Data and Technology Manager

Water Consulting Team

Job Location: Visalia

Schedule: Monday - Thursday: 9 hours / Friday: 4 hours

Position Overview and Key Responsibilities:

4Creeks is seeking a Data & Technology Manager to lead data strategy, automation, and applied technology for the Water Consulting Team, supporting programs across SGMA, ILRP, and related California water regulatory frameworks. This role is less about executing individual data tasks and more about building the systems, tools, and team practices that let the whole consulting group work faster and more accurately - someone who can walk in, assess how data and technology are being used across active projects, and lead the modernization from there. We're looking for a builder: someone who has stood up data systems or engineering functions before, knows how to pick the right tool (a script, a dashboard, an AI workflow, or a process redesign) for the problem in front of them, and can bring that judgment to a regulatory consulting environment.

Data Management & Organization

• Assess current data practices across the Water Consulting Team and lead the modernization of how regulatory and monitoring datasets - groundwater basin data, water quality records, compliance reporting data - are organized, stored, and maintained.
• Establish data governance standards, quality control processes, and accessibility practices across water policy and regulatory projects.
• Design scalable, forward-looking processes for collecting and integrating data from California state sources.
• Support policy analysis, regulatory compliance, and client reporting through structured data management and efficient delivery of actionable information.

Automation & Analytical Tools

• Use Python, SQL, R, or similar languages - and modern AI-assisted development workflows - to automate regulatory reporting, compliance tracking, and monitoring data processing.
• Build tools, scripts, and dashboards that support SGMA compliance reporting, ILRP field data analysis, and water quality trend tracking.
• Identify where automation and AI genuinely add value versus where they don't, and implement solutions responsibly - reducing manual effort on recurring data tasks without adding unnecessary complexity

Technology Strategy & Innovation

• Research and introduce modern tools and platforms that improve data organization and analytical capability across water policy and regulatory work.
• Stay current on emerging technologies, AI-driven tools, and data infrastructure relevant to the California water sector, and translate them into practical recommendations.
• Serve as the team's go-to for technology direction - recommending and championing solutions that improve productivity and client deliverables, and building the internal case for the tools worth adopting.

Accessibility, Training & Cross-Team Collaboration

• Develop user-friendly dashboards and interfaces that make regulatory and monitoring data accessible to water policy analysts, regulatory specialists, and clients navigating compliance obligations.
• Work directly with technical and administrative staff to understand data needs across active water programs and translate them into practical, well-scoped tools.
• Provide training and documentation that raises data literacy and tool adoption across the consulting team.

Required Qualifications:

1. Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, Analytics, or a related field - or equivalent hands-on experience.
2. Demonstrated experience building or leading data systems, tools, or technical processes from the ground up, ideally including some team leadership, mentoring, or cross-functional ownership.
3. Strong coding and scripting ability for automation and data analysis (Python, SQL, R, or similar).
4. Experience designing and shipping workflows, dashboards, or user-facing analytical tools that other people actually use.
5. Solid understanding of database systems, data structures, and data management best practices.
6. Strong judgment for evaluating and recommending new tools or technology approaches - not just executing a defined spec.
7. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for a non-technical audience and train others on new tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Experience with cloud-based data platforms and modern analytics environments (AWS or similar).
2. Familiarity with GIS, business intelligence platforms, or visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau, etc.).
3. Direct experience implementing AI-assisted workflows, RAG systems, or other applied-AI automation.
4. Experience leading technology improvement initiatives, digital transformation efforts, or building a technical function from scratch.
5. Background in water resources, environmental consulting, or a related scientific field is a plus, but not required - we're prioritizing technical and leadership capability over existing domain knowledge.
6. Familiarity with California water programs and regulatory frameworks (SGMA, ILRP, CV-SALTS) is a bonus, not a prerequisite.

Compensation

The salary will be determined by the candidates skill and experience level and highly competitive with industry standards. The benefits package includes 90% employee health coverage (50% coverage for dependents), company 401(k) contribution, participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), and performance bonuses. The expected pay range for this position is $30/hr to $40/hr.

About 4Creeks

At 4Creeks Design & Build, we are more than a Design-Build company; we are a unified, 100% employee-owned team rooted in Central California, delivering innovative solutions from concept to completion across California, Colorado, and beyond. We thrive on a collaborative, fun, and challenging work environment where every team member's contributions are valued and collective expertise drives comprehensive solutions that shape the future of our communities. From your first day, you'll experience the 4Creeks difference: a commitment to quality, a culture of collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in everything we do.

How to Apply

For immediate consideration; please apply on our website with your resume and cover letter detailing your background, skills, and experience. Our Human Resource Administrator will contact you promptly for initial interview coordination. If there are any questions, please contact us at joinus@4-creeks.com.

The Other Stuff

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, apply range of motion within hands and fingers, including sensitivity to touch, and use a computer. The employee frequently is required to talk, hear, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.