Senior GIS Database Migration Architect

Hello

This is Kumar from Tek Leaders Inc hope you are doing great. Please find the below Job Description.

Role: Senior GIS Database Migration Architect

Location: Houston TX (Hybrid) or Remote

Duration: Long Term

Job Description:

Apex Systems is seeking a senior hands-on GIS database migration architect to serve as the primary technical lead for an enterprise Oracle-to-PostgreSQL/PostGIS GIS migration assessment. This person will perform the majority of the technical discovery analysis architecture documentation and roadmap development required to assess a large Esri Enterprise Geodatabase environment and prepare a defensible migration plan. The engagement is assessment-focused: the role will validate current-state conditions identify compatibility and dependency risks define remediation options and build the phased migration roadmap/runbook. Production migration execution is not part of this phase.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Lead Current-State Technical Assessment

• Plan and execute technical discovery for the in-scope Lower 48 Esri Enterprise Geodatabase environment including the Oracle database ArcGIS Enterprise/Portal services ETLs source systems and downstream consumers.
• Create and maintain an inventory of candidate databases schemas tables feature classes layers services schedules interfaces and ownership information provided during the assessment.
• Analyze Esri geodatabase constructs and relational dependencies including spatial data types domains subtypes relationship classes attachments Global IDs attribute rules versioning and other behavior that must be preserved or redesigned.
• Validate available environment documentation through stakeholder interviews metadata review SQL analysis service inspection and limited exploratory testing in the existing PostgreSQL/PostGIS development environment.

2. Perform Oracle-to-PostgreSQL/PostGIS Compatibility Analysis

• Assess Oracle-to-PostgreSQL/PostGIS conversion risks across schemas data types date and time handling sequences and identifiers spatial references geometry behavior indexing constraints privileges and performance considerations.
• Evaluate Esri library and platform-functionality gaps between the current Oracle/Esri implementation and the proposed PostgreSQL/PostGIS target.
• Determine how attachments related records Global IDs relational integrity and service dependencies can be preserved and validated.
• Identify technical gaps migration blockers assumptions decisions and remediation options. Clearly distinguish confirmed findings from items requiring client validation.
• Assess the feasibility and implications of parallel operations dual-write ETL patterns reconciliation rollback and phased cutover approaches without executing a production migration.

3. Map Integrations ETLs and Operational Dependencies

• Document known ETLs source systems schedules transformation logic and consuming services for candidate layers.
• Identify and flag dependencies and reconnection risks involving ArcGIS Portal Survey123 FME Spotfire Power BI APIs scheduled jobs and other real-time or batch consumers.
• Work with the GIS Operations Lead to understand operational workflows service criticality support patterns outage tolerance and sequencing constraints.
• Define validation and reconciliation approaches for data completeness schema conformance spatial accuracy service behavior and downstream connectivity.

4. Develop Governance and Target-State Recommendations:

• Contribute database-layer recommendations for ETL governance naming metadata lineage spatial reference and datum standards access change control backup retention and lifecycle management.
• Support definition of future-state data-domain ownership and an operating model that reduces recurrence of unmanaged data and service sprawl.
• Translate assessment evidence into practical architecture decisions standards decision logs risks and remediation priorities.
• Ensure recommendations fit the supported Esri PostgreSQL/PostGIS security networking monitoring resilience and operational requirements identified during the engagement.

5. Build the Migration Roadmap and Runbook

• Own the technical content for a phased migration roadmap/runbook covering wave planning sequencing prerequisites resource needs validation gates cutover considerations rollback planning risk mitigation and operational transition.
• Develop estimates and planning assumptions for a subsequent migration phase based on assessed complexity dependencies remediation requirements and client decisions.
• Produce clear diagrams inventories findings decision matrices risk registers and executive-ready recommendations that support the three primary assessment deliverables.
• Present findings to technical and business stakeholders and incorporate review feedback while maintaining alignment to the agreed assessment scope.

6. Support Future Azure Readiness Without Expanding Scope

• Evaluate whether on-premises PostgreSQL/PostGIS recommendations create avoidable rework for a potential later move to Azure Database for PostgreSQL or another approved Azure-hosted pattern.
• Partner with the Cloud Architecture Reviewer on targeted questions involving identity connectivity security monitoring backup resilience integration dependencies and Esri supportability.
• Document cloud-related considerations and decision points as future-state guidance. Do not design or execute the subsequent cloud migration during this assessment.

Required Qualifications:

• 8 years of progressively responsible GIS spatial database database architecture or data migration experience including substantial hands-on work in enterprise Esri environments.
• Demonstrated experience assessing or planning migrations from Oracle Enterprise Geodatabases to PostgreSQL/PostGIS. Direct migration implementation experience is strongly preferred.
• Advanced Oracle skills including SQL schema and dependency analysis data types spatial capabilities indexing query analysis security and migration risk identification.
• Advanced PostgreSQL/PostGIS skills including spatial types and functions schema design indexing query tuning permissions backup and recovery considerations and operational support patterns.
• Strong working knowledge of ArcGIS Enterprise 11.x Portal for ArcGIS ArcGIS Server Enterprise Geodatabases ArcGIS Pro services attachments Global IDs relationship classes versioning and spatial references.
• Experience analyzing ETL and integration patterns using tools such as FME Python SQL ArcPy APIs scheduled jobs or comparable orchestration approaches.
• Working knowledge of Azure architecture relevant to PostgreSQL/PostGIS and Esri workloads including identity networking private connectivity monitoring backup resilience security and migration planning.
• Ability to independently lead technical discovery facilitate workshops document complex environments evaluate trade-offs and convert findings into client-ready reports and roadmaps.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to explain database and GIS risks to architects operations leaders project stakeholders and executives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in oil and gas utilities infrastructure or another asset-intensive environment with large enterprise GIS estates.
• Experience with ArcGIS Online Survey123 Power BI Spotfire Snowflake-hosted PostgreSQL patterns and hybrid on-premises/cloud architectures.
• Experience designing data validation reconciliation profiling lineage metadata and governance controls for spatial data migrations.
• Familiarity with Azure Database for PostgreSQL Azure networking and identity patterns infrastructure-as-code CI/CD and observability practices.
• Relevant Esri PostgreSQL Oracle Microsoft Azure or data architecture certifications. Certifications are valued but demonstrated delivery experience is more important.

Thanks & Regards

Kumar K

IT Recruiter

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Required Skills:

GISOracle-to-PostgreSQL/PostGIS GIS migration