Position Description

The Skills Lab is looking for an entrepreneurial Full Stack Developer to join our team in a key technical role to help inform and execute on the Skills Lab’s technical vision.

This developer will primarily be responsible for the technical development of Skills Lab’s online experimental platform, which includes building web apps for novel experimental puzzles/games (such as an interface for participants to work with AI agents to solve puzzles/tasks).

In addition to leading both the backend and frontend work for online experiments, this developer will be expected to contribute to and execute on our growth strategy from a technical perspective, which includes scaling web applications beyond a purely experimental audience, co-designing and building gamification elements into our assessment technologies, creating a clear picture of our experimental pipeline with analytics tools and developments, and creating automations and research-authoring tools that speed up our development pipeline.

Our ultimate goal is to create assessment tools that can be used by schools, universities, businesses and individuals to provide a clearer picture of people's skills.

The major functions include, but are not limited to:

Determine the optimal tech stack and guide the overall technical vision.
Oversee hardware and server infrastructure and manage which internal technologies are adopted and implemented.
Provide guidance to the research team in the technical design of upcoming online experiments.
Provide input into the short- and medium-term technical strategies of the Harvard Skills Lab, including identifying development resources needed for the successful implementation of online experiments.
Own the whole software development life cycle from conception to deployment.

Basic Qualifications

Minimum of two years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications And Skills

Experience working within game development contexts either professionally or through personal interest
Experience designing and deploying engaging user-interfaces & experiences
A blend of industry & academic background (preferably in a lab setting)
Experience in early-stage and fast-growing startups.
2+ years of demonstrable experience as a full stack software engineer
Our stack is React (Typescript), Django (Python) and Postgres so experience with one or both of these technologies is preferred. However, experience in related programming languages is also great (JavaScript, Vue, Go, Flask, etc.)

Certificates and Licenses

Completion of Harvard IT Academy specified foundational courses (or external equivalent) preferred

Additional Information

Important application instructions: In your application, please provide a resume, a link to a sample of work, github repo, and a few sentences describing your availability and interest in the role.

This position is a fully benefits-eligible term appointment ending June 30, 2024, with possibility of renewal.

Learn more about our work cultureand see yourself at Harvard Kennedy School.

We regret that the Harvard Kennedy School does not provide visa sponsorship.

Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background checks.

Harvard University is committed to supporting a healthy, sustainable learning and working environment.

This is a hybrid position based on our campus in Cambridge, MA. As a campus-based institution, we place a high value on the in-person experience, cross-team collaboration, and strong community building in order to create a vibrant campus for our students, faculty, staff, and research fellows.The position is required to work in-person on campus a minimum of three days per week during the academic year.Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Salary Range: $70,800 - $122,800

Note:Starting salaries typically fall in the lower half of the salary range; however, they are ultimately determined by the scope of the position, the candidate's relevant experience, and internal equity.

Work Format Details

This is a hybrid position that is based in Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

Information Technology

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

I0757P Applications Professional III

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)

Sub-Unit

Salary Grade

057

Department

Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy-Skills Lab

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Time Status

Full-time

Appointment End Date

30-Jun-2024

Pre-Employment Screening

Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Harvard Kennedy School’s Mission and Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism

At Harvard Kennedy School, fostering a diverse and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong is a matter of basic fairness consistent with our core values as an institution. It is also essential to our mission of improving public policy and leadership—because recruiting the best people and creating an environment where they can thrive make us better at what we do, because we learn more from people with different perspectives, and because we work in diverse groups and serve diverse societies.

Learn more about Harvard Kennedy School’s commitment to Diversity Equity, and Anti-Racism.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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