Senior Web Applications Developer

Description

Seeking: An experienced web application developer to help reinvent eBook and digital content discovery and access for public libraries.

With the support of the federal government and a broad coalition of library partners, The New York Public Library is building an elite team of remarkable and empowered product developers to further develop its mobile platform for digital content. This newly imagined platform will serve as a new model for public libraries across North America. The ideal candidate is that rare intersection of software super-geek and social do-gooder seeking to improve public access to knowledge and information. If you're game to help re-imagine the public library eBook experience—and make that vision real (and scaleable)—we want you!

This role will work closely with our other teams in the NYPL Digital organization including NYPL Labs and the NYPL Digital Experience Group, operating out of the New York Public Library’s landmark Schwarzman building in Midtown Manhattan. Our goals are to build a vibrant open-source community and to ensure there is an appreciation and understanding of the library community's requirements as we enhance our product offerings and work with the commercial side of the eBook industry.

About NYPL

Based at The New York Public Library's landmark central branch on 42nd Street, the team will be work with award winning team of engineers from across the globe that are trying to re-imagine the Library in the Internet age. The team works closely with librarians and curators to create imaginative tools, apps and experiences around library content and services, often engaging the public directly in the work of improving, organizing or remixing library data and content services. At NYPL, you'll be joining an amazing creative team working at the crossroads of public-sector technology in New York. In addition: a great benefits package, ample vacation time, and a sane life/work balance all make NYPL a fantastic place to work and create.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Collaborates on the concepts and design of front-end web applications.
• Implements cross-browser, multi-device applications to serve LIbrary Simplifieds wide audience
• Collaborates on the design of APIs and back-end systems used by front-end applications.
• Integrates Library Simplified applications with 3rd-party services, some familiar to everybody, some unique to the library environment.
• Implements robust unit tests, end-to-end tests, browser tests, monitoring, continuous integration and fast deployments to ensure the best service for our users.
• Evaluates and recommends new technologies for future development.
• Assumes additional responsibilities as required.

Key Competencies:

• Teamwork
• Communication
• Technology skills and adaptability to new technology

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of programming experience
• 3+ years of experience developing rich web-based user interfaces
• Demonstrable mastery of a server-side language that’s not PHP
• Demonstrable mastery of JavaScript
• Working knowledge of SQL (and preferably PostgreSQL)
• Strong familiarily with all relevant web standards (CSS3, HTML5, et cetera)
• Excellent command of Git or a similar DVCS
• Some experience designing user interfaces is strongly preferred
• Bonus points for functional programming experience

What We Offer:

• The satisfaction of developing open-source, public-facing applications for one of NYC’s most beloved institutions
• Appealing work space in the beautiful and historic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
• Frequent collaboration with the open-source community, digital publishing industry, and web standards bodies
• Attend awesome technical and digital library conferences
• Superb benefits package, vacation time galore