Job: Web Developer Jr @ Austin Transportation Data & Technology Services

Join a civic tech team solving real problem for real people related to mobility

Application deadline: First round of applications will close on May 1st

In a nutshell

We’re hiring an entry-level web developer to join the Austin Transportation Data & Tech Team. We’re looking for a curious and hard-working person excited about cities and bringing modern digital products to government.

This role would be project-based, with flexibility to be part-time or full-time, and usually last 3–6 months. Projects will focus on the delivery, on-going success, and continuous improvement of government services.

The role is open to undergraduate, graduate, developer bootcamp or other training program students and recent graduates with a background or interest in these disciplines: web development, data visualization, computer science, design, public policy, and social impact.

You’ll need to be motivated and ready to work through the challenges of building software in a complex bureaucratic and policy environment. If you’re interested in shaping the future of city mobility and building smarter & open government, you should most definitely apply.

About ATD Data & Technology Services Team

Data & Technology Services is a division of the Austin Transportation Department (ATD) that embraces progressive civic tech values including open technology, agile development, and user-centered design to build impactful products with Austin’s mobility planners, engineers, technicians and staff.

We work with modern tools and languages, primarily Javascript and Python. We embrace mature frameworks, with an eye towards maintainability and long-term stability. We love web mapping, and we champion open-source software development across the City of Austin.

What is it like to work at ATD Data & Tech Services Team?

You’ll be working alongside people who care deeply about what they do, driven to tackle the hard problems that city government and Austinites face every day. We’re a small, growing team, and you’ll have a chance to make an immediate impact. We’re going to trust your opinion and expect you to help us make the right decisions. You’ll be empowered to dive into our processes, test new tools, and give your thoughts on how we can do better.

We are only a small part of Austin Transportation. You’ll have a chance to work with brilliant colleagues, many of them renowned experts in their fields. You’ll learn firsthand how the City of Austin runs.

Ready to apply?

Send a resume and cover letter to transportation.data@austintexas.gov

What will you be working on?

You’ll have the chance to work on ATD’s growing portfolio of products ranging from data visualizations to complex analytics and mapping tools. Some of the products you’ll get to work on include:

• Vision Zero Accident Tracking: Help create a single source of record for pedestrian, bicycle, and shared mobility crashes and investigations. Help design and build dashboards and maps to facilitate data analysis.
• Dockless Mobility: Help make dockless mobility safe and compatible with Austin’s streets. You’ll build tools to visualize and process data generated by dockless device usage. https://dockless.austintexas.io/
• Data and Performance Hub: Design and develop the open reporting dashboards at http://transportation.austinexas.io.
• Field Technician Mobile App: Contribute to a React-based tablet app that helps our traffic signal and sign technicians document their work in the field.

What will you be doing day to day?

• You’ll work closely with a senior software developer and product manager, building and deploying user stories in agile fashion
• You’ll participate in two week sprint cycles and sprint planning meetings where you’ll demo your work for stakeholders.
• You’ll design and develop modern software solutions using Javascript, Python, RESTful APIs, and geospatial data.
• You’ll explore open data resources and create visualizations and analysis of civic challenges.
• You’ll collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams of transportation engineers, city planners, systems analysts, and software developers.
• You’ll set standards for future technology projects at ATD (e.g. coding style guides, linting, Continuous Integration and Delivery).
• You’ll refactor frontend and/or backend code, with an eye towards stability and long-term maintainability.
• You’ll contribute to open source software projects using Github for collaboration and code review.
• You’ll write about your work, sharing lessons learned with colleagues and the world.

You should apply if any of these items sound like you:

• You are currently studying Computer Science, Web Development, Data Science/Analysis, Public Policy, or related field.
• You are a recent coding bootcamp grad or college grad.
• You are a freelance software developer with junior to mid-level experience and want experience working with a team of technologists inside government.
• You want to work on short-term open-source projects that benefit the public good.

How to apply

Send a resume and cover letter to transportation.data@austintexas.gov

What you get

• Salary: $20–24/ hour for a 3–6 month commitment
• Schedule flexibility: 20–40 hours per week
• City-issued MacBook Pro and dual-monitor workstation

What to expect in our hiring process

1. Application review
2. Brief phone interview
3. Take-home coding challenge
4. In-person interview

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974–3210 or TTY (512) 974–2445.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.