Back End Developer

Description

The Back-end Developer will be responsible for server-side solutions for stakeholders of identified high impact services in the areas of publishing, research, learning, and preservation at the University of Tennessee Libraries. Reporting to the Director of Technology Solutions, the position will work in a results-driven team environment to deliver timely projects for repository systems, publishing platforms, library websites, and many other vendor and in-house applications. They will train, share, and support other team members with their expertise and knowledge in back-end development. They will continuously seek knowledge and learning opportunities to expand their skill sets and adopt new emerging technologies. As part of our commitment to create reusable open-source tools, the position will collaborate with developers from other institutions to advance the technologies for the Libraries and our partners across the international academic community.

Preferred on-campus work. Remote work optional, but will require occasional visits to campus.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Programming and Development
  • Analyzes and solves complex technical problems related to back-end architecture and applications for the Libraries’ websites and repositories.
  • Collaborates with other team members to build strong integration methods using REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and other API architectures.
  • Develops and builds high-quality, clean, reusable, and secure code for functional and sustainable applications.
  • Designs server-side software architecture approaches, patterns, data structures, and other frameworks.
  • Manages and deploys strategies for modern application hosting including containerization.
  • Manages and configures our cloud platform services.
  • Discovers and implements solutions for eliminating bugs, vulnerabilities, and errors in our back-end architecture.
  • Refactors, updates, and rectifies technical limitations in legacy applications.
  • Participates in the full life cycle development of applications.
  • Performs system configurations on server environments as needed.
• Strategy and Collaboration
  • Collaborates on critical, high impact, and urgent projects.
  • Contributes to the identification of back-end needs and proposes future development strategies.
  • Provides training and supports the team with back-end knowledge.
  • Researches new and emerging technologies, practices, vendors, and features by monitoring industry trends.
  • Works with campus project partners to help define needs, often across multiple functional areas.
  • Interacts with external vendors and contractors for technical solutions.
  • Defines and communicates functional and non-functional requirements.

• Documentation
  • Creates and maintains documentation on applications and microservices the position develops.
  • Maintain and update the system architecture documentation.
  • Designs, collects, analyzes metrics, and creates reports for dissemination to team and Senior staff.
  • Creates and maintains security reports for the applications the position oversees.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education & relevant experience.
• Proficient in one or more languages commonly used in back-end web development like Java, Python, Ruby, JavaScript (server-side), or PHP.
• Knowledge of databases and data technologies such as MySQL, Postgres, MongoDB, GraphQL, or Redis.
• Knowledge of different hosting solutions such as VMs, containers, and/or cloud services platforms.
• Knowledge of application and data security best practices.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both oral and written.
• Ability to problem solve and analyze complex problems.
• Ability to learn new skills and technologies as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years back-end development experience.
• Experience with software development in an academic library or higher education setting.
• Experience with digital repository technologies like Hyrax, Fedora, and Blacklight.
• Knowledge of server technologies such as Apache or Nginx.
• Ability to write quality unit tests, integration tests, and practice test-driven-development.
• Knowledge of digital library applications such as Fedora, Hyrax, and Islandora.
• Knowledge of library standards such as Linked Data; metadata schemas such as MODS, METS, or DublinCore; OAI-PMH, and IIIF.
• Knowledge of search index technologies like Solr.

Environment

The UT Libraries champions diversity in collections and staffing. The University of Tennessee is committed to creating a welcoming environment. More information about how we put our principles of civility and community into action is available at https://www.lib.utk.edu/diversity/.