Working/Functional Title
Technical Lead, Knowledge Commons
Position Summary
The College of Arts & Letters (CAL) and the MSU Libraries seek an Information Technologist to fill the Technical Lead role supporting the development of Knowledge Commons, a nonprofit academic professional network serving scholars worldwide.
The successful candidate will be a leader in academic web development, committed to building and maintaining a large-scale scholar-focused network. The candidate will also have outstanding organizational and interpersonal skills, deep intellectual curiosity, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively on a distributed team.
This position will focus on prototyping and developing Knowledge Commons platform features and maintaining the integrity and security of a large-scale multi-network WP/BP-based scholarly communication platform. The developer will be part of a team committed to best practices in open-source software development and will ensure thorough testing, code review, and clear documentation. The successful candidate will also be responsible for tracking and resolving user and administrator issues and ensuring that the application is usable by a diverse audience by adhering to the best accessible web standards.
Specific areas of responsibility for this position include:
● Prototyping and developing new platform integrations and features
● Tracking and resolving bug reports and other user feedback
● Designing and implementing a federated, scalable architecture for network growth
● Ensuring full adherence with network accessibility standards and consistently improving platform user experience
● Creating full documentation both for code developed and for network deployment processes
● Working with the Commons team to shape the project’s roadmap, prioritize development goals, and deliver on those goals.
The Technical Lead will report to the Director of Knowledge Commons. Knowledge Commons is a trusted nonprofit network that allows scholars and practitioners to create professional profiles, discuss common interests, develop new publications, and share their work. The Commons comprises a core platform and multiple nodes supporting scholarly organizations and institutions. Commons accounts are free and open to anyone regardless of credentials or institutional affiliation. Learn more about Knowledge Commons at https://hcommons.org and about the Commons’ expansion at https://sustaining.hcommons.org.
Demonstrated experience in the following is required:
● Developing, testing, and managing WordPress/BuddyPress plug-ins and themes, including for custom implementations like Commons In A Box
● Working with PHP-based application frameworks
● Working with SQL databases, schemas, and query customization
● Using AWS-based or other cloud-based systems
● Working with system-level LAMP or LEMP server environments
● Developing and implementing REST APIs for two-way data exchange
● Deploying Solr or ElasticPress to deliver faceted search results
● Establishing and adhering to best practices in open-source software production, including use of GitHub, design and implementation of testing and code review, etc.
The College of Arts & Letters (CAL) promotes an academic and organizational culture that actively seeks out and strengthens diverse voices and perspectives among its members to achieve excellence. We are interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that intellectual leadership is achieved
through open access and proactive inclusion. We seek candidates with integrity and a strong work ethic, who understand what it takes to continuously improve and maintain research projects within a major academic research institution. We particularly welcome applications from women, people of color, LGBTQI individuals,
and others traditionally underrepresented in the academy.
Minimum Requirements
Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business or related information technology field, with coursework in web development and scholarly communications platforms; and five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in web development and scholarly communications platforms, including experience overseeing large, complex or critical information technology projects; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Desired Qualifications
Further experience in the following is highly desirable:
● Developing containerized applications with Docker or other frameworks
● Working with Fedora and/or other open-source digital object repository platforms
● Working with identity management solutions including Shibboleth, SimpleSAML, LDAP, and COmanage
● Web presentation layer development
● User experience design, testing, and evaluation
● Mobile first application development
● Development in a test-driven environment
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Application Materials
Qualified applicants should submit
a) a cover letter detailing your interest in and qualifications for the position, as well as your alignment with project goals
b) a current curriculum vitae or résumé
c) email addresses of 3 potential references.
Special Instructions
Salary is commensurate with experience. This position does not require the successful candidate to move to East Lansing; however, it is important to note that wages are calculated based on the East Lansing market. For more information, contact Scott Schopieray, Search Committee Chair, schopie1@msu.edu.
Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.
Work Hours
STANDARD 8-5
Description of End Date
This is an off-dated position funded for one year from date of hire, with possible extension contingent upon funding renewal.
Website
https//cal.msu.edu
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment, and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Bidding eligibility ends April 22, 2025, 11:55 PM
