Job Description

Posting Number:

S14449P

Working Title:

Data Architect

Department:

SOM-Operations

About The University Of Georgia:

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university ( . The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About The College/Unit/Department:

The University of Georgia is establishing a new independent School of Medicine in Athens, building on the success of the Augusta University / University of Georgia Medical Partnership, which has been educating physicians in Athens since 2010.

The establishment of a new public medical school at UGA comes as the state faces a significant shortage of medical professionals. The population of Georgia, the nation’s eighth largest state, has surged to approximately 11 million residents, straining existing medical infrastructure and resulting in longer wait times for appointments and reduced access to care. Georgia currently ranks 40th in the nation for the number of active patient care physicians per capita and 41st for the number of public medical students per capita.

As a top 20 public university with a thriving research enterprise and vast public service network, the University of Georgia is well positioned to produce more highly trained physicians, alleviate physician shortages, and improve the state’s ability to provide quality health care for its citizens.

The School of Medicine is located on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus in Athens, home to UGA’s College of Public Health and the current AU/UGA Medical Partnership. In its inaugural year, the UGA School of Medicine plans to enroll 60 students per class, but a new $100 million medical school building will enable the UGA School of Medicine to grow to 120 students per class in the future.

The University of Georgia School of Medicine is seeking accreditation and has been formally recognized with “candidate status” by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), beginning a multi-year accreditation process.

College/Unit/Department Website:

Posting Type:

External

Retirement Plan:

TRS or ORP

Employment Type:

Employee

Benefits Eligibility:

Benefits Eligible

Full/Part Time:

Full Time

Additional Schedule Information:

Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Flexibility may be needed at times.

Advertised Salary:

Commensurate with experience

Posting Date:

12/02/2025

Open Until Filled:

Yes

Proposed Starting Date:

02/01/2026

Special Instructions To Applicants:

The application packet should include a cover letter detailing how the applicant’s credentials and experience meet the needs, responsibilities, and qualifications for the position, a current resume, and contact information for three professional references (who will not be contacted without further correspondence with the applicant).

Location of Vacancy:

Athens Area

EEO Policy Statement:

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ( hrweb@uga.edu ).

USG Core Values Statement:

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at .

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at .

Classification Title:

Database Administrator II

FLSA:

Exempt

FTE:

1.00

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in data science, computer science, information technology, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred)
• Proven experience designing and implementing complex data solutions in a healthcare or academic setting
• Knowledge of machine learning algorithms and AI integration in healthcare
• Certification in relevant technologies (e.g., AWS Certified Big Data)
• Understanding of bioinformatics or genomics data management
• Experience with NoSQL databases

Position Summary:

The Data Architect leads the integration of the School of Medicine’s data and IT systems with UGA’s central university infrastructure. The Data Architect is responsible for designing, creating, deploying, and managing the data architecture to support education, research, and clinical operations. This role involves defining how the data will be stored, consumed, integrated, and managed by different data entities and IT systems within the medical school. This role is critical in ensuring seamless interoperability, data governance, security, and efficiency across academic, clinical, research, and administrative systems. The Data Architect will work closely with the School of Medicine’s leadership, university enterprise IT teams, faculty, and external partners to design and implement scalable solutions that support the institution’s growth and accreditation needs.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities And/or Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of database management systems (e.g., SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL). Familiarity with student information systems (e.g., Banner), learning management systems (e.g., D2L), and research data platforms.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with a track record of successful collaboration in complex IT environments.
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop, Spark).
• Proficiency in data modeling tools (e.g., Tabular Editor, ER/Studio, ERwin).
• Familiarity with cloud-based data solutions (e.g., AWS, Azure).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Physical Demands:

• Sit at computer for long periods of time.
• Occasional travel may be needed for meetings or conferences.

Is driving a responsibility of this position?:

No

Is this a Position of Trust?:

Yes

Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources?:

No

Does this position require a P-Card? :

No

Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? :

No

Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care?:

No

Does This Position Have Security Access (e.g., Public Safety, IT Security, Personnel Records, Patient Records, Or Access To Chemicals And Medications):

Yes

Credit And P-Card Policy:

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website .

Background Investigation Policy:

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website .

Duties/Responsibilities:

Data Architecture Design:

• Develop and maintain the overall data architecture strategy tailored to medical education, research and clinical operations.
• Design and implement effective database solutions and models to store and retrieve education, medical, and research data.
• Ensure the data architecture is scalable, secure, and compliant with healthcare regulations and UGA IT standards.
• Develop and collaborate to implement a framework for integrating the School of Medicine’s IT systems with UGA’s enterprise IT infrastructure, ensuring compatibility, security, and efficiency.

Data Integration:

• Ensure interoperability of data needed from learning management systems (LMS), curriculum management systems (CMS), student information systems (SIS), clinical scheduling systems, secure testing systems, curriculum mapping systems, research databases, and university-wide IT resources while maintaining strict security and compliance with UGA IT standards, HIPAA, FERPA, and other regulations.
• Ensure seamless data flow between different systems and platforms used in medical education, research and patient care. Implement ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes to consolidate medical data.

Percentage Of Time:

50

Data Governance:

• Establish and enforce data governance policies and procedures specific to medical education and healthcare data.
• Ensure compliance with UGA data standards and relevant regulations such as HIPAA and FERPA.
• Monitor data quality and implement measures to improve data accuracy and consistency in medical records.

Percentage Of Time:

20

Collaboration:

• Work closely with medical educators, researchers, clinicians, business analysts, developers, and other IT professionals to understand the unique requirements of medical data.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define data needs for research projects, clinical trials, and patient care initiatives.
• Provide guidance and support to development teams on database design and optimization for healthcare applications.
• Serve as the primary technical liaison between the School of Medicine and UGA’s IT leadership, working closely with academic affairs, student services, clinical partners, and external vendors to align IT systems with institutional goals.

Infrastructure And Performance Optimization:

• Collaborate with UGA’s Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) to optimize cloud and on-premises storage, computing resources, and data pipelines to support medical education, research, and operational needs.
• Analyze database performance issues related to large-scale medical datasets and implement solutions to enhance performance.
• Conduct regular performance tuning and optimization of databases used in medical research and clinical operations.
• Implement indexing strategies to improve query performance for complex medical queries.

Documentation:

Create comprehensive documentation of the data architecture, including diagrams, models, and metadata specific to medical datasets. Maintain up-to-date documentation of all changes to the data architecture.

Technology Evaluation:

Stay current with emerging technologies and trends in medical education and healthcare data management. Evaluate new tools and technologies that can enhance the school’s data capabilities in medical education, research and patient care. Make recommendations for technology adoption based on thorough analysis.

Percentage Of Time:

10

Contact Details:

For questions concerning this position or recruitment progression, please refer to the Recruitment Contact listed below.

Recruitment Contact Name:

Wendy Gilfedder

Recruitment Contact Email:

somhr@uga.edu

Job Tags

Full time, Part time, Work at office, Monday to Friday,

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