Engineering Director

The Harvard Library Innovation Lab (LIL) seeks an Engineering Director to help us build tools and communities for open knowledge. Located at the Harvard Law Library, LIL is a fun and collaborative lab with a broad mission focused on re-envisioning how knowledge is created, preserved, and accessed. Please visit our website at https://lil.law.harvard.edu/ to get a sense of our current projects and activities.

LIL’s projects can range from large to small and can bring immediate benefits or prototype the future. Passion and creativity are required, as well as the ability to work collaboratively on long-term and short-term projects with a great team.

Our work is open-source and openly available, with an eye to broad public interest impact. All of our team members participate in choosing and pursuing our research direction, and we welcome applicants with a strong sense of how they seek to make an impact through our work.

As the Engineering Director, you will:

• Lead a team of software developers, technologists in residence, contractors, students, and other collaborators to develop both experimental and production software for LIL’s mission
• Make core contributions to our open-source software, from architectural decisions down to bug fixes
• Collaborate with the Lab Director, the Product and Research Director, and staff to establish priorities, roadmaps, and schedules
• Provide context and direction to staff as needed, while preserving the consensus-driven, exploratory spirit of an academic lab
• Advocate on behalf of staff to ensure time and resources for their independently directed research efforts
• Manage staff development goals, including hiring and orientation, training and development, workflow and performance management, and the promotion of an inclusive and innovative work environment
• Maintain sound engineering culture to produce high-quality software across the Lab’s technical projects

• Minimum of seven years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience
• Supervisory experience

We are looking for people who have:

• Passion for libraries and the future of information architecture and civic technology
• Ability to think creatively and entrepreneurially across different kinds of work and output
• A desire to share work and explore ideas in public settings, including presentations, scholarly seminars at Harvard, and posting to the Lab’s blog
• Deep understanding and experience in designing, implementing, testing, and documenting web applications
• Advanced knowledge of the Lab’s common programming languages (Python, JavaScript), or ability to move fluently between languages
• Experience managing relational databases and indexes, such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Solr, Elasticsearch, and Redis
• Strong understanding of how the Web works, with a focus on efficiency, aesthetics, and accessibility, using HTTP, HTML, CSS, etc.
• Comfort with Linux operating systems
• Experience with the full life cycle of product development, from exploration to design to implementation to iteration

This is a two-year term appointment with potential for renewal subject to funding and departmental need.

Given the multidisciplinary nature of our work, we welcome a short cover letter to explain how your career trajectory and interests align with our work and mission.

We regret that Harvard Law School is unable to provide visa sponsorship for staff positions.

All offers to be made by HLS Human Resources.

• 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.