Project Lead 3 – Data Engineering & AI Adoption | Austin, TX Hybrid | 10+ Years Technical Project Leadership Experience

**Location:** Austin, Texas **Duration:** September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027 (up to 2,008 hours; renewable for up to three additional one-year terms) **Hours:** Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (excluding state holidays); occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed **Interview Mode:** In person **Overview** A Texas state agency is seeking a Project Lead 3 to support a Technical Project Manager on a data engineering project within an AI adoption program. This role is responsible for planning, coordination, requirements gathering, business analysis, specifications development, project planning, monitoring, status reporting, and implementation of moderate to complex business solutions. The position involves managing cross-functional coordination, tracking deliverables, supporting platform and data engineering initiatives, and ensuring alignment between business, engineering, and AI stakeholders. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in data, analytics, and cloud environments, along with strong communication and organizational skills. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is required. **Key Responsibilities** - Support a Technical Project Manager for a data engineering project with an AI adoption program - Manage cross-functional coordination and track deliverables across business, engineering, and AI stakeholders - Support platform and data engineering initiatives - Lead planning, coordination, requirements gathering, and business analysis for moderate to complex business solutions - Develop specifications, project plans, and project monitoring frameworks - Provide project status reporting and oversee system implementation - Ensure alignment between business, engineering, and AI stakeholders - Translate complex technical concepts for business and executive audiences - Define project scope, objectives, milestones, timelines, and success metrics - Manage project budgeting, forecasting, resource planning, and financial status reporting - Produce comprehensive documentation including project plans, charters, schedules, and lessons learned **Required Qualifications** - 10+ years of experience leading technical projects or programs in data, analytics, and cloud environments - 10+ years of experience leading data architecture, data modeling, and data warehousing initiatives from planning through delivery - 10+ years of proven ability to manage business intelligence, big data, and analytics projects in complex enterprise environments - 10+ years of experience supporting healthcare data initiatives; familiarity with standards such as FHIR, CCDA, and HL7 is a plus - 10+ years of working knowledge of SQL and database technologies to support project planning, estimation, and issue resolution - 10+ years of strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for business and executive audiences - 10+ years of proven leadership skills managing cross-functional teams, vendors, and complex project timelines - 10+ years of strong collaboration skills to work effectively with data engineers, developers, analysts, and business partners - 10+ years of experience defining project scope, objectives, milestones, timelines, and success metrics - 10+ years of experience with project budgeting, forecasting, resource planning, and financial status reporting - 10+ years of proficiency with project management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, MS Project, or Smartsheet - 10+ years of strong documentation skills for project plans, charters, schedules, and lessons learned - 10+ years of working knowledge of cloud platforms, data systems, or enterprise applications - 10+ years of proactive leadership style with strong attention to detail and ability to work independently - Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required (proof may be requested) **Preferred Qualifications** - 8+ years of familiarity with healthcare or other regulated environments, including compliance, security, and data governance concepts - PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, or similar project management certification - 8+ years of healthcare industry experience - 8+ years of fundamental understanding of information management principles, IT processes, SDLC, architecture, and enterprise technologies - 8+ years of strong consulting and facilitation skills - 8+ years of customer-focused communication skills with the ability to engage all levels of the organization - 3+ years of experience supporting AI, advanced analytics, or digital transformation initiatives at the program or project level - TOGAF, Cloud Solution Architecture, or Azure/AWS/GCP certifications **Work Location & Requirements** - Hybrid position: 3 days remote, 2 days onsite (Wednesdays and Fridays required) - Local candidates only; must already reside in Texas - All travel, per diem, parking, and living expenses are at the candidate's expense - May be required to work outside normal business hours on weekends, evenings, and holidays as requested - Must sign an Acceptable Use Agreement as a condition of employment - Must complete and pass a criminal background check conducted within six months prior to purchase order issuance - Must sign required integrity and cybersecurity training acknowledgement forms