Web Application Developer, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
Posted November 22, 2021
Description:
The Harvard Library Innovation Lab (LIL) is looking for a software developer and researcher to imagine and develop innovative software that charts the future of libraries. Located at the Harvard Law Library, LIL is a fun and collaborative lab with a broad mission focused on re-envisioning libraries and library services. We are a small but active team, and we are looking for another developer who can round out our skills. Please see our website at https://lil.law.harvard.edu/ to get a sense of our current projects and activities.
LIL’s projects can range from large to small and can bring immediate benefit or prototype the future. A great deal of passion and creativity is required, as well as the ability to work collaboratively on long-term and short-term projects with a great team. A good design sense and user-centricity are important. Proficiency in website development is expected. Our most common stack is Django and Vue, but we welcome developers from any background who are well-prepared to dive into our code.
Our work is open-source and openly available, with an eye to broad public interest impact. You will be working directly with team members and the whole of the library staff and beyond. Responsibilities will include teasing out hard problems and scoping products.
Job Specific Responsibilities:
As a Web Application Developer, you will:
- Design, develop, test, document and deploy new applications and extensions to existing applications
- Work with design experts to adapt existing and create new software-based solutions to support the needs of users
- Provide project management support and work with partners and clients to determine scope of development projects
- Work closely with librarians, the Lab director and other members of the Lab
- Collaborate and bring great energy to an existing team
Typical Core Duties
- Participate fully in software development life cycle
- Implement and support technical solutions to deliver business requirements
- Identify and evaluate opportunities to improve services
- Contribute ideas to coding best practices and new technologies
- Draw on relationship and technical skills to act as technical liaison to internal and external clients
- Abide by and follow the Harvard University IT technical standards, policies and Code of Conduct
Basic Qualifications
- Minimum of two years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience
Additional Qualifications and Skills
We welcome people who have:
- Passion for libraries and the future of information architecture and civic technology
- A desire to share work and explore ideas in public settings, including presentations, scholarly seminars at Harvard, and posting to the Lab’s blog
- Deep understanding and experience designing, implementing, testing, and documenting web applications
- Advanced working knowledge of the Lab’s common programming languages (Python, JavaScript), or ability to move fluently between languages
- Experience managing relational databases and indexes, such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Solr, Elasticsearch, and Redis
- Strong understanding of how the Web works, with a focus on efficiency, aesthetics, and accessibility, using HTTP, HTML, CSS, etc.
- Comfort with Linux operating systems
- Experience with the full life cycle of product development, from exploration to design to implementation to iteration
Certificates and Licenses
- Completion of Harvard IT Academy specified foundational courses (or external equivalent) preferred
Working Conditions
- Work is performed in an office setting
How to Apply:
To read the full job description and apply online, visit: