The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) is seeking a Database Management Specialist – Klamath Basin Scientific Data Architect/Engineer (Specialist) to support scientific research and management activities at the USGS Klamath Falls office in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
This full‑time position is responsible for designing, administering, and modernizing large‑scale scientific database systems, ensuring their performance, assuring continuous system availability, and working with IT in administering permissions and security. The Specialist develops data models and automated pipelines, manages legacy data migration, supports GIS and electronic field data collection, and collaborates closely with scientists, contractors, and IT staff. The role also involves querying and analyzing data to address management‑relevant questions, supporting data stewardship alignment with the USGS Science Data Lifecycle, and developing tools and workflows using SQL, Python, R, Power Automate, and related technologies.
Project Description
The USGS Klamath Falls Field Station (KFFS) conducts research on rare and imperiled fishes in the Klamath Basin, helping managers make informed decisions about resource use in a sensitive arid ecosystem. Our program has tracked long‑lived endangered Lost River and Shortnose suckers for decades using PIT tags as part of a long‑term capture‑recapture effort, and we are growing an acoustic telemetry program to understand seasonal movement, survival, and habitat use. These data directly inform sucker recovery actions and water‑management decisions in the Basin, connecting adult survival, recruitment, and lake conditions to management options.
Main Duties
- Design, develop, administer, and optimize SQL Server and SQLite databases, including implementation of backup and recovery procedures, storage allocation, and performance monitoring.
- Develop and maintain data dictionaries, conceptual and physical data models, metadata repositories, documentation to support integration of diverse scientific data sources, and produce schemas for integrating diverse source data.
- Assess existing legacy database structures to identify redundant or inefficient table layouts, and lead efforts to modernize schemas and migrate historical data into improved, standardized formats.
- Develop complex queries, reports, and analytics in response to scientific project leaders and management needs; translate legacy R and Python query scripts into automated, production‑level data pipelines using SQL, Power Automate, and artificial intelligence where appropriate. Lead the transition from internal query programs to Power BI dashboards (or similar tools).
- Serve as the office lead and primary point of contact for data stewardship, ensuring alignment with USGS policies and the USGS Science Data Lifecycle practices that consists of data acquisition, processing, analysis, preservation, publication, and archiving.
- Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve database performance, integrity, and availability issues.
- Provide technical oversight for contractors engaged in database modernization efforts, including re‑architecting schemas around mission workflows, rebuilding data pipelines, and coordinating with USGS IT to manage permissions, security, and migration to cloud‑hosted platforms (e.g., Microsoft Azure).
- Manage and support geospatial (GIS) components of scientific datasets, and design workflows that enable scientists to visualize spatial data and track the movement of individual fish and fish species.
- Support electronic field data collection systems (e.g., tablets using Survey123) and design automated validation and ingestion workflows to integrate electronically captured data into centralized databases.
- Collaborate with scientists to design and implement new database table structures, data standards, and workflows as new research projects are initiated.
- Provide guidance, training, and technical assistance to scientists on data stewardship, accessibility, long‑term research data archiving, and use of artificial intelligence.
- Develop and maintain analytical and visualization tools in Python and R to support scientifically valid analyses, statistical and mathematical modeling, and reproducible research workflows.
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and support custom software applications written in Visual Basic and C#.
Required Additional Application Material
- Applicants must submit a résumé that clearly demonstrates how their education, experience, and skills with the items listed under the section Main Duties, and how they meet the required and preferred qualifications for this position as described under the Additional Mandatory Skills and additional Desirable Skills. Résumés must not exceed three (3) pages and must be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format.
- Applicants must submit a cover letter that concisely addresses each of the below 6 questions rather than providing a general narrative cover letter. Cover letter must not exceed three (3) pages and must be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format.
- Describe your experience designing, administering, and maintaining relational database systems (e.g., SQL Server, SQLite). Include examples of database optimization, performance tuning, backup/recovery, or system availability management.
- Provide an example of a legacy database or data system you have modernized or migrated. Describe the challenges encountered, your approach to schema redesign and data migration, and the outcome.
- Explain your experience developing automated data pipelines and analytical workflows using SQL, Python, R, Power Automate, or related tools.
- Provide one or more concrete examples of how you have implemented data stewardship practices in a production environment, including metadata development, documentation, long‑term data preservation, and archiving.
- Describe a specific project where you collaborated with scientists or researchers to design or implement a data system, workflow, or analytical product. How do you communicate technical concepts to non‑technical collaborators?
- Briefly explain why your background and experience make you a good fit for supporting long‑term fisheries and ecological research programs such as those conducted by the USGS Klamath Falls Field Station.
- Applicants must submit up to two (2) example work products that demonstrate their experience relevant to this position. Examples must be existing work, and not new work produced for this application. Applications invited to interview for the position will be expected to discuss their work samples and demonstrate key skills. Maximum total pages is 7-pages combined. Examples may include:
- A data analysis or visualization developed to support scientific research or management decisions.
- A database schema, data model, or table design the applicant helped build, maintain, or modernize.
- Additional optional examples may include documentation, automated data pipelines, or public repositories. All examples may be anonymized or simplified to protect sensitive or proprietary information.
Supervisory Controls:
The supervisor provides project goals, objectives, priorities, and deadlines. The employee proceeds independently, using experience and knowledge to complete objectives. The employee reports periodically on work progress and potentially controversial matters. Work is expected to be complete, accurate, and timely. It is reviewed for soundness of overall approach and effectiveness in meeting requirements or producing expected results.
Additional Mandatory Skills:
- Valid Driver's License
- Database software packages: Microsoft SQL Server, SQLite, query languages, table relationships, and views. Experience with database backup and recovery tools, performance monitoring, and optimization features within enterprise database platforms
- Data Architecture and Data Stewardship: Experience, or strong familiarity, developing and maintaining data models, database schemas, data dictionaries, and metadata repositories. Knowledge of data stewardship best practices, including data documentation, preservation, publication, and long‑term archiving.
- Programming languages: SQL
- Server software: Experience administering Microsoft SQL Server servers, including performance tuning, availability, and storage management
- Collaboration & Technical Support: Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with scientists, IT staff, and contractors. Experience coordinating and working with a team of individuals to achieve a specific goal
Additional Desirable Skills:
- Database software packages: Microsoft Azure SQL database or similar. Experience supporting or migrating databases to cloud hosted platforms.
- Programming languages: Familiarity with automation or AI assisted tools used in data processing and analytics. Experience maintaining or supporting software written in Visual Basic and C#. Knowledge of Python and R, including scripting for scientific data analysis and automation.
- Web & Visualization Tools: Experience developing dashboards and reports using Power BI or similar business intelligence and visualization platforms
- GIS technology: ESRI ArcGIS (Pro, Online and/or Enterprise) or similar. Experience managing and integrating geospatial (GIS) data within relational database systems. Geospatial analysis skills in ArcGIS, R, or other similar platforms. Experience supporting electronic field data collection platforms (e.g., Survey123). Experience designing automated data validation and ingestion workflows for field‑collected data.
- Operating systems: Windows Server and Linux
- Collaboration & Technical Support: Experience providing technical support, documentation, and training to non‑technical users.
- Fish, Fisheries, Environmental Data Experience: Experience working with biological, fisheries, ecological, or environmental datasets. Experience supporting long‑term monitoring, capture‑recapture, or telemetry‑based research programs. Familiarity with telemetry, tagging, and fish movement monitoring.
Essential Functions:
- Design, develop, and maintain data management systems that meet current and future business requirements.
- Design, develop and maintain databases. Recommend new or modified standards, methods, and procedures.
- Define, allocate, and modify storage capacity.
- Develop data dictionaries, data models, metadata repositories, and other data management tools.
- Produce database design schema for integrating source data into data management systems.
- Ensure data compliance with data exchange formats and database structure.
- Monitor and optimize database performance and tune database operations.
- Troubleshoot database problems.
- Advise participating state and tribal agencies of new database features, provide technical guidance, and assist with database design and implementation.
- Generate complex queries and reports. Oversee data distribution systems, including user interface and reporting capabilities.
- Participate in the design of data mining and data warehousing systems
Knowledge Required by the Position:
At the lower end of the range, the employee has broad knowledge of and ability to apply:
- 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.
At the upper end of the range, the employee uses mastery-level knowledge, skills and abilities in the above areas.
Physical Demands:
The work is sedentary with moderate walking between workstations and carrying folders, reports, and similar light loads.
Work Environment:
The work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. There are the normal risks of an office environment.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
Candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience which demonstrates:
- Knowledge of the customary approaches, techniques, and requirements appropriate to database management;
- Knowledge of planning sequences necessary to accomplish assignments where this entailed coordination with others outside the organizational unit and development of project controls; and
- Adaptation of guidelines or precedents to the needs of the assignment.
The Specialized Experience must equip the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, the Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression position.
Required Additional Application Material
- Applicants must submit a résumé that clearly demonstrates how their education, experience, and skills meet the required and preferred qualifications for this position. Résumés must not exceed three (3) pages and must be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format.
- Applicants must submit a cover letter that concisely addresses each of the below 6 questions rather than providing a general narrative cover letter. Cover letter must not exceed three (3) pages and must be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format.
- Describe your experience designing, administering, and maintaining relational database systems (e.g., SQL Server, SQLite). Include examples of database optimization, performance tuning, backup/recovery, or system availability management.
- Provide an example of a legacy database or data system you have modernized or migrated. Describe the challenges encountered, your approach to schema redesign and data migration, and the outcome.
- Explain your experience developing automated data pipelines and analytical workflows using SQL, Python, R, Power Automate, or related tools.
- Provide one or more concrete examples of how you have implemented data stewardship practices in a production environment, including metadata development, documentation, long‑term data preservation, and archiving.
- Describe a specific project where you collaborated with scientists or researchers to design or implement a data system, workflow, or analytical product. How do you communicate technical concepts to non‑technical collaborators?
- Briefly explain why your background and experience make you a good fit for supporting long‑term fisheries and ecological research programs such as those conducted by the USGS Klamath Falls Field Station.
- Applicants must submit up to two (2) example work products that demonstrate their experience relevant to this position. Examples must be existing work, and not new work produced for this application. Applications invited to interview for the position will be expected to discuss their work samples and demonstrate key skills. Maximum total pages is 7-pages combined. Examples may include:
- A data analysis or visualization developed to support scientific research or management decisions.
- A database schema, data model, or table design the applicant helped build, maintain, or modernize.
- Additional optional examples may include documentation, automated data pipelines, or public repositories. All examples may be anonymized or simplified to protect sensitive or proprietary information.
