Head, Discovery and Engagement Platforms (DEP)
The MIT Libraries are on an exciting journey of transformation, prioritizing a digital-first, open scholarship agenda that accelerates the progress of science, promotes equity and inclusion across disciplines, and reduces the marginalization of scholars and scholarship from disadvantaged communities. We are exercising bold leadership in defining a model for research libraries in an unpredictable future, with a strong focus on supporting data-intensive and computational research and learning. If you are excited about being part of a team that is implementing new approaches and systems with an equity lens, in service to a great university, we’d be thrilled to talk with you.
The Head of Discovery and Engagement Platforms (DEP) will lead the design, build, and integration of tools and systems (applications, websites, APIs, etc.) that provide the MIT community and beyond with a platform for open, equitable digital access to information. As a part of the Digital Library Services directorate, DEP leads this work through UI design and development, user research, content strategy and creation, application engineering, and system architecture, working in collaboration with IT Services on activities such as data and integration engineering, SLA development, vendor and contract management, and overall support and maintenance of the Libraries’ technology portfolio. In driving design conversations, enacting UX engineering strategy, and aligning the Libraries’ platform with our architectural principles, the department head for Discovery and Engagement Platforms leads our pursuit of a well-built, user-friendly discovery and web environment that welcomes a diverse user community to creatively engage with the Libraries’ content.
Note: This job can be done remotely.
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
• Leading the design, build, and integration of the applications, websites, APIs, and other tools that make up the Libraries’ discovery and engagement platform, and collaborating with Libraries’ peers to define the discovery platform roadmap.
• Managing a department of six to eight UX, engineering, and architecture staff, setting goals and mentoring the team, and maintaining a strong focus on Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) individually and as a department.
• Building and leading a steering committee responsible for defining requirements for discovery and engagement projects and initiatives, and setting short- and long-term roadmaps for discovery platform development.
• Collaborating with the Libraries’ technology leadership team in developing the overall strategy and goals for the Digital Library Services directorate, taking into account factors including resourcing, user needs, strategic direction, and DEI.
• Collaborating with teams across the Libraries to define and deliver an integrated portfolio of services to the MIT community, ensuring alignment with user-facing teams and discovery stakeholders within the Research & Learning and Collections directorates.
• Fostering a strong collaboration with the IT Services department, contributing where logical to IT activities such as SLA development, vendor and contract management, and overall support and maintenance of the Libraries’ technology portfolio.
• Collaborating with stakeholders within the Libraries and across MIT, towards the goal of expanding our program of user needs assessment, analytics, and end-user testing to guide
February 2021
technical decision-making. • Leading the design and prototyping of services and tools which support data-intensive and computational research and learning, and contribute to professional networks engaged in similar work
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or other related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience across the systems development life cycle, with domain expertise in one or more relevant areas such as UX engineering, research computing, application design and testing, DevOps, or IT governance. 10 years of experience preferred.
• Demonstrated management experience, ideally in a remote working environment, with proven success in fostering a collaborative and user-centered approach to problem-solving, and collaboratively building strategy with a team of leaders. 5-7 years experience preferred, but equivalent qualifications will be considered.
• Demonstrated commitment to building and advancing diversity and inclusion in staffing, systems, and/or services, with an understanding of technical platforms as an equity and social justice imperative.
• Demonstrated success leading complex technical projects through completion and handoff, and demonstrated experience with formal project management methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, and traditional.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to influence and collaborate effectively within and across organizational boundaries, to work successfully with a diverse population, and to build and sustain healthy, long-term, multi-project relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience translating high-level strategic technology priorities into a roadmap for the development and build-out of technical platforms; experience defining, scoping, and managing projects, either as a formal project manager, or as an informal project leader.
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
We expect the candidate to be stronger in some qualifications listed above than others; we are committed to helping our future colleague expand their skills, as well as learning from their areas of strength
Preferred:
• Graduate degree in engineering, information technology, or management, or equivalent experience and training.
• Prior experience directly supervising engineering and/or UX teams.
• Demonstrated experience with DevOps methodology and principles, and demonstrated experience building and maintaining excellent working relationships with technology operations teams.
• Domain experience with any of the following:
o Developing interfaces for use by research teams;
o Applying architecture principles consistently across the systems development life cycle;
o Interface design and implementation in compliance with accessibility regulations and best practices (Section 508 of the US Workforce Rehabilitation Act, WCAG 2.1, etc.);
o Experience building a diverse and multifaceted portfolio of user interfaces, balancing web, API, mobile, and more.
Background reading:
• MIT Libraries Vision: A New Urgency
• MIT Open Access Task Force Recommendations
• MIT Institute-wide Task Force on the Future of Libraries Report
SALARY AND BENEFITS: This job is a pay Grade 12 with the following range (min-mid-max):
$124,045 - $164,429 $204,685
Actual salary will depend on qualifications and experience. MIT offers excellent benefits including a choice of health and retirement plans, a dental plan, tuition assistance, and fully subsidized MBTA passes for local bus and subway service. Flexible work arrangements, including flex-time and telecommuting, are considered for positions that meet established criteria. The MIT Libraries is a collegial and supportive working environment and fosters professional growth of staff with management training and travel funding for professional meetings
APPLICATION PROCESS: Apply online at: https://hr.mit.edu/careers applications must include cover letter and resume. Priority will be given to applications received February 26, 2021; position open until filled. MIT is strongly and actively committed to diversity within its community and particularly encourages applications from qualified women and minority candidates. Professionals who enthusiastically embrace the empathy, courage, self-reflection and respect of a multi-cultural, diverse and inclusive workplace, and who strive to incorporate those values in their work and interactions are encouraged to apply.


----
Brought to you by code4lib jobs: https://jobs.code4lib.org/jobs/47443-head-discovery-and-engagement-platforms