Developer Team Lead - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Developer Team Lead





Job Profile Title

Application Architect





Job Description Summary

About Penn Libraries


The Penn Libraries provides a network of information resources and knowledge services that are vital to teaching, research, and learning at the University of Pennsylvania. This network includes 19 physical libraries, recognized for their collections, and a digital library known for innovation and richness of content. Through dynamic programming and exhibitions, and through the acquisition and preservation of literary and artistic artifacts, the Penn Libraries documents a wealth of social and historical periods, bringing scholarship to life at the University and in the various communities it serves.


Job Description Summary


The Developer Team Lead is a skilled, collaborative leader on the Digital Library Development team with extensive development expertise. Working in an environment that combines open-source and best-in-breed licensed platforms, the Developer Team Lead takes a principal role in creating software for multiple, complex digital library projects that provide access to resources crucial for faculty, students, and staff. The position supports a wide range of computing services that enhance and facilitate teaching, learning and research efforts of the University. Digital library development makes use of a full range of skills, including coding, technical architectures, application specifications, database design, and workflow analysis.



Reporting to the Director for Application Development, the Developer Team Lead supervises 4 developer staff, leads the design and implementation of applications that enable discovery and access to library materials, while also providing technical guidance to projects and other staff in the department. The person in this role will have a high level of technical knowledge and achievement that enables them to contribute to forming technical practices and software architectures for the department and mentor other staff. They work directly with stakeholders on Director’s behalf in designing solutions and lead project work to ensure that requirements are met, according to agreed guidelines and policies. They will recommend new technologies or ways to improve the performance of existing applications, and contribute to the life cycle management of library applications.


The Developer Team Lead operates with a high degree of independence and professionalism in managing job responsibilities, work priorities, methodologies, and routines. The position requires a readiness to research IT developments and tools, to apply the findings of research to design and programming, and in general, to bring best practices and the latest concepts in the field to application development. They will work in concert with other technical experts including an infrastructure team of sysadmins and devops engineers.


The work requires close collaboration with a variety of audiences, including Library staff at all levels, project managers and developers across campus, and IT professionals from other institutions and commercial firms. The Developer Team Lead must be highly effective working in groups and with subject matter experts who may not be IT professionals. They will participate in ongoing project management and assessment activities, and act as a member of standing committees and/or strategic teams.





Job Description


Job Responsibilities



+ Supervise 4 application developer staff.


+ Design, develop and deploy digital library applications to support teaching, learning, and research at the University including technical architectures, specifications, coding, database design, & workflow analysis.


+ Serve as technical lead for the library catalog setting technical direction, breaking down work into components, and partnering with service managers, product owners, and other stakeholders.


+ Ensure optimal collaboration among developers by providing training/mentorship, code review, QA/testing, project documentation, and project reporting and assessment.


+ Perform detailed analysis and design of new systems, and modify the design of existing ones to meet the needs of library system users.


+ Research and monitor potential future technical solutions or partnerships.


+ Participate in strategic planning for IT & Digital Development in the University Libraries.





Qualifications

+ A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information, other relevant field and 3 to 5 years of experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience, are required.





Application Requirement



+ A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.







Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

University Library





Pay Range

$74,476.00 - $135,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.




Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




​


To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.