Applications Engineer jobs in Olympia, WA

Are you looking for exciting, meaningful work where you can use your leadership skills and technical knowledge to provide application development and support for the courts throughout Washington State?  If so, then this is the position for you.  Come join our team!  

You will be responsible to plan, organize, and direct the activities of the Information Services Division (ISD) Applications & Operations section.  This section develops, maintains, and supports the primary case management systems and other operational applications used by the courts of Washington State.  These functions include application management, incident/problem management, configuration management, change management, and release management.   

You will lead a staff of 39 IT professionals that provide application technical support to all levels of court throughout Washington State.  You will oversee the application software development and support life cycle processes and procedures necessary to deliver high quality services to the Washington Courts in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

The work we do is important and impactful to the citizens of Washington State.  We hope you will consider joining our team.  

Our Mission:  Advance the efficient and effective operation of the Washington Judicial System.

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values integrity, inclusion, accountability, and teamwork. It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance.

Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace.

Job #:              2024-33

Status:             Regular, Full-Time* 

Location:         Olympia, Washington

Salary:             Range 80: $110,940 - $145,536 per year (DOQ).  

Opens:            April 16, 2024

Closes:            April 29, 2024. AOC reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time.

AOC requires employees to reside in Washington State.  Any exceptions must be approved.  If you are invited to interview and currently reside outside of Washington State, seek more information about residency requirements from the AOC hiring manager of this recruitment.

This position is required to work in the office at least two work days per week.  Position may be eligible for hybrid working; a combination of telework and working in-office.

• Responsible for supervisory duties which includes onboarding, orientation, and training; setting and communicating job requirements, managing performance expectations and standards; coordination and implementation of work assignments and project plans; guiding, mentoring, and motivating staff; taking action on leave requests; approving overtime, travel, coordinating and managing training, purchases and equipment; resolving workplace conflicts; managing work and telework schedules; workforce planning; making recommendations to manager/division director regarding hiring, discipline and termination actions; and acting as liaison to other AOC service sections (e.g., HR, Staff Services, Financial Services) for the unit.
• Mentors supervisors and team leads to develop talent and potential. Provides opportunities to challenge them to take on increased responsibilities and new opportunities.
• Plans, organizes, and monitors the operations of the Applications and Operations Section to include, but not limited to, implementing mandated legislative changes within existing applications, application bug fixes, and changes and enhancements supporting continual process improvement.
• Ensures that incidents are identified, prioritized and resolved as efficiently as possible in order to deliver high availability of service.
• Confers and coordinates with user groups regarding applications capabilities, the feasibility of developing specific applications systems, and determining system requirements and modifications for assigned applications systems.
• Approves resource support to design and develop new systems and modifications to existing applications.
• Sets goals and determines priorities for the section. Works with staff and stakeholders to ensure objectives, goals and project priorities are achieved.
• Ensures open communications between user and technical groups.
• Participates in long-range planning efforts for the Information Services Division.
• Participates in the evaluation, costing, selection, testing, and implementation of applications-related software and hardware.
• Responsible to interact with application and product vendors and contractors. Works with the AOC contracts section to ensure the support contracts are kept current.
• Reviews and is responsible for the documentation of systems.
• Ensures compliance with the Data Element Dictionary across the system.
• Advises the ISD Director on current application technology innovations.
• Staffs the JISC Data Dissemination Committee (DDC) and provides expert JIS technical information to the committee.
• Participates in the development of application standards and procedures; ensures all projects and assignments comply with ISD quality guidelines and that they are understood by all technical staff and user groups.
• Develops and schedules application section priorities, assigns responsibilities to staff, balances staff assignments between units and ensures efficient and timely completion of projects.  
• Prepares time and cost estimates and progress reports for application section projects. 
• Participates with the Director regarding evaluation and selection of contract firms.  Performs research on potential suppliers. 
• Confers with hardware and software vendors to obtain information, resolve problems, and arranges for demonstrations and evaluations to be conducted.

A combination of relevant education and experience may be considered in meeting the qualifications.

A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, Public Administration or closely allied field, AND:
 

• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible leadership experience in a complex information technology environment
   
• Experience managing and directing information technology professionals.

Demonstrates Agency Values:

• Integrity
• Inclusion
• Accountability
• Teamwork
  

Behavioral Competencies:

• Leadership
• Influencing
• Problem Solving
• Planning/Organizing
• Consulting
• Relationship Building
• Tact/diplomacy

Knowledge Skills, and Abilities:

• Understands the interaction of data and processes between varied and diverse agency applications and work groups for all court levels and justice partners.
• Understands the unique requirements of custom developed applications and interfaces as well as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software. 
• Well-developed interpersonal leadership skills and abilities to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with supervisors, staff, co-workers, management and other constituents.
• Cooperate and collaborate with agency, court, state and professional colleagues in order to accomplish work objectives.
• Knowledge of client, human resource and organizational management concepts.
• Ability to plan and interact with Architecture and Strategy to implement solutions that comply with the agency reference architecture and technical direction.
• Ability to plan and interact with project managers, align resources with the PMO/Software Quality Assurance Manager, and execute project plans within given budget constraints.
• Work effectively with people of different abilities and skill levels.  
• Work on multiple assignments concurrently, plan work to accomplish assignments, manage time to complete assigned tasks within the structure set by supervisor.
• Identify, analyze and resolve problems in a consultative process bringing problems and recommendations for solutions.  Think critically in decision-making and problem-solving situations.
• Clearly communicate business requirements and development priorities.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.   Make effective presentations and clearly communicate complex technology issues clearly to non-technical parties.
• Knowledge of principles and methods used in the analysis and development of computer systems and procedures to include system and application security requirements, test requirements, roll-out (implementation) and roll-up processes, lessons learned processes, documentation and user training techniques.
• Understand and articulate the interaction and mission of interested groups, boards, committees, and the judicial community.
• Develops and promotes a culture encouraging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

• The workweek may fluctuate depending on workload or agency needs.
• Overnight travel may be required based on business needs.
• This position is not overtime eligible.