Job Announcement :: Data Systems Administrator

Salary: $83,070–$124,610, depending on experience and qualifications

Location: Portland, Oregon

Application deadline: Wednesday, August 27


Position Overview

The Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) seeks a new full-time member of our team to lead the development, management, security, and accessibility of our community-led environmental justice data system. This is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to ensure that qualitative and quantitative data collected by community-based organizations is stored, organized, and made available in a way that supports equitable policy decision-making while respecting community ownership and privacy.  The Data Systems Administrator will play an integral role in advancing CCC’s Modernizing Anti-Racist Data Ecosystems (MADE) local level data ecosystem that will advance regional responses and approaches to extreme weather and climate justice needs. The Data Systems Administrator will also work closely with CCC’s research team in strategically leading and supporting our Research Justice Institute’s quantitative data projects and research. 

The role of the Data Systems Administrator is both a data platform engineer and community-minded leader that understands both data systems and the ethical considerations of handling dominant institution quantitative and community-generated qualitative data, and shares our values and commitments to research and data justice. 

The Data Systems Administrator will lead the development, implementation, and management of CCC’s environmental justice data systems, including selection and oversight of technical vendors, building the back end of our data platform, and also play a key support role in the Research Justice Institute’s quantitative research and data projects and reports.  

About the Coalition of Communities of Color: Formed in 2001, the Coalition of Communities of Color is an alliance of culturally specific, community-based organizations engaged in collective action for racial justice. We work to improve outcomes for communities of color through advocacy, environmental justice, and research. Learn more about the Coalition of Communities of Color, its member organizations, and our Research Justice Institute.

Job Responsibilities

As Data Systems Administrator, you will manage the systems development of CCC’s environmental justice ecosystem and help lead our quantitative data work by:

  • Leading the design, implementation, and maintenance of CCC’s internal software that houses community datasets and utilizes data collection tools tailored to environmental and racial justice indicators, including managing the request for proposals from development shops to build the front end of CCC’s data system. 

  • Building the back end of CCC’s community-led environmental justice data system, ensuring that systems meet our standards for user friendliness, security, data integrity, and documentation. 

  • Maintaining and monitoring systems, generating reports, and recommending technology improvements and integrations to increase impact. 

  • Integrating multiple environmental justice data sources, such as air quality, water safety, housing, and demographic data, and collaborating with researchers and policy staff to align data systems with advocacy goals.

  • Developing and reporting out quantitative data findings across various research and data projects, and establishing the Research Justice Institute's quantitative data objectives, approaches, and policies.

  • Conducting research, data, and evaluation work for projects across a diverse range of issue areas, and support report-writing and editing.

For a detailed description of job responsibilities, download the full job description here.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Required Qualifications

    Systems Programming and Technical Qualifications

    • B.A./B.S./Masters in a social science or computer science discipline or 3 to 5 years work experience in systems programming.

    • 3+ years of experience working with frameworks, data systems/servers, and cloud platforms, including fluency or familiarity with a variety of languages, with a specific understanding of when to apply them given particular end user needs, values, and principles. Examples include:

      • Languages (C++, QML, Javascript, Python)

      • Frameworks (Ruby, Qt, Drupal)

      • Data systems and servers (SQL, NoSQL)

      • Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)  

    • Practical experience and knowledge of data security best practices and methods.

    • Significant experience in data systems administration, database management, or a related role.

    • Experience working with and analyzing quantitative data. 

    Justice

    • 3 to 5 years work experience leading and supporting research projects that engage the public and in particular, communities of color. 

    • Familiarity with or ability to build an understanding of how institutional use of data and research can benefit or harm communities of color.

    • Commitment to racial justice and building power for communities of color.

    Leadership

    • Experience providing strategic leadership and excellent project management towards the lead implementation of a major program or project.

    • Experience in supporting, maintaining, and building large technology solutions, specifically by collaborating with a variety of technical partners and non-team members.

    • Ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership on project milestones and achievements.

  • Preferred Qualifications

    Technical

    • Familiarity with qualitative data methods and analysis, and the role of community-based data.

    • Knowledge of conducting, visualizing, and explaining qualitative data analysis.

    • Experience as a technologist, data scientist, and/or work in program evaluation.

    • Strong proficiency in data platforms (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Airtable, or similar), cloud storage systems, and APIs.

    • Familiarity with GIS tools, data visualization platforms, and open data frameworks.

    • Ability to effectively communicate with partners verbally and produce and write high quality research reports in clear, concise, and accessible writing.

    Justice

    • Experience working with culturally specific, community-based organizations; local government; and nonprofit partners.

    • Experience in protecting disproportionately surveilled communities’ (e.g., BIPOC, immigrants, sex workers) privacy and data security.

    • Demonstrated commitment to racial, environmental, and data justice principles.

    • Strong collaboration and communication skills, especially in cross-cultural and community-centered environments.

Position Details

  • Salary: This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $83,070–$124,610, dependent on experience, skills, and education.

    Benefits: CCC works to provide our staff with support for their health and well-being and recognize the value of their work through robust benefits, including: 

    • Paid time off: 15 days of paid vacation in the first year of employment, increasing with tenure at the organization; 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and 1 floating holiday; and one week office closure in December.

    • Insurance: Medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance for the employee, with 100% of premiums paid by CCC.

    • Additional benefits: Flexible Spending Account (health savings and daycare), Transportation Savings Account, Employee Assistance Program, monthly phone and transportation stipends, and full reimbursements for the employee’s Paid Leave Oregon contributions.

    • Retirement: Employees may enroll in a 401(k) retirement plan upon hiring and receive a matching contribution after one year of employment.

    • CCC also provides resources to support the training, skill-building, and professional development of our staff.

  • Hours: This is a full time, exempt position of 40 hours per week. Standard CCC work hours occur between 9:00 and 6:00 PM.

    Location: Our office is located in Portland, Oregon with a hybrid work schedule (currently one day in the office).

    Travel: The Data Systems Administrator must be consistently available to attend in-person meetings and events, with occasional state and national travel.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter (max one page) and resume (max two pages) in one PDF file to HR@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org, with the subject line and file name “[Your name] — Data Systems Administrator.” 

Applications are due Wednesday, August 27. You will be contacted if selected for an interview. 

The Coalition of Communities of Color is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of its staff and partners. In compliance with federal and state civil rights laws, we do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of our policies or programs.

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