Spatial Data Science Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) is recruiting candidates to fill the role of amid-levelData Engineer/Database Specialist, working closely with USGS researchers at the Klamath Falls Field Station. The incumbent willsupport long-term research on endangered Lost River and Shortnose suckers, helping translate decades of biological, telemetry, and environmental data into insights that guide species recovery and water management in the Klamath Basin.

Thisrolemeaningful responsibilityand real-world impact. The incumbent willdesign and build modern, cloud-enabled data systems, improve legacy workflows, and collaborate directly with scientists to advance critical research.

The position is based in Portland, Oregon and includes regular travel to Klamath Falls (approximately one week per month)toworkon-sitewith theUSGSresearchers, with a potentialoptiontorelocateto Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Group Definition:Database Management Specialists develop and administer large-scale, multi-agency database systems. They have responsibility for maintenance, tuning, running backup and recovery, growing the system, administering permissions and security, and assuring continuous system availability.

Closing Disclaimer

PSMFC will not accept resumes or cover letters for any position once the job announcement has been removed from the Careers Page. PSMFC reserves the right to remove a job announcement at any time for any reason or close the position prior to the posted close date once a sufficient number of applicants have been received.

Our Team

The incumbent willjoin a small, highly collaborative team working closely with USGS scientists to turnresearchneeds intotechnical solutions. The incumbent will performquery and analyze data, support modeling and system performance, and help modernize workflows. In this role, the incumbent willalso collaborate with IT on security and access, contribute to data governance practices, and support GIS and field data collection systems, while helping teammates grow through knowledge sharingand collaboration.

Project Specifics

Contributeto the design andmodernizationdata systems that support fisheries research and real-world decision making in the Klamath Basin. Build reliable, scalable data platforms, improve legacy systems, and collaborate closely with scientists to turn complex data into actionable insights.Wedon'texpect candidates to bring experience in every listed technology-strength in core data skills and a willingness to learn are what matter most.

Essential Functions

The data professional should have 3+ years of experience and can design, build, and improve scientific data systems. The ideal candidate brings strong data engineering and database skills, along with the ability to collaborate effectively with scientists and IT partners.

Data & Platform Management

• Design, build, andmaintainrelational databases (e.g., SQL Server, SQLite)

• Perform data modeling, schema design, and performance optimization

• Implement reliability practices (backup/recovery, access controls, availability)

• Maintain documentation and support data stewardship practices

• Troubleshoot and resolve database performance and integrity issues

Data Engineering & Integration

• Build and support automated data pipelines (ETL/ELT)

• Use SQL and scripting tools (Python, R, or similar) for data processing

• Integrate diverse datasets into centralized systems

• Refactor legacy scripts and workflows into scalable, automated pipelines

Analytics & Data Products

• Develop queriesand reporting solutions (e.g., Power BI)

• Build reproducible analytical workflows inPython or R

Collaboration

• Partner with scientists, engineers, and IT staff

• Communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences

SupportModernization

• Support migration of legacy systems into modern, cloud-enabled environments

• Contribute to ongoing system and workflow improvements

Additional Mandatory Skills:

Databasesand Data Engineering

• 3+ years of experience in data engineeringand/ordatabase administration

Programming languages:

• Strong SQLproficiencyand at least one scripting language (Python or R)

Additional Desirable Skills:

Data &Data Architecture

• Experience with data architecture and system design

CloudandModern Platforms

• Knowledge ofcloud platforms (Azure preferred; AWS/GCP acceptable)

• Familiarity with workflow automation or orchestration tools

Analytics & Visualization

• Knowledgeofdashboards,PowerBIor similar data visualization tools

• Familiarity AIassistedtools

GISTechnology andField Data Systems

• ExposuretoGIS systems (ArcGIS, QGIS) or spatial datais a plus

• Support ingestion workflows for field/mobile data collection systems (e.g., data from ESRI Survey123).

Data Governance & Lifecycle Management

• Contributeto improvingdata governance or metadata practices

• Familiarity with data lifecycle management and long-term data stewardship concepts

OperatingSystemsandLegacy Support

• Support migrating legacy systems or applications(C#, VB)

• Familiarity with Windows Server and/or Linux environments

Domain Experience

• Familiarityworking with scientific, environmental, or ecological datasets

• Familiarity with fisheries data,telemetry, tagging, or movement data

Collaboration and Leadership Skills

• Interact withcontractors and withIT on security, permissions, and cloud migration (e.g., Azure)

• Help team membersgrowby sharing knowledge andproviding guidance

KnowledgeRequired bythePosition:

• Database management concepts, principles, and methods including database logical and physical design, normalization, storage capacity management, and back-up and recovery.

• Data flow design and business process design.

• Sources, characteristics, and uses of the organization's data assets.

• Database management systems, query languages, table relationships, and views.

• Data mining and data warehousing principles

• The characteristics of physical and virtual data storage media.

• Data administration and data standardization policies and standards in developing and managing large-scale, multi-agency databases.

PhysicalDemands:

Theworkissedentarywithmoderatewalkingbetweenworkstationsandcarryingfolders, reports, and similar light loads.

WorkEnvironment:

Theworkisperformedinanofficesettingwithadequatelighting,heatingandventilation.There are the normal risks of an office environment.