NCDEQ - Specialist- Expert

Position Overview

The NCDEQ Data Office is seeking a System Specialist Expert to provide advanced technical leadership in support of the agency s enterprise data platforms, applications, and analytical systems. This role is responsible for ensuring the reliability, scalability, and strategic evolution of data systems critical to NCDEQ s mission of providing science-based environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians.

The System Specialist Expert serves as a senior technical authority and works independently while providing guidance to peers and cross-functional teams. This role requires deep technical expertise, strong analytical skills, and extensive experience supporting complex systems, development platforms, and data-centric applications.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Strategic Guidance

• Provide expert-level leadership in the design, support, and optimization of data platforms, system architectures, and business applications across NCDEQ.
• Guide teams on best practices for system usage, maintenance, performance tuning, and lifecycle management.
• Serve as a primary technical advisor to leadership, product teams, and program owners on system-related impacts and opportunities.

Application & Systems Expertise

• Demonstrate advanced understanding of system architecture and application development principles, enabling effective support of specialized systems used across the Data Office.
• Evaluate system requirements, integration points, and architectural dependencies to ensure stable and secure operations.
• Lead complex troubleshooting efforts, diagnosing systemic issues and implementing sustainable solutions.

Development, Analysis & Implementation

• Perform end to end analysis, design, and implementation of system enhancements, data workflows, and platform improvements.
• Conduct data analysis, system performance evaluation, and configuration tuning to support Data Office initiatives.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive technical and user documentation.
• Oversee testing, validation, and deployment of system changes, ensuring alignment with agency standards and governance requirements.
• Support business process modernization and data transformation projects, collaborating with program areas and IT partners.

System Support & Continuous Improvement

• Lead production support efforts for critical systems and applications, including incident resolution and root cause analysis.
• Implement monitoring, quality assurance practices, and continuous improvements to enhance system reliability and usability.
• Contribute to data governance, security reviews, and compliance requirements for enterprise data systems.

Expected Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to work independently without supervision while leading complex technical initiatives.
• Proven leadership skills and ability to mentor and guide technical staff.
• Expertise with enterprise-scale data systems, development platforms, and technical architecture.
• Strong analytical, diagnostic, and problem solving capabilities.
• Advanced knowledge of system development lifecycles, modern architecture patterns, and data integration methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Extensive industry experience and/or advanced education in information systems, computer science, data engineering, or a related field.