are the most productive employees. In appreciation of our employees and their contributions, we sponsor numerous events throughout the year including an annual gala, golf, lunch barbeques and more.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: GDC offers competitive compensation, excellent benefits, and a positive work environment designed around the philosophy of mutual respect. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, prescription, vision, 401(k), short and long-term disability, and group life
• Holiday and Vacation: GDC firmly believes in a comfortable work-life balance, and we offer comprehensive holiday and paid-time-off (PTO) packages. We provide a generous PTO package, and we encourage our staff to use it - whether it’s for vacation or other personal reasons everyone needs time to relax and refresh.

Equal Opportunity Workplace:

GDC is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Visit our Career Center for the latest employment opportunities.