Data Engineer

Join a research-focused team at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC (onsite), supporting the NSF-funded Programmable Cloud Lab Center and the SPEED national autonomous-science user facility. This Data Engineer role helps make scientific experiments more reliable and reproducible by building the data infrastructure behind ingestion, transformation, storage, and data-quality checks.

You will connect robotics, scientific instruments, AI, and user workflows, with an emphasis on provenance, validation, and FAIR data practices. The team also provides remote access to integrated self-driving laboratories for academic, government, and industry research users.

What you’ll do

• Build and operate scientific data ingestion, transformation, and processing pipelines
• Design schemas for samples, experiments, metadata, provenance, and instrument outputs
• Maintain databases and object/time-series storage, including indexing and data-access services
• Implement automated data-quality and validation checks, including unit and completeness validation and provenance verification
• Integrate data systems with laboratory automation, software, AI, and end-user workflows
• Manage access controls, monitoring, backup and recovery, documentation, and user support
• Create data dictionaries, API specifications, and schema documentation
• Support FAIR data practices and persistent identifiers
• Assist users with data access, export, and troubleshooting
• Evaluate new databases, storage technologies, and interoperability standards
• Participate in technical reviews, platform commissioning, and sponsor demonstrations

What you’ll bring

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, IT, or a related field
• Proficiency in Python and SQL for data engineering and automation
• Experience with ETL/ELT pipelines, APIs, data modeling, and schema design
• Knowledge of relational and/or document databases, plus structured scientific metadata
• Working experience with Git, Linux, testing, monitoring, and technical documentation
• Familiarity with data quality, provenance, identifiers, access control, and backup/recovery
• Ability to collaborate with scientists and cross-functional teams including automation, software, AI, and IT

Tools you may use

• Python, SQL, ETL/ELT pipelines, APIs
• Git, Linux, MongoDB, PostgreSQL

Compensation and appointment

$70,000 - $80,000 per year. Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0 (40 hours/week). Appointment: 12 Month Recurring. Position Number: 00112331. Position Type: EPS/SAAO. Department ID: 230101 - Interdisciplinary Programs - SVP.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• Childcare benefits
• Wellness & Recreation Membership
• Wellness Programs

Application details

Job open date: 09/17/2026. Anticipated close date: 9/30/2026; applications will be accepted and reviewed if the posting remains active.

• Include a resume, cover letter, and contact information for at least three professional references
• This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship; applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship

Driver’s license requirements: Valid NC driver’s license required: No. Commercial driver’s license required: No.