Digital Solutions Developer

Position Summary

The Digital Solutions Developer will perform several critical functions for Vanderbilt’s growing initiatives in digital scholarship broadly and research computing specifically. As a part of the Digital Lab, the Developer will serve as the primary technical liaison with key campus partners, including the Advanced Computing Center, Data Science Institute, and Wond’ry, advising on existing local compute capacity and onboarding researchers to its use.

Additionally, the developer will support the front-end development of existing digital projects, including their technical and administrative infrastructure, and partner with cloud engineers, students, and industry partners to develop digital tools as part of the Cloud Innovation Lab, powered by AWS. Blending interpersonal skills with technical expertise, the Developer will collaborate with technologists across the libraries and campus to develop and implement strategies for collaborative solutions to multifaceted challenges.

The Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries at Vanderbilt University comprises nine libraries, as well as service departments in collections services, digital scholarship & scholarly communications, information technology and digital services, and teaching & learning. We seek to create a welcoming environment and serve as a partner in research and scholarship. The libraries are dynamic places for faculty, staff, students, and alumni to reflect and discover.

We also strive to be a workplace in which staff at every level continuously grow in knowledge and skills, staying abreast of advances and trends in librarianship to power relevant, vibrant research libraries. The Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries are fundamental to the university’s goal of advancing scholarship and learning. We collect, preserve and make accessible a wide variety of resources, we partner with faculty and students to shape research, and we encourage the development of informed scholars and engaged citizens.

The Digital Lab advances the creation, development, and sustainability of faculty and student-driven digital projects. The Lab transforms our understanding of our shared cultural heritage through emerging technologies and research methods, while fostering transdisciplinary teaching and learning.

• Serve as primary technical liaison between the Digital Lab and campus partners such as Research IT, the Advanced Computing Center for Research & Education, Wond’ry, and the Data Science Institute.
• Develop and deploy technologies to enhance research and teaching.
• Coordinate trainings with research groups and individual faculty and staff on local advanced computing resources.
• In coordination with Digital Lab staff, Librarians, and campus partners seek out and apply for external funding opportunities to advance the Lab’s mission.
• Consult with students, faculty, and staff on technologies and methodologies for digital projects.
• This position reports to the Senior Director of the Digital Lab and coordinates with internal and external technologists.

• Undergraduate degree in computer science or related discipline, or relevant experience and certifications. Post-graduate degree preferred.

• Knowledge of distributed data storage and processing software and frameworks.
• Ability to design and teach methods and technologies in digital scholarship broadly and research computing specifically.
• Experience developing front-end web applications is required.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, HTML/CSS, Java, as well as JavaScript frameworks is required.
• Robust communications, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills is required.