Front End Web Developer

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

1d•$82,404 - $93,720•Hybrid

About The Position

For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission—with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university, as measured by positive impact—guides everything we do in University Advancement. Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW’s impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support. The mission of University Marketing & Communications (UMAC) is to lead branding, marketing and communications efforts that advance the reputation, resources and relationships of the University. This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals. University Marketing & Communications has an exciting opening for a Front-End Web Developer. This is a full-time permanent position. As part of University Marketing and Communications, the Web Strategy team creates, manages and supports many of the University's websites, including uw.edu. The team is responsible for managing UW's web presence, including developing and maintaining websites, creating branded templates and themes for the UW community and providing outreach and networking support to web development teams across campus. The Front-End Web Developer focuses on building and maintaining specific websites, including the Undergraduate Admissions, Welcome Center, Visit, and New Huskies. The Front-End Developer utilizes cutting edge methodologies and innovative approaches to translate the needs of prospective students and their families into compelling and effective websites. This position plays a key role in ensuring that the University’s web presence reflects a dynamic institution committed to discovery, education and positive global impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, programming, web development, information management, information technology, human-computer interaction, or related field AND at least three years of experience in front-end web development.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Front‑end development expertise, demonstrated through a strong portfolio of website development contributions, with proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, working knowledge of CSS preprocessors (SASS or LESS), and familiarity with Bootstrap.
Experience developing WordPress themes and plugin/extension development experience and familiarity with Drupal or similar content management systems.
Knowledge of modern JavaScript frameworks, including React or comparable libraries, as well as jQuery and build/automation tools such as Gulp, Grunt, or Webpack.
Strong understanding of responsive design and cross-platform, cross-browser coding techniques including troubleshooting for web and email.
Accessibility‑driven development skills, including writing reusable, semantic, and accessible code; working knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA, ARIA standards, and principles of UX / Universal Design.
Functional PHP skills, experience working with MySQL databases, and familiarity with object-oriented programming concepts.
Working knowledge of Git, and familiarity with Google Analytics, SEO best practices, and current web technologies and trends.
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.
Strong visual and interaction design sensibility, with the ability to create effective, user-centered web experiences through layout, typography and motion.
Collaborative mindset, with experience working closely with designers, creative directors, and cross‑functional partners to translate concepts into functional, accessible code.
Excellent communication skills, including ability to present work, discuss priorities and timelines, and clearly articulate technical considerations to stakeholders and leadership.
Comfort operating in complex organizational environments, with familiarity with higher education institutions and/or marketing organizations preferred.

Nice To Haves

Comfort operating in complex organizational environments, with familiarity with higher education institutions and/or marketing organizations preferred.

Responsibilities

Design, develop and maintain themes, templates and websites for the Office of Admissions, as well as other high-profile, public-facing sites, pages, and projects.
Collaborate with designers, UX practitioners, content authors and key stakeholders to tell the UW story and to help students learn more about the admission process.
Partner with the Admissions Office to further promote their work and needs.
Develop and maintain themes, templates, plugins and other tools for the main University website and associated sites.
Identify existing and evolving technology to upgrade the design and information architecture of key Web sites.
Work with designers and UX practitioners to create these designs and implement them.
Create and maintain online style guides and documentation.
Act as a liaison to help implement design standards, accessibility and best practices through the University community.
Identify and develop new features, sites, programs, tools and designs that embrace best practices, standards, usability and accessibility.
Participate in the campus web community, including communities of practice, representing University Marketing & Communications.
Other duties as assigned.