diff --git a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTask.java b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTask.java
index f3afe84df77..04aab0cff68 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTask.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTask.java
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ private Job startJob(
         new Job(
             jobId,
             "",
-            jobManager.getRunnerType().name(),
+            jobManager.getRunnerType(),
             Source.fromProto(source),
             Store.fromProto(sinkSpec),
             featureSets,
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/Runner.java b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/Runner.java
index 4e2033fed69..acccb70c8b2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/Runner.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/Runner.java
@@ -16,33 +16,37 @@
  */
 package feast.core.job;
 
+import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
+
+/**
+ * An Apache Beam Runner, for which Feast Core supports managing ingestion jobs.
+ *
+ * @see <a href="https://beam.apache.org/documentation/#runners">Beam Runners</a>
+ */
 public enum Runner {
   DATAFLOW("DataflowRunner"),
   FLINK("FlinkRunner"),
   DIRECT("DirectRunner");
 
-  private final String name;
+  private final String humanName;
 
-  Runner(String name) {
-    this.name = name;
+  Runner(String humanName) {
+    this.humanName = humanName;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Get the human readable name of this runner. Returns a human readable name of the runner that
-   * can be used for logging/config files/etc.
-   */
+  /** Returns the human readable name of this runner, usable in logging, config files, etc. */
   @Override
   public String toString() {
-    return name;
+    return humanName;
   }
 
   /** Parses a runner from its human readable name. */
-  public static Runner fromString(String runner) {
+  public static Runner fromString(String humanName) {
     for (Runner r : Runner.values()) {
-      if (r.toString().equals(runner)) {
+      if (r.toString().equals(humanName)) {
         return r;
       }
     }
-    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown value: " + runner);
+    throw new NoSuchElementException("Unknown Runner value: " + humanName);
   }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManager.java b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManager.java
index 6002133e828..880dd6c146b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManager.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManager.java
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ public Job restartJob(Job job) {
    */
   @Override
   public JobStatus getJobStatus(Job job) {
-    if (!Runner.DATAFLOW.name().equals(job.getRunner())) {
+    if (job.getRunner() != RUNNER_TYPE) {
       return job.getStatus();
     }
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ private Job submitDataflowJob(
       return new Job(
           jobName,
           jobId,
-          getRunnerType().name(),
+          getRunnerType(),
           Source.fromProto(source),
           Store.fromProto(sink),
           featureSets,
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/model/Job.java b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/model/Job.java
index 060edefc3b9..95bcd79e6c0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/model/Job.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/model/Job.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import com.google.protobuf.InvalidProtocolBufferException;
 import feast.core.FeatureSetProto;
 import feast.core.IngestionJobProto;
+import feast.core.job.Runner;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import javax.persistence.CascadeType;
@@ -55,9 +56,9 @@ public class Job extends AbstractTimestampEntity {
   private String extId;
 
   // Runner type
-  // Use Runner.name() when converting a Runner to string to assign to this property.
+  @Enumerated(EnumType.STRING)
   @Column(name = "runner")
-  private String runner;
+  private Runner runner;
 
   // Source id
   @ManyToOne
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ public Job() {
   public Job(
       String id,
       String extId,
-      String runner,
+      Runner runner,
       Source source,
       Store sink,
       List<FeatureSet> featureSets,
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/service/JobService.java b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/service/JobService.java
index bf74b90e80c..c8fc5caf5e1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/feast/core/service/JobService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/feast/core/service/JobService.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import feast.core.IngestionJobProto;
 import feast.core.dao.JobRepository;
 import feast.core.job.JobManager;
+import feast.core.job.Runner;
 import feast.core.log.Action;
 import feast.core.log.AuditLogger;
 import feast.core.log.Resource;
@@ -50,13 +51,13 @@
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 import org.springframework.transaction.annotation.Transactional;
 
-/** Defines a Job Managemenent Service that allows users to manage feast ingestion jobs. */
+/** A Job Management Service that allows users to manage Feast ingestion jobs. */
 @Slf4j
 @Service
 public class JobService {
-  private JobRepository jobRepository;
-  private SpecService specService;
-  private Map<String, JobManager> jobManagers;
+  private final JobRepository jobRepository;
+  private final SpecService specService;
+  private final Map<Runner, JobManager> jobManagers;
 
   @Autowired
   public JobService(
@@ -66,13 +67,13 @@ public JobService(
 
     this.jobManagers = new HashMap<>();
     for (JobManager manager : jobManagerList) {
-      this.jobManagers.put(manager.getRunnerType().name(), manager);
+      this.jobManagers.put(manager.getRunnerType(), manager);
     }
   }
 
   /* Job Service API */
   /**
-   * List Ingestion Jobs in feast matching the given request. See CoreService protobuf documentation
+   * List Ingestion Jobs in Feast matching the given request. See CoreService protobuf documentation
    * for more detailed documentation.
    *
    * @param request list ingestion jobs request specifying which jobs to include
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTaskTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTaskTest.java
index 2a1e80994ae..5faf446a948 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTaskTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/JobUpdateTaskTest.java
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public void shouldUpdateJobIfPresent() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "old_ext",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public void shouldUpdateJobIfPresent() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "old_ext",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1), FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet2)),
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public void shouldUpdateJobIfPresent() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "new_ext",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             Source.fromProto(source),
             Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1), FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet2)),
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ public void shouldCreateJobIfNotPresent() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ public void shouldCreateJobIfNotPresent() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "ext",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ public void shouldUpdateJobStatusIfNotCreateOrUpdate() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "ext",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ public void shouldUpdateJobStatusIfNotCreateOrUpdate() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "ext",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             Source.fromProto(source),
             Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ public void shouldReturnJobWithErrorStatusIfFailedToSubmit() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ public void shouldReturnJobWithErrorStatusIfFailedToSubmit() {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/RunnerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/RunnerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ce1700acbe9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/RunnerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ * Copyright 2018-2020 The Feast Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package feast.core.job;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
+
+import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+public class RunnerTest {
+
+  @Test
+  public void toStringReturnsHumanReadableName() {
+    assertThat(Runner.DATAFLOW.toString(), is("DataflowRunner"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void fromStringLoadsValueFromHumanReadableName() {
+    var humanName = Runner.DATAFLOW.toString();
+    assertThat(Runner.fromString(humanName), is(Runner.DATAFLOW));
+  }
+
+  @Test(expected = NoSuchElementException.class)
+  public void fromStringThrowsNoSuchElementExceptionForUnknownValue() {
+    Runner.fromString("this is not a valid Runner");
+  }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManagerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManagerTest.java
index e610f393732..72b921ef694 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManagerTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/dataflow/DataflowJobManagerTest.java
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public void shouldStartJobWithCorrectPipelineOptions() throws IOException {
         new Job(
             jobName,
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             Source.fromProto(source),
             Store.fromProto(store),
             Lists.newArrayList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet)),
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenJobStateTerminal() throws IOException {
         new Job(
             "job",
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             Source.fromProto(source),
             Store.fromProto(store),
             Lists.newArrayList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet)),
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/direct/DirectRunnerJobManagerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/direct/DirectRunnerJobManagerTest.java
index 76530d9f404..6980450ca4d 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/direct/DirectRunnerJobManagerTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/job/direct/DirectRunnerJobManagerTest.java
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ public void shouldStartDirectJobAndRegisterPipelineResult() throws IOException {
         new Job(
             expectedJobId,
             "",
-            Runner.DIRECT.name(),
+            Runner.DIRECT,
             Source.fromProto(source),
             Store.fromProto(store),
             Lists.newArrayList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet)),
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobCoordinatorServiceTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobCoordinatorServiceTest.java
index 52e838c3d9d..59fdc32b20f 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobCoordinatorServiceTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobCoordinatorServiceTest.java
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public void shouldGenerateAndSubmitJobsIfAny() throws InvalidProtocolBufferExcep
         new Job(
             "",
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1), FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet2)),
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ public void shouldGenerateAndSubmitJobsIfAny() throws InvalidProtocolBufferExcep
         new Job(
             "some_id",
             extId,
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1), FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet2)),
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ public void shouldGroupJobsBySource() throws InvalidProtocolBufferException {
         new Job(
             "name1",
             "",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source1),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ public void shouldGroupJobsBySource() throws InvalidProtocolBufferException {
         new Job(
             "name1",
             "extId1",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source1),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet1)),
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ public void shouldGroupJobsBySource() throws InvalidProtocolBufferException {
         new Job(
             "",
             "extId2",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source2),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet2)),
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ public void shouldGroupJobsBySource() throws InvalidProtocolBufferException {
         new Job(
             "name2",
             "extId2",
-            Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+            Runner.DATAFLOW,
             feast.core.model.Source.fromProto(source2),
             feast.core.model.Store.fromProto(store),
             Arrays.asList(FeatureSet.fromProto(featureSet2)),
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobServiceTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobServiceTest.java
index c0e90ca43f4..6f34205bbfd 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobServiceTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feast/core/service/JobServiceTest.java
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ private Job newDummyJob(String id, String extId, JobStatus status) {
     return new Job(
         id,
         extId,
-        Runner.DATAFLOW.name(),
+        Runner.DATAFLOW,
         this.dataSource,
         this.dataStore,
         Arrays.asList(this.featureSet),