D-Lab is expanding its staff. We're searching for 1 or more people to develop software tools, environments, and training in support of research computing in data-intensive social science.

"Applications Programmer" is what campus HR calls this person, but familiarity with social science uses of data is required.

This is a one-year position.  We're accepting applications via the Berkeley Jobs site, position #17157.

The position:

  • Designs, develops, modifies, debugs and evaluates complex programs for novel research and training environments and tools for social sciences.
  • Collaborates with student programmers and technical staff inside and outside the organization to analyze existing programs and formulate logic for new systems, devise logic procedures, prepare flowcharting, perform coding, data analysis, and test/debug programs through the application of professional programming concepts.
  • Designs and executes research plans in data intensive social science as test bed for infrastructure and software engineering concepts.
  • Interacts with other campus participants to envision solutions for a) specific PI/research team problems, and/or b) infrastructure needs crossing internal organizational boundaries. Carries out scoping of user needs, design of implementable and (where appropriate) reproducible pipelines and workflows, field testing, and user experience / user interface design (quantitative and ethnographic),
  • Gathers and analyzes data; prepares formal evaluation reports, implementation analyses and status reports.
  • Trains users in conversion and implementation of systems.
  • Observes and participates in service delivery settings (training, consulting).
  • Identifies gaps in training and infrastructure offerings relating to research computing, supports development of workable plans to fill gaps, identifies potential service providers and participates in evaluating their suitability.
  • Interacts with senior level internal personnel and technical external personnel. Supports unit leadership in interactions with senior level external personnel.

Required Qualifications

  • High-level competence in one or more programming approaches or languages used in social sciences.
  • Familiarity with key skills in data-intensive social science research methodology (e.g., data collection, cleaning, statistical analysis).
  • Must have knowledge relating to the design and development of applications programs across the organization.
  • Requires knowledge of other related areas of IT.
  • Knowledge of department processes and procedures.
  • Requires advanced skills associated with programming design, modification and implementation.
  • Organizational abilities and decision-making to prioritize work assignments.
  • Requires interpersonal skills in order to work with both technical and non-technical personnel at various levels in the organization.
  • Must be able to communicate technical information in a clear and concise manner.
  • Has ability to interface with management on a regular basis.
  • Ability to work in a collaborative manner, to assist in identifying any challenges or barriers.
  • Skills to listen to users and help formulate their needs.
  • Must be self motivated, work independently or as part of a team, able to learn quickly, meet deadlines and demonstrate problem solving skills.
  • Strong critical thinking skills in designing solutions that can be implemented in a fast-paced environment.

Education/Training

  • Bachelors degree in related area of social science and/or equivalent experience/training

Please address inquiries to Professor Cathryn Carson, D-Lab Acting Director, clcarson@berkeley.edu. Please do not submit applications by email. That's not how the university works. Instead go here.