Temporary Interactive Data Visualizations Programmer

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) is seeking a Temporary Interactive Data Visualizations Programmer for a 7-month, full-time position. This role will report to the Research Scientist Engineer Senior and is responsible for designing and programming interactive data queries and visualizations for the Columbia Basin Research (CBR) website. The programmer will collaborate with a team including the Web Computing Specialist, Researcher/Programmer, and PI in the Gosselin Lab. The position aims to enhance the user interface and user experience of existing query tools and data visualizations, making critical information on environmental conditions and fish more accessible to researchers, stakeholders, rightsholders, and the public. This work supports the unit's focus on applied ecological research and data/query tools and services, specifically for managing river conditions and endangered salmon.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Data Analytics, or Data Visualization Engineer, and two years programming experience related to interactive online query tools and interactive data visualizations, or relevant experience.
Working knowledge and experience with Highcharts, JavaScript, React.js, D3.js, Python, R, Shiny apps, and/or other programming languages and software frameworks/libraries for data queries and data visualizations.
Experience with Git/GitHub or other version control systems.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely with team members and with excellent communication skills.
Ability to establish and maintain positive, ethical, and professional interpersonal relationships.

Nice To Haves

Interest in supporting the scientific process leading to insights and understanding of natural resources and ecological processes to help with conservation, fishery management, research, and collaboration with communities.
Ability to develop dynamic map-based web content.
Ability to work with team members and website users to assess issues and develop solutions to meet work needs, train other staff effectively, and write usable documentation for internal and end-user use.
Ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing organizational processes.
Outstanding interpersonal skills, including team ethic and relationship building.
Ability to establish and maintain positive, ethical, and professional working relationships with UW community and other professional contacts from a wide variety of backgrounds in the region—including members of racial, ethnic, and sexual minority populations—and be respectful of individual and cultural differences.

Responsibilities

Design and program interactive data queries and interactive data visualizations for select tools on the Columbia Basin Research website.
Assist in developing web applications, designing, programming, testing, implementing, and supporting complex web-based software systems, including distributed, client/server systems, and relational databases.
Assess and advise on possible software frameworks/libraries pertinent to specific requests of interactive data visualizations.
Write programming scripts for interactive query tools and interactive data visualizations.
Develop and program query tools and data visualizations that meet Digital Accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Perform self-directed data and script testing to develop, debug and improve products.
Document development of scripts, processes, and procedures in GitHub.
Design compelling visuals that create a clear narrative with UI and UX for intended users and audiences, and that meet ADA Digital Accessibility requirements.
Identify most suitable visual representations of metrics, including interactive, customized graphs, maps, and text outputs.
Work closely with team of researchers and programmers to transform complex data sets and model outputs into clear visualizations for decision support tools.
Provide guidance to team members, including Principal Investigator, Web Computing Specialist, and Researcher/Programmer.
Assist Web Computing Specialist and Researcher/Programmer with development of query tools and data visualizations.