Data Application Specialist - DPH

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What We Offer:

Impact - The work you do here matters to millions.

Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it?

Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs

Benefits - We care about your well being

Job Description

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s (DPH’s) mission is to protect and promote the health of all Philadelphians and to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable. We provide services, set policies, and enforce laws that support the dignity of every man, woman, and child in Philadelphia. The health department is organized in the following divisions, each of which is responsible for providing service related to its name: AIDS Activity Coordinating Office, Air Management Services, Ambulatory Health Services, Chronic Disease Prevention, Commissioner’s Office, Disease Control, Environmental Health Services, Facilities Management, Fiscal, Human Resources, Information Technology, Maternal Child and Family Health Services, Medical Examiner’s Office, Substance Use and Injury Prevention, and Public Health Laboratory. The department also provides nursing homes services, and we work with a broad network of community, hospital, academic and business partners throughout Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. We work together to make Philadelphia a healthy place to live, work and play. 

The Data Application Specialist works as a member of the Health IT team under the Sr. Data Engineer to support the DPH goals of enhancing department research and public services and facilitating the establishment and maintenance of department-wide data governance. This position is responsible for executing on project plans, and maintaining existing data-related solutions for department and divisional needs and services. This is a multi-faceted position with responsibility within multiple database types, data integration, ETL, and application knowledge. 

Essential Functions

•    Participation in development and maintenance of departmental and divisional data and governance programs.
•    Database maintenance, optimization, and administration, as needed, to support DPH initiatives.
•    Working closely with DPH, Health IT, and OIT colleagues to choose and create appropriate solutions, using existing City and department resources whenever possible.
•    Creation of scripts, queries, stored procedures, and use of data APIs and Web services to integrate disparate data sources, create reports, and ensure data integrity.
•    Suggest tools for use within DPH for working with, reporting on, visualizing, and managing data.
•    Creation and maintenance of data visualizations, as directed.
•    Application administration of and high-level support for DPH data management and visualization tools.
•    Maintaining awareness of emerging technologies in related areas including awareness of visualization tools, new databases and data formats, integration techniques, and common scripting languages.
•    Observing DPH needs and proactively recommending to Sr. Data Engineer or IT Director, demonstrating, and implementing techniques, tools, and solutions.
•    Ensuring data security as per the appropriate standard, including HIPAA/HITECH, PA Act 59, industry standards, and the ethical standards of both IT and Public Health professions.
•    Working with vendors and contractors to ensure DPH receives appropriately built, maintainable, integration-friendly solutions.
•    Operate as a member of the HealthIT team, including participation in team meetings, projects, and initiatives, and regularly use team communication tools.
•    Create and maintain documentation on data-related solutions as implemented or used by DPH.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
•    Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new languages, tools, techniques and technologies
•    Fundamental understanding of databases, data structures, 
•    Familiarity with SQL and SQL variations
•    Ability to script fluently in at least one common scripting language such as Python, Perl, or Ruby
•    Familiarity with data and database security; general knowledge of application controls and security 
•    One or more of the following (more a plus)
o    Knowledge of data visualization tools such as GIS (ArcGIS, QGIS, etc.), BI and dashboarding (Tableau), and emerging/open source tools.
o    Knowledge of data analysis tools such as R, SAS, etc.
o    Knowledge of HL-7
o    Understanding of data APIs and Web services
o    Demonstrated ability to integrate data and/or automate extract-transform-load (ETL) procedures
o    Demonstrated ability to produce human-readable data reports
•    Ability to learn quickly and become comfortable with unfamiliar software and hardware environments 
•    Ability to work, learn and research independently
•    Ability to work as a team member, and to proactively help to improve the skills of team members through knowledge sharing and demonstration
•    Work within established policies and procedures, and also exhibit good judgement
•    Ability to translate between the technical and the non-technical, including explaining technical issues to less technical personnel, and framing technical solutions in a business context
•    Ability to respectfully work through challenging situations with clients and colleagues
•    Dedication to respecting others and treating others equally regardless of differences of any kind
•    Basic customer service skills.
•    Ability to manage time and tasks in a complex environment with multiple priorities 
•    Effective oral and written communication skills
•    Organizational and operational adaptability
•    Presentation and proposal writing skills

Qualifications

•    Minimum of 3-5 years in data management, engineering, integration and/or visualization
•    Certification or coursework in relevant technologies or topics a plus 
•    Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent work experience in a relevant position
o    Significant course work in Computer Science, information science, MIS, data analysis, software engineering, or a related field a plus
o    A masters’ degree or advanced coursework in a related field a plus
•    Demonstrated experience in data management, integration, reporting, and visualization, preferably in a healthcare or public health environment, government experience a plus
•    Any combination of experience and education deemed equivalent and sufficient by hiring manger and human resources
 

Additional Information

Salary Range:  $80,000 - $90,000

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Please note that effective September 1, 2021 the City of Philadelphia is requiring all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19. 

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected] For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx