Web Developer, Office of Data and Accountability

Openings (1)

Our public school students need your expertise, passion and leadership.

We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees.

DCPS serves 45,000 students in the nation’s capital through the efforts of approximately 4,000 educators in 123 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students.

The Office of Data and Accountability (ODA) team is focused on providing high quality data, information and analysis to enable the sweeping reforms currently underway at the District of Columbia Public Schools. ODA serves as the analytic hub for the district by providing data to support policy and implementation goals as well as providing assistance in development and dissemination of all achievement related data and oversee and direct all research, evaluation, analytics and testing activities including all summative and formative assessment. ODA is also responsible for overseeing the data system functions in the DCPS.

The guiding principle of ODA is to support decision-making in DCPS with accurate information about how our students are performing, how our schools are performing, and how the district as a whole is performing. ODA provides the DCPS community with streamlined data systems that place high quality, results-focused information at its fingertips, and provides the supports to transform data into actionable information.

The web developer will have primary responsibility for architecting and developing custom code for front-end heavy applications. They will work to improve the user experience for existing applications as well as design and develop new user interfaces using a variety of technologies.
In addition to the architectural requirements of any particular app, they will also balance immediate needs with future direction and ensure that code is reusable rather than being merely maintainable as much as possible. They must be self-starters and have the intellectual curiosity to identify problems themselves and brainstorm innovative solutions while at the same time being able to deliver specific tasks on time and fully tested. They will act as a key internal consultant to help come up with the appropriate balance between business needs and technical complexity, knowing when to focus on pragmatic solutions rather than a fruitless search for perfection. They will have and have a very strong knowledge of CSS especially in terms of creating templates/frameworks for other developers to use.

Bachelor's degree

• 5 to 9 years experience in web design or front end web development
• Previous work or project experience in two or more of the following areas: RESTful web services, modern mobile apps (iphone, android, ipad), facebook or google gadgets, Ruby on Rails, Django, or google app engine
• Very strong experience with standard web development AJAX/DHTML frameworks such as jQuery, script.aculo.us, etc
• Web/Graphic design experience a major plus
• Exceptional markup and client-side scripting talents applicable to a wide range of contexts
• Familiarity with the separation of content, presentation, and behavior
• Command of industry development and source code control tools
• Superb problem solving skills and troubleshooting abilities
• Excellent communication and documentation skills
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.

Strong Candidate Will Have: 

• Familiarity with user-centered design and usability practices
• Familiarity with Web accessibility standards
• Experience in tableless, fluid layouts
• Experience in advanced CSS techniques (float layouts, fluid layout, etc.)
• Experience in modern frameworks such as Ruby on Rails or Django
• Knowledgeable in best practices of writing unobtrusive Javascript
• Cross-browser (X)HTML/CSS
• Experience in writing very feature rich user interfaces that provide advanced functionality ie drag-and-drop, charting, etc) in a browser-independent way.
• Client-side scripting, JavaScript/AJAX (jQuery, Script.aculo.us or Dojo)
• Dynamic HTML/DOM manipulation
• UI templates and wiring to back-end controllers
• Familiarity with XSLT a plus
• Good understanding of standard server side scripting/coding (ie ruby on rails, php, etc) and configuration (ie, LAMP, RoR setup) will be very helpful.
• Keen sense of maximizing return on investment, focusing on the 80% solutions rather than a fruitless quest for perfection
• Strong self-starter and ability to work independently
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to translate high level technical and business initiatives and goals into discrete tasks and specific timelines
• Excellent communication skills, especially the ability to actively listen and draw out the true needs rather than the stated wants of any given stakeholder
• Strong focus on teamwork and developing the skills of DCPS colleagues both technical and non-technical

Personal Qualities of Top Candidates

• Commitment to Equity: Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education
• Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
• Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
• Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.
• Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.
• Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others
• Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
• Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.

• Works with other programs and offices within DCPS to understand overall DCPS needs so as to implement strategic rather than tactical solutions
• Implements custom front end interfaces for applications such as school performance dashboards, data visualization apps, and operational/workflow apps
• Implements custom DCPS widget/mashup frameworks that can be leveraged to easily create portals pulling data from disparate sources.
• Investigates new technologies and suggests new solutions to business problems
• Works with end users and SMEs to design user interface features so as to minimize data entry errors
• Uses very strong knowledge of CSS and DHTML to create templates/frameworks for other developers to use.
• Suggests tools/processes/approaches to help improve application development (ie collaboration, testing, version control, deployment management, etc)
• Supports and carries out the Chancellor’s mission to transform DC Public Schools and close the achievement gap
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Notice of Criminal Background Check. In accordance with the Criminal Background Checks for the Protection of Children Act of 2004, this position has been designated and identified as one which requires a criminal background check and/or traffic record check. If you are tentatively selected for the position, a criminal background check and/or traffic record check (for positions which require the operation of a motor vehicle) will be conducted. A final offer of employment is contingent upon the receipt of a satisfactory criminal background check and/or traffic record check.

Notice of Non-Discrimination. In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, District of Columbia Official Code Section 2-1401.01 et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) does not discriminate (including employment therein and admission thereto) on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an interfamily offense, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited. Discrimination in violation of the aforementioned laws will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. 

Title IX regulation requires schools to implement specific and continuing steps to protect students and others against discrimination on the basis of sex.  Students, parents and/or guardians with inquiries regarding Title IX non-discrimination policies related to students and student activities shall contact:

Title IX Coordinator
Office of Youth Engagement
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 8^th Floor Washington, DC  20002
Washington, DC  20002
(202) 442-5099

or

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100

Telephone: 1-800-421-3481
FAX: 202-245-6840; TDD: 877-521-2172
Email: OCR@ed.gov

Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies of DCPS will be handled as follows:

Employees with inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies related to employment and employees or who wish to file a discrimination complaint should contact:
Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist
Office of Labor Management & Employee Relations
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-5424

Students, parents and/or guardians with inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies related to students and student activities, including Section 504, should contact:

Director of Targeted Student Support
Office of Youth Engagement
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-5099