Associate Director for Digital Library Engineering

Associate Director for Digital Library Engineering

UCSB Library empowers researchers and students to create and adapt knowledge for the benefit of society. Situated at the interdisciplinary crossroads of campus, the Library embodies scholarship and advances UCSB as a world-class research and learning institution. With a staff of 240 employees and student workers, the Library manages more than 3.6 million unique print and digital resources, including world-renowned special research collections, and provides a wide range of innovative research, teaching and learning services to more than 2 1/2 million physical and virtual visitors per year.

Benefits of Belonging
Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC and why You Belong at UC.

Brief Summary of Job Duties
Under the general direction of the Director of Digital Library Development, and operating in a large, complex, and heterogeneous computing environment, serves as an expert on digital library systems architecture and development. Takes overall responsibility for quality of digital library software and systems, and relationships to other software products. Acts as a technical leader to UCSB Library digital library developers and digital library architects, as well as to UC system-wide collaborators, with a high degree of knowledge in the overall field and recognized expertise in library software architecture and development. Provides direct supervision of Digital Library Development engineering team members.

Undertakes problem-solving that frequently requires analysis of unique issues/problems without precedent and/or structure. Manages programs that include formulating strategies and administering policies, processes, and resources, functioning with a high degree of autonomy. Applies advanced software concepts and objectives to medium to large projects of broad scope, complexity, and impact. Regularly resolves highly complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Selects tools, methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria to obtain results. Responsible for creating technical designs and architecture for UCSB Library, determining solutions for an implementation team throughout the development cycle, and delivering systems into an operational environment. Works in a highly collaborative, cross-functional Agile team and takes ownership of architectural decisions and technical debt on various software components. Leads development, implementation, and delivery of the product solutions, and is responsible for code reviews and ensuring technical quality of the product.

The UC Santa Barbara Library's Digital Library Development (DLD) department is responsible for developing digital platforms, tools, and content to support teaching, research, and outreach. The DLD engineering team works collaboratively to develop and deploy software and web applications supporting this mission. We use Agile- and DevOps-aware methodologies and technologies including Ruby/Rails, Docker, and Kubernetes. Our work frequently involves collaboration with other UC campuses and open source partners, and much of our code is hosted in public (GitLab) repositories.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in the field of library science, computer science, computer engineering, management information systems, or information technology, or equivalent training and/or experience.
• 5+ years of extensive experience designing, developing, and deploying software and managing it in production cloud environments.
• Extensive experience developing and deploying web applications to containerized environments. Advanced knowledge of Linux and containerization technologies (e.g. Kubernetes, Docker, etc.).
• Expertise in architecting and implementing software solutions using object-oriented languages. Advanced knowledge of web application languages, object-oriented programming concepts, and design patterns.
• Extensive experience working with Infrastructure as Code and DevOps techniques including templating, configuration management, and automated build pipelines.
• Experience in supervision or leading project teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in the field of library and information science, computer science, computer engineering, management information systems, or information technology, or equivalent experience.
• Experience developing and deploying a Rails application in production environments.
• Experience designing and developing library software, digital repositories, digital asset management, or other information management systems. Advanced knowledge of technologies for storage, management, and preservation of digital assets.
• Experience working in a library or higher education environment.
• Position approved for remote work. Some travel required.

For primary consideration, apply by 7/15/2024, after that open until filled.
Special Instructions
For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

• Unit Administration & Supervision 15% - Directly supervises the software engineering unit. Establishes goals and objectives, assigns duties, evaluates performance, and provides career and professional development guidance. Approves timecards for all staff in the unit via Kronos Timekeeping. Provides leadership, training, and mentorship to engineering team staff. Ensures that staff understands relevant engineering practices, procedures, and policies.
• Application Architecture 40% - Applies advanced IT architecture concepts to function as the highest level technical expert with responsibility for the overall technical direction and strategy for the digital library, including its architecture, databases, storage, and integration with external platforms. Leads the development and maintenance of applications and other software supporting the digital library program. Initiates, designs and deploys large scale systems. Designs highly complex user systems interfaces, business software prototypes, and new systems or major enhancements to existing programs. Leads and provides technical guidance to a large development team in the design of highly complex systems. Works with a full-stack team, including library, campus, UC system-wide, and community collaborators to develop and deploy digital library solutions. Produces high-level design documents and statements of work to specify deliverables and timelines, and collaborates with Product Owners, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to understand requirements for architecture. Collaborates with service delivery teams to ensure services are delivered as specified in the statements of work and meet stakeholders' outcome objectives. Establishes metrics and evaluates results. Employs Agile methodology in working with project and product managers to establish technical requirements, adjust project scope, and evaluate resource needs to achieve successful implementation of major features. Defines domain boundaries, API functionality, and data standards to promote clean separation of responsibility in a cloud native/microservices environment. Maintains systems architecture and other technical documentation throughout project and service lifecycles. Provides guidance and helps implement industry standards and best practices. Performs highly complex feasibility analysis on current and potential future projects, and presents findings to library administration.
• Cloud Architecture & Operations 20% - Architects solutions in Amazon Web Services (AWS) that meet specified performance and security expectations. Provides appropriate cost modeling including estimates of ongoing costs for AWS Service consumption and Digital Library's managed services. Oversees build environments, source control systems, software delivery pipelines, and production infrastructure for complex cloud applications. Oversees the container orchestration platform (Kubernetes), including its infrastructure, APIs, and system workloads. Provides configuration management support. Oversees project software and documentation inventory and configuration baselines, including container image and deployment configurations for complex cloud native applications. Develops cloud strategies that meet stakeholder requirements. Drives the implementation and adoption of key new cloud technologies.
• Application Development 20% - Applies advanced software concepts to plan, design, develop, modify, debug, deploy and evaluate highly complex software in support of the digital library program. Functions as the highest level technical expert on application development with Ruby on Rails. Serves as technical lead for multiple software development projects of moderate to broad scope. Develops conversion and system implementation plans. Enforces project plans. Provides development and implementation for architecture design concepts and critical application components. Performs or directs highly complex data modeling, performance, and integration testing, and builds interfaces. Specifies, develops, and executes complex test plans. Designs, implements, and deploys continuous integration solutions that optimize team productivity and the quality of deliverables. Leads other developers in agile, test-driven development. Determines source code control techniques and configuration management design and changes. Initiates and oversees changes in development, maintenance, and system standards. Identifies coding practices and patterns. Leads implementation of patterns through exemplary contributions and code review. Directs and approves system and programming documentation. Understands and applies industry practices, community standards, and departmental policies and procedures in depth.
• Miscellaneous 5% - Takes part in departmental planning meetings. Contributes to library and campus committees, as appropriate. Participates in open source collaborations on behalf of UC Santa Barbara. Attends trainings, workshops, and conferences.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy – With Interim Revisions

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs – With Interim Revisions.

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement

UC Santa Barbara is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

The University of California endeavors to make accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Katherine Abad in Human Resources at 805-893-4664 or email This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Published: Monday, July 1, 2024 21:30 UTC