Data Administrator

Data Administrator

Company: North Carolina State University

Job Location:

Category: Database Administrator

Type: Full-Time

Join the Pack! A community with nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, and 30,000 students. NC State is one of the largest employers in North Carolina, offering a large range of career opportunities. Visit us at https://jobs.hr.ncsu.edu/.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Essential Job Duties:
The EHS Database and Information Systems Specialist serves as the lead administrator for the University's central compliance engine (currently Environmental Health & Safety Assistant - EHSA). This role is responsible for the technical configuration, data integrity, and reporting capabilities of a complex relational database that tracks critical regulatory data across campus.

Acting as a "Technical Translator," this position bridges the gap between high-level IT standards and the practical, on-the-ground needs of field inspectors, researchers, Environmental Health and Safety management, and regulatory agencies. The specialist ensures that from the moment a hazardous material enters a lab to its final disposal, the data is accurate, secure, and compliant with Federal and State regulations.

Position Duties

Database Administration & Vendor Coordination

• Serve as the lead administrator for the EHS management platform (EHSA), managing user permissions, module configurations (Chemical, Rad, Bio, Fire, etc.), and system updates.
• Vendor Liaison: Coordinate directly with software vendors to implement patches, version upgrades, and custom fixes; evaluate change requests and develop structured implementation plans.
• Training & Documentation: Create and maintain SOP documentation for EHS staff and the research community (Principal Investigators/Lab Staff); train users on new system features and data entry best practices.
• Field Support: Ensure seamless system functionality across desktops and mobile platforms (tablets), providing troubleshooting for field staff during inspections.
• Configure modules for Lab Inspections, Chemical Inventory, Training, and Permitting to align with University-specific workflows.
• Ensure data is maintained in accordance with retention standards set by the department and the university
• Control access to data using a "Least Privileged" strategy ensuring only access is given on a need to know basis
• Organize and manage access to data within University owned department shared drives

Data Engineering & Systems Integration

• The "Link" Administrator: Coordinate and audit automated data feeds from University ERP systems (e.g., HR, Facilities/Space Management and REPORTER - NC State University's centralized, online registration system for non-credit activities, professional development, and required training) to ensure EHS records accurately reflect current personnel, locations and ensuring that all required training has been assigned and completed.
• Data Architecture: Manage the import/export of complex datasets using various formats (XML, CSV, JSON) and APIs.
• Compliance Logic: Manage the "Permit" and "Protocol" data structures to ensure "Cradle-to-Grave" data fidelity for high-risk assets while maintaining accurate historical archives for regulatory audits.

Advanced Reporting & Business Intelligence

• Database Proficiency: Utilize advanced MySQL queries to extract data directly from relational tables for custom, high-stakes regulatory reports and internal audits.
• Data Visualization: Design and maintain visual compliance scorecards and dashboards (using Power BI, Tableau, or SSRS) to provide EHS leadership with actionable safety trends and metrics.
• Audit Readiness: Generate "Inspection Ready" documentation on short notice for state and federal agencies (EPA, NRC, OSHA, DHS) as required by EHS managers.
• Inspection and compliance documentation for Audit purposes and management review

Project Management & Lifecycle Oversight

• Proactively plan server or application upgrades and meet with campus partners to align system priorities with the department's overall mission.
• Lead or assist in technical evaluations for future system enhancements, including potential software migrations or the implementation of new enterprise modules.
• Train EHS staff on new fixes and updates as they are released by the vendor
• Coordinate onsite vendor trainings for staff to address pain points of the application and software as needed

Strategic Innovation

• Explore and pilot emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) or machine learning, to enhance data analysis, automate routine reporting, or predict compliance and security risks.
• Develop strategies to migrate archived data into new EHS database platform

Other Work/Responsibilities:

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Experience/Education:

• Bachelor's Degree and 0-2 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Required Qualifications:

• Database Expertise: Knowledge of relational database structures and proficiency in writing/debugging MySQL queries.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to see how a change in one data point (e.g., a professor leaving the University) impacts compliance across multiple modules (training, permits, waste).
• Hardware/Mobile Savvy: Comfortable troubleshooting software performance across different OS environments (Windows, iOS/Android, ChromeBooks) and hardware types (Tablets/Handhelds and scanners).
• Operational Awareness: A strong desire to understand "The Business of EHS"-valuing why chemical inventories, inspection cycles, and regulatory permitting are legally critical.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex database procedures and technical limitations to non-technical staff and EHS leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in an academic research environment or a highly regulated industry (e.g., healthcare, manufacturing, environmental health services ).
• Proven experience leading or assisting in system migrations or enterprise software implementations.
• Familiarity with EHSA (Environmental Health & Safety Assistant) or similar EHS management software.
• Previous working experience managing health and safety environments and understanding of State and Federal safety codes and licensing requirements.
• Professional certifications in Data Management (CDMP), Project Management (PMP), or SQL Administration, Associate/Certified Safety Professional

Required License or Certification:
NA

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