Vacancy Announcement
Web Applications Developer
Located in historic and dynamic Richmond, Virginia, convenient to the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the recreation destinations of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, and the cultural resources of Washington, D.C., Virginia Commonwealth University is Virginia’s largest university and one of the nation’s leading research institutions. The VCU Libraries advances the University’s teaching, research, service, and patient care mission with one of Virginia’s most outstanding research library systems, with holdings that exceed 1.97 million volumes, 23,715 serial titles, more than 3.18 million microforms, and nationally prominent collections in the health and biological sciences, social work, the arts, the history of medicine, and comic and book arts.
The Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of Web Applications Developer. The Libraries seek an energetic, creative and technologically savvy faculty member to expand and improve the Libraries’ Web presence by developing and customizing dynamic Web applications. The position offers maximum opportunity for professional growth and impact for a talented and creative individual. The successful candidate will join a culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the Web Applications Manager in the Library Information Systems group, the Web Applications Developer will focus on developing, integrating, and maintaining a wide variety of Web-based applications for the entire VCU Libraries system. This member of the faculty will have a key role in advancing the state of the art in the library’s Web environment, making it a rich, functional, and highly engaging experience for the VCU community of users. Responsibilities include: 1) Applications and database development: designs, develops, and maintains library Web applications for main Web site, digital library, and institutional repository using a variety of variety of programming, database, and markup languages, including PHP, XML, AJAX, CSS/XHTML, Perl, ColdFusion, and MySQL. Works to promote and develop coding standards and development frameworks, understands and uses available APIs, works to develop online in-house tools to increase staff productivity. 2) Emerging Technologies: collaborates with team members, library users, and professional colleagues to identify and determine integration strategies for library 2.0 technologies. 3) Applications support: provides secondary system administration support to various library systems. 4) Requirements analysis: translates user and system requirements into technical solutions. Interprets user needs to successfully integrate Web applications into existing infrastructure. 5) Collaboration: interacts with library users and staff to test and debug applications. Contributes to and participants in open source and other academic library Web development communities. 6) Documentation: writes documentation for new or modified programs and production/operations procedures. The Web Applications Developer is expected to be active professionally and to contribute to developments in the field. Faculty with the VCU Libraries are evaluated, and promoted, on the basis of job performance, scholarship, and professional development and service.
Qualifications
Required: ALA-accredited graduate degree or accredited graduate degree in an appropriate discipline.
Preferred: Academic background in computer science, information systems, or other related discipline strongly desired. Two or more years demonstrated experience developing, supporting, and maintaining dynamic Web-based applications using PHP, ColdFusion, JSP, Ruby, XHTML/CSS, SQL, Javascript, AJAX and/or other common tools. Experience using and manipulating relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle). Working knowledge of Apache or similar Web servers. Experience with Unix or Linux operating systems and basic systems administration. Knowledge of Web standards and accessibility/usability guidelines. Ability to analyze user requirements and integrate new applications into existing frameworks. Strong analytical, troubleshooting, time management, and problem resolution skills. Ability to learn new technologies and new languages independently. Experience in training, customer support, and maintaining application/system documentation. Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group of clients and staff. Passion for working with others to develop intuitive, innovative Web services and applications. Experience working in a culturally diverse environment highly preferred.
Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Libraries
Virginia Commonwealth University is Virginia’s largest research university, enrolling nearly 32,000 students. Classified by Carnegie as Research University (high research activity), VCU offers 31 doctoral, 69 masters, 3 professional and 62 baccalaureate degree programs. Twenty of VCU's graduate, professional programs are ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the best in the nation, with 13 programs ranking in the top 25 and two programs — sculpture and nurse anesthesia — ranked number one. Over 1,700 faculty comprise the University's teaching force. Research strengths at the University include health and life sciences, education, engineering, social work, behavioral sciences, public affairs, and the fine arts. Sponsored research funding totaled over $225 million in FY07, placing VCU among the top 100 research institutions in the United States. VCU completed a new strategic plan to guide the University’s development though 2020 (http://www.vcu.edu/vcu2020/). The plan embraces an acceleration in the growth of VCU’s library system and includes a new Master Site Plan that envisions additions to both library facilities operated by the VCU Libraries.
Libraries at Virginia Commonwealth University (including the James Branch Cabell Library on the Monroe Park Campus and the Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences on the MCV Campus) employ 50 professionals and 94 support staff with an annual budget exceeding $15 million. VCU also operates programs in Doha, Qatar, including a library supporting the program there; Northern Virginia; and in various additional locations throughout the U.S. and the world. The VCU Libraries is a Resource Library in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and a member of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, SPARC, CNI, BioMed Central, and the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), a statewide networking consortium for shared access to electronic and print resources. The VCU Libraries uses ALEPH 500, SFX, MetaLib, CONTENTdm, and DSpace as the foundation of its system architecture to enhance access to its collections and services.
Salary: Salary commensurate with experience, not less than $48,000 annually. This is a full-time, non-tenured faculty position. Normal faculty benefits apply, including 24 vacation days annually and choice of retirement and annuity plans. For more information about benefits, see http://www.hr.vcu.edu/benefits/.
For more information about the VCU Libraries, please visit our home page at http://www.library.vcu.edu/. Review of applications will begin November 24, 2008, and will continue until the position is filled. Submit cover letter, resume, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to:
Kathleen McColgan
Personnel Administrator
VCU Libraries, Virginia Commonwealth University
901 Park Avenue
PO Box 842033
Richmond, VA 23284-2033
804-828-2730
804-828-0151 (fax)
mccolgankh@vcu.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.