Web Developer

Duke Careers • Durham, NC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Web Developer – Duke Center for Computational Thinking (CCT)
One‑year term position

Be You.
The Duke Center for Computational Thinking (CCT) is looking for a Web Developer to join our collaborative team advancing computational literacy across Duke University. In this role, you will build meaningful technology that directly enhances how learners engage with computational skills—from introductory coding to advanced computational problem‑solving.
You’ll work on Duke Academy, our mastery‑based learning platform that blends AI‑powered tutoring, knowledge‑graph‑driven pathways, and interactive browser‑based coding. Every day, you’ll contribute to a product that is shaping the future of computational education at Duke.
Minimum Requirements

Requirements

• 2–4 years of professional software development experience.
• Proficiency in Python 3.10+ and async/await patterns.
• Experience with FastAPI or similar async web frameworks.
• Strong JavaScript fundamentals (vanilla JS preferred).
• Experience with HTML/CSS and responsive design.
• Understanding of RESTful API design principles.
• Git version control proficiency.
• Test-driven development experience (pytest, Jest).
• Linux/Unix command-line proficiency.
• This is a one-year term position.
• Occasional collaboration meetings may require on‑site presence.
• This position does NOT offer visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Strong proficiency in Python.
• Experience integrating AI/LLM APIs (Anthropic, OpenAI).
• Experience with graph algorithms or NetworkX.
• Familiarity with adaptive learning or educational technology.
• Experience with WebAssembly technologies (Pyodide, WebR).
• OAuth2 authentication implementation.
• Familiarity with spaced repetition algorithms or knowledge graphs.
• Experience with content rendering pipelines (Quarto, Pandoc).

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain features for the Duke Academy learning platform using Python and FastAPI.
• Build and optimize personalized learning algorithms using graph‑aware techniques and NetworkX.
• Implement mastery‑based and spaced‑repetition learning logic.
• Integrate AI/LLM services for intelligent tutoring and assessment workflows.
• Develop browser-based coding environments using WebAssembly (Pyodide, WebR).
• Build responsive, accessible front‑end features using vanilla JavaScript and Jinja2 templates.
• Create and maintain RESTful APIs with JSON-based state management.
• Write unit and integration tests with pytest or Jest.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to architectural decisions.
• Collaborate with instructors, researchers, and content authors to enhance the learning experience.
• Maintain CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions.

Benefits

• Meaningful work that improves computational education at scale.
• Opportunities to build modern systems involving AI, knowledge graphs, interactive coding, and adaptive learning.
• Collaboration with faculty and researchers in a top-tier research university environment.
• Access to Duke’s community, campus resources, professional development programs, and faculty/staff networks.
• Competitive salary and Duke’s https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/.
• Opportunities to mentor students through Duke’s Code+ program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed