BI Developer Job Descriptions for Hiring Managers and HR

What Does a BI Developer Do?

Every business collects data. Whether it’s merely tracking sales and inventory, gathering demographic information about customers, or observing industry trends, companies need to find ways to manage and access data so they can use it to change and improve. That’s where a business intelligence developer comes in.

Business intelligence developers create software that helps businesses access data they’ve collected so they can use it to make informed strategic decisions. A business intelligence developer not only creates and manages requests for data but also presents that data to stakeholders within the company.

In today’s data-driven world, business intelligence developers must be skilled at troubleshooting and analyzing the individual needs of software users and stakeholders. It’s vital for a business intelligence developer to understand how people think, and how to make software easy to use. They also need excellent communication skills to train users on how to use software to find the information they need.

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National Average Salary

BI developer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

BI Developer salary data

The average U.S. salary for a BI Developer is:

$106,800

BI Developer Job Descriptions

When it comes to recruiting a BI developer, having the right job description can make a big difference. Here are some real world job descriptions you can use as templates for your next opening.

Example 1

Business intelligence (BI) developers design, develop, and maintain business intelligence solutions, maintain and support data analytics platforms, and conduct unit testing and troubleshooting. BI developers should be analytical and have excellent communication skills. They also have an acute business sense and strong problem-solving skills. [Your Company Name] is currently looking for an experienced BI developer. As an ideal candidate, you have an in-depth understanding of database management systems, online analytical processing, and ETL frameworks.

Typical duties and responsibilities

Develop, maintain and support ETL processes using tools such as Microsoft SSIS
Create reports and extracts from SQL server and other disparate data sources
Create outstanding code in all tiers: user interface, business logic, data access, and database
Develop high availability and highly scalable applications
Create prototypes and proof of concepts
Ensure solutions are released properly, and each release is documented
Translate business requirements and problems into innovative technical solutions
Participate in user research and usability testing to help improve the user experience
Create and maintain unit and functional tests

Education and experience

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, MIS, or a related field is required for this position, as well as three to five years of experience in the business intelligence field.

Companies also strongly prefer candidates with a minimum of two years of back-end programming experience in languages such as C# or Java as well as three years or more experience in SQL technologies like SSRS, SSIS, and SQL Server.

Required skills and qualifications

Possess and demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills to ensure issues are handled in a fair, consistent manner
Ability to think logically and troubleshoot issues
Motivated to learn new business and technical concepts
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
Deep understanding of relational database concepts with a solid knowledge of Cognos 10, SQL and PL/SQL
Experience with ETL tools

Preferred qualifications

At least 5 years of solid SAP BW programming and analysis experience
2+ years of experience in BW on HANA
5 years of experience in Business objects 4.2 and above
Expertise in WEBI, Design Studio & Lumira administration and auditing
Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Example 2

What you’ll do

Understand customer business requirements, scenarios, use cases, and the data models that facilitate them
Understand the technical specification documents as developed by the technical team and translate them into detailed technical specifications
Accurately evaluate level of effort (LOE) to help manage activities to ensure the quality/timeliness of deliverables
Understand the software system design; describe the specifications in technical terms, select the methods, toolsets or technologies that will be used. Plan the appropriate user interface. Identify and manage dependencies with other components. Document these selections in the detailed technical specifications document for the project
Develop code functions and unitary tests in accordance with quality rules defined by the technical team
Write operation guides that explain the deployment of the software components in conjunction with DevSecOps practices
Analyze and correct reported bugs and/or execute software changes required for the Project in alignment with Ball’s development strategies
Capitalize on existing project deliverables to ensure continuity/reusability
Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule
Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment
Perform other duties as necessary

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s in Information Technology or a related technical field plus 5 or more years related experience
Each higher-level degree, i.e., Master’s Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education
Software Engineering Degree or similar experience
Knowledge and experience with:
- Java, C# or other object-oriented programming language
- SQL, Oracle or other RDBMS
- SQL Server Data Tools, SSIS, DQS, IDQ
- XML Schemas and parsing
- API Development experience preferred
Experience with System integration
Experience with data transformation and migration
Basic knowledge of web services, business logic and APIs
Experience implementing/deploying enterprise level software solutions
Experience with complex implementation projects
Experience with implementing/deploying a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution (Oracle Agile, WindChill, TeamCenter, ENOVIA, etc.)
Experience deploying or integrating with Dassault Systèmes software solutions and XPDM importer preferred

Example 3

As the BI Developer you will be accountable for configuring pipelines to ingest data into our BI system and owning all technical aspects of the BI platform. You will help design and support solutions to interface with external APIs, automating internal processes and implementing technical aspects of data governance. An ideal candidate will have technical competence balanced by an empathetic understanding of business needs.

Job responsibilities

Establish automated processes and scripts to support the BI platform
Demonstrate data literacy, a deep understanding of the data, and an appreciation for the art of data visualization and storytelling
Provide technical leadership on data architecture design best practices
Build and maintain data pipelines within the BI platform
Maintain and understand legacy PHP Reports and converting them to the BI platform when necessary
Creating custom visualizations to enhance data storytelling to our customers

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, related field, or equivalent experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred
At least 2 years of programming experience with Python and/or PHP
At least 2 years of experience with SQL
At least 2 years of experience interfacing with multiple APIs
At least 2 years of experience creating reports and dashboards with a BI Platform (Domo, Tableau, Power BI)

Example 4

The primary responsibility of this role is to work collaboratively with end-users to develop reporting systems that provide accessible information for decision-making. The BI Developer uses warehouse data to solve organizational problems through reports, analysis, and data visualization. The BI Developer will provide enterprise-wide data warehouse expertise with an emphasis on data design, access, usage, security, and quality of information assets. The BI Developer will work in support of all managers and users requiring data for decision support.

What you’ll be doing

Data Modeling BI and Data Warehousing solutions
Assists in implementing effective business analytics practices that drive improved decision-making, efficiency, and performance
Communicate with non-technical business users to determine specific business requirements for reports and business intelligence solutions
Communicates regularly with technical, applications, and operational staff to ensure database integrity, security, and optimized performance at the application and database level
Works collaboratively with institutional staff and reporting officials to resolve data discrepancies and/or clarify reporting procedures
Maintains an accurate and comprehensive inventory of data, data systems, and data storage
Ability to use presentation, word processing, and database or spreadsheet software
Demonstrated attention to detail in ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of the data warehouse and the individual work units
Possess strong analytical and troubleshooting skills
Possess strong oral and written communication skills, clearly and accurately. communicating complex and/or technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences
Self-motivated; able to work within a project-based environment
Ability to work in a team environment

What you bring

B.A./B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, a similar degree, or equivalent work experience
Hands-on Software development expertise within an Information Technology division
Knowledge of SQL and Cloud data warehousing concepts
Demonstrated detailed knowledge of BI areas including ETL design, analytics, and reporting
Experience in business intelligence and data warehousing environments such as data aggregation/manipulation through table joins/queries, database design, normalization, and de-normalization techniques
Demonstrated experience in data extraction and manipulation, and ETL techniques required

Added bonus if you have

Professional- BI Developer certification

Candidate Certifications to Look For

Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP). The CBIP certification program is offered by Transforming Data With Intelligence (TDWI) and is intended for senior-level IT professionals who focus on data management and business analytics. The certification proves a candidate’s knowledge of BI technologies, best practices, solutions, and emerging trends. Requirements include 2+ years of experience in a computer-related field, such as computer information systems or systems analysis. The initial certification is valid for 4 years and must be renewed every three years after that by completing 120 credit hours of continuing education.
Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate. Microsoft offers this certification for data analysts using Microsoft Power BI. Certification demonstrates a candidate’s ability to prepare, model, visualize, and analyze data, and deploy and maintain deliverables. The certification is good for 2 years and must be renewed passing the latest Microsoft Power BI renewal assessment.