Lead Developer (Digital Library)

Society; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent university in Leeds is seeking a Lead Engineer to guide the Digital Library Infrastructure Project, leveraging extensive skills in Python and full-stack application development. You will lead a small technical team to implement innovative digital library solutions and engage with internal stakeholders. This role demands a proactive approach to application development and a strong grasp of digital asset management. Join a collaborative environment to deliver outstanding IT solutions supporting access to cultural collections.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in Python programming for application development.
• Strong understanding of digital library frameworks and standards.
• Ability to manage a small technical team effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the project work of the development team for Digital Library services.
• Ensure high-quality technical infrastructure delivery for digital library.
• Engage with stakeholders and collaborate on digital library solutions.

Skills

Extensive Python skills

Full-stack application development

Experience with MS SQL Server

Digital asset management knowledge

Job description

This role will be based on the university campus with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.
Interview date: 12 February

We are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Lead Engineer with extensive Python skills to lead the project work of a development team for Digital Library services. Are you an enthusiastic and driven individual with a desire to deliver high-quality IT solutions to support digital access to the Libraries’ Cultural Collections? The University of Leeds is one of the top 135 universities in the world. We have a truly global community, with more than 39,000 students from 170 different countries and over 9,000 staff of 100 different nationalities. The University’s Cultural Collections comprise hundreds of thousands of rare books, manuscripts, archives, art works and museum artefacts. Our collections offer a rich resource for researchers, students and the wider research community. As the Lead Engineer you will lead the delivery of the technical infrastructure and services of the Digital Library Infrastructure Project (DLIP) during and beyond the project’s lifetime. DLIP is a cornerstone project to support the University in meeting the objectives set out in the Digital Transformation component of the Universal Values, Global Changes, University of Leeds Strategy 2020 to 2030. It implements the Digital Futures strand of the Libraries Vision. The Digital Library Infrastructure Project will deliver a sustainable digital libraries research and education infrastructure; respond to the rapidly changing expectations of our students, staff, and partners and support the aims of the University’s strategy.

You will be a key project member of DLIP, leading the work of a small technical team in the implementation of:

• An updated Cultural Collections website to improve user experience, access, and opportunities for digital creativity and cultures, featuring digital content presented in the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) standard.
• A modern data platform to merge data from different sources into a linked data format (Linked Art) and, combined with a graph-based search engine, to improve search, discovery and analysis for research, and teaching.
• Improvements to the process for storing and managing digital surrogates and digital born content to reduce risk and increase access in the Oxford Common File Layout (OCFL) standard.
• A foundational cloud infrastructure for digital humanities research and teaching.

You will utilise your skills, knowledge and experience to provide high quality and proactive application development. You will have extensive skills and experience in full-stack application development and implementation, using Python and MS SQL Server. You will be both ‘hands on’ in application development and provide support and guidance to a small team of Application Engineers. You will engage in close liaison with internal stakeholders, with the project’s technical suppliers and consultants and with peer institutions with whom the project may collaborate or share expertise. DLIP is implementing innovative approaches and, in order to apply appropriate technical solutions, you will develop and apply a strong digital library domain knowledge and an evolving understanding of the landscape, including the field of digital asset management and digital scholarship, use of data schemas and of interoperable standards such as IIIF (the International Image Interoperability Framework). Working in a complex environment, your work will involve ensuring user documentation is developed and maintained in line with standard operating procedures to ensure alignment with industry best practice, IT standards and regulatory compliance.