Website Developer of Chinese Art

Description

Department
HUM Staff: Art History - Center for the Art of East Asia

About the Department
Established in 2003 by the Department of Art History and the Division of the Humanities, the University of Chicago’s Center for the Art of East Asia (CAEA) has become an internationally renowned academic center dedicated to the study of East Asian art and visual culture. The CAEA has created new innovative methods for art historical research using visual technologies for teaching and research. These efforts have resulted in the funding of a larger collaborative initiative, the Dispersed Chinese Art Digitization Project (DCADP), to record, archive, and digitally restore the fragments of Chinese cultural sites and increase global understanding of China’s cultural heritage. In the process of reconstructing these sites, the CAEA will implement conferences, exhibitions, and publications that reconsider the significance of traditional Chinese artistic and cultural sites in contemporary global contexts.

Job Summary

The job performs routine assignments related to software support and/or development. Provides analysis, design, development, debugging, and modification of computer code for end user applications, beta general releases, web pages, and production support. Troubleshoots problems using existing procedures to find a possible solution.

Responsibilities

• Implements the digital presentation of research information, images and scanned 3D models of dispersed Chinese works of art via data-driven websites to support the projects of the DCADP, inform a broader viewership, and foster cultural heritage conservation and education around the world.
• Collaborates with project supervisors, and digital collections curator at the CAEA as well as the project collaborators at XJUAD in using 2D images and 3D scans for digital restoration of dispersed and damaged artworks removed from cultural sites in China. Creates displays of the results of this work on the reconstruction of cultural heritage sites for internet sites and for digital exhibitions.
• Trains CAEA student employees, faculty, and other staff as needed on digital display systems being designed and used to create and maintain project websites
• Observes intellectual property agreements according to a plan approved by the legal offices of the University of Chicago and Xi’an Jiaotong University that will define how XJUAD and UCCAEA will share data with one another and with our museum partners in collaboration with institutions inside China that currently manage and conserve these sites.
• Performs code testing on components and works to ensure that appropriate implementation standards are met.
• Supports and maintains existing applications.  Works with others and responds to requests from users.
• Performs other related work as needed.
   

Minimum Qualifications
Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree.

Experience:

• At least one year’s experience building web-based applications or programs. 
• Experience working in a collaborative environment on web-based platform development, code documentation, version control using GitHub, and application deployment. 

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; XML technologies, XPath, object oriented programming languages such as Python, and web frameworks such as Django or Flask. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of digital imaging practices including use of 3D software, formatting, and lighting and color-matching.

Preferred Competencies

• Familiarity with full-stack web development to upgrade and modernize existing web properties and develop new project websites for delivery of data for public access. 
• Skill with handling digitized project information and images to build digital displays suitable to publish digitally and/or in book format and/or install as an exhibition.
• Quickly learn and integrate new tools and technologies to achieve the goals of the project; stay abreast of new and emerging technologies and standards in the field. 
• Good communication skills, verbal and written to compose accurate and concise communications suitable for professional discourse.
• Work closely with project directors, team members, student assistants, and international collaborators to implement communication and presentation of the project components.
• Work independently and collaborate with colleagues in IT Services and Humanities Computing to solve problems. 
• Travel and conduct work on site, when safe to do so, including travel to China on occasion. Work can be structured to be carried out remotely.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Letter of Interest in this Position (required)
• References Contact Information (required)
• Please describe your experience with converting software, in particular with 2- or 3D modeling, to work on a web platform. (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded under the Resume / Cover Letter section of the application.