Data Engineer

Does the opportunity to devote your talents to a cause much greater than yourself excite you? Do you enjoy crafting high-quality data systems that drive real-world impact? Do you believe in the power of experiences that inspire people to create a better world? The Arbor Day Foundation is a place where you can do work that matters, with people who care. As we say at the Foundation: life is short, love where you work.  

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. We foster a growing community of more than one million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by our bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees.  

Join the Arbor Day Foundation as a Data Engineer. As a Data Engineer, you’ll play a key role in transforming how we use data to advance our mission. You’ll design, build, and maintain the scalable data pipelines and infrastructure that support analytics, reporting, and machine learning across the organization. You’ll equip teams with accurate, accessible data—enabling insight-driven strategies and measurable results across the organization. 

This role is based in Lincoln, Nebraska, and reports to the Enterprise Architect. Team members are expected to work in the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with optional remote work on Wednesday and Friday.  

What you’ll do:    

• Design, build, and implement scalable data architecture to support analytics for fundraising, programs, and financial reporting. 
• Build and maintain data pipelines (ETL/ELT) that move, cleanse, and organize data across systems and platforms. 
• Eliminate data silos by creating unified, centralized repositories that support cross-functional reporting and analysis. 
• Automate data ingestion and transformation workflows, reducing manual effort and increasing accuracy. 
• Ensure the integrity, quality, and security of data, regardless of its source or destination. 
• Optimize performance of databases and pipelines to deliver fast, efficient data access. 
• Support data governance and compliance efforts, helping the organization use data responsibly. 
• Document technical processes clearly to support collaboration, scalability, and knowledge transfer. 
• Stay ahead of industry trends and recommend emerging tools and best practices to continuously improve our data environment. 
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Business Analysts, Business Intelligence, Enterprise Architect, and Marketing teams to align data solutions with business goals in an Agile/Scrum environment. 

What you’ll bring:  

• Passion for the Foundation’s mission, nature, environmental stewardship, and people.  
• Proficiency with Microsoft SQL and hands-on experience managing complex databases. 
• Experience working with cloud computing platforms—Microsoft Azure preferred. 
• Familiarity with tools like Microsoft Fabric, Data Lake, or similar technologies  
• A solid understanding of data architecture, modeling, and transformation best practices. 
• Proven ability to design, build, and optimize ETL/ELT processes. 
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments and collaborating across teams.  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Comfort working with remote teams using collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams  

 Love Where You Work:  

• Our work changes the world. We find deep purpose in our daily work, we’re helping to shape the planet for future generations.  
• We're in this together. A culture focused on a genuine interest in the wellbeing of others, collaboration, and the intrinsic shared purpose to do what's right.    
• We pride ourselves on the culture we’ve built. We love it, and we know you will too.   
• We care about your health. We offer competitive healthcare (health, dental, vision) coverage for you and your loved ones matched with a wellness incentives program.  
• We invest in your future. Company paid short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, life insurance and 401k with company match are available.  
• We know the little things matter. Team members receive a monthly parking stipend, a fully stocked kitchen, and access to a plethora of benefits at Arbor Day Farm.  
• We care about your growth. We allocate 40+ hours annually for our team members to focus on learning and development.  
• We want you to unplug when needed. We believe in taking your time off without guilt, including the week between Christmas and New Years that we close our Lincoln Campus to recharge.  
• We'll round out the experience. We put our culture first, and we host events and experiences throughout the year to show that we care about you (and your family).