Developer and Emerging Technologies Specialist

Code4lib; Charlottesville, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Virginia Library invites applications for a Developer and Emerging Technologies Specialist in Charlottesville. This role designs, builds, and sustains software for digital humanities scholarship, emphasizing AI and emerging tech with collaboration across disciplines.

The position is hybrid with up to two remote days per week, offering a salary of $85,000–$95,000 annually and engagement with UVA’s DHC and IATH ecosystems.

Qualifications

• Must have a degree or equivalent experience and strong software development skills.
• Proficiency in PHP, SQL, JavaScript (ES6+), HTML/CSS, and XML/TEI.
• Experience with Drupal, Mukurtu, Omeka, and relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL).
• Familiar with Git and Subversion version control systems.
• Demonstrated expertise in AI systems and ML, with ethical use considerations.
• Excellent communication for technical and nontechnical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop and sustain software tools supporting digital humanities scholarship.
• Collaborate on faculty-driven projects using emerging technologies and AI/ML.
• Analyze researchers' data needs and implement solutions.
• Engage with faculty and students, documenting work for diverse audiences.
• Assess technical options and lead implementation in teams and solo work.

Skills

PHP

SQL

JavaScript

HTML

CSS

XML

TEI

Drupal

Mukurtu

Omeka

MySQL

PostgreSQL

JSON

CSV

Git

Subversion

AI Systems

Machine Learning

Ruby

Python

Java

IIIF

Node.js

React

Jekyll

Eleventy

Ruby on Rails

Dublin Core

VRA Core

Docker

Jupyter

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Master’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Ollama

Claude Code

Jupyter

Job description

Developer and Emerging Technologies Specialist

The University of Virginia Library seeks a Developer and Emerging Technologies Specialist to join the Digital Humanities Center (DHC) as part of the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities (IATH). IATH is an internationally recognized humanities research unit dedicated to advancing digital scholarship at the intersection of technology and humanistic inquiry. The DHC serves as a collaborative hub within the Library for digital humanities research, teaching, and experimentation.

The Developer and Emerging Technologies Specialist designs, develops, and sustains software tools and systems that support digital humanities scholarship. The successful candidate will bring demonstrated expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), large language models, and emerging technologies, along with a commitment to exploring and evaluating new tools and methods. This role collaborates closely with faculty, students, and library colleagues across disciplines.

Based in the DHC and embedded within IATH, this position also serves as a bridge to the Library’s AI Literacy and Action Lab, supporting experimentation with emerging technologies and innovative uses of AI in scholarship. The specialist will contribute to a dynamic digital research environment and collaborate with partners across UVA and beyond.

Position Summary

The Developer and Emerging Technologies Specialist designs, develops, and sustains software tools and systems that support digital humanities scholarship. The successful candidate will bring demonstrated expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), large language models, and emerging technologies, along with a commitment to exploring and evaluating new tools and methods. This role collaborates closely with faculty, students, and library colleagues across disciplines.

Responsibilities

Perform software development and engineering work at IATH.

Collaborate on the design and implementation of faculty-driven digital humanities research projects using emerging and established technologies and best practices, with an emphasis on AI and machine learning.

Work with researchers to understand their data and requirements for data analysis.

Maintain sustained engagement with faculty and students, communicating information and questions clearly.

Demonstrate and document work for technical and nontechnical audiences.

Assess and recommend technical solutions as part of multidisciplinary teams and independently implement those solutions.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Proficiency in PHP, SQL, JavaScript (ES6+), HTML, CSS, XML, and TEI.

Experience with Drupal, Mukurtu, and Omeka.

Experience with SQL databases, including MySQL and PostgreSQL, and data formats including JSON and CSV.

Experience using Git and Subversion for version control.

Demonstrated expertise in AI systems and machine learning algorithms, with familiarity with critical evaluation, current and emerging best practices, and ethical AI use, ideally in academic settings. Ability to apply these practices within academic communities and standards of practice.

Ability to communicate effectively with technical and nontechnical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree or equivalent experience.

Experience and curiosity in digital humanities; awareness of resources for staying current on practices and tools; and ability to work across disciplines and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Strong communication skills, including teaching and training diverse audiences and explaining technical information to nontechnical audiences.

Experience providing consultation to faculty, students, staff, and members of the public.

Strong time management skills and the ability to manage tasks independently.

Experience with Ollama or similar local large language model tools, cloud-based AI tools, and coding agents such as Claude Code; awareness of hallucinations, bias amplification, and responsible AI practices.

Experience with Ruby, Python, and Java.

Experience with IIIF, Node.js, React, static site generators such as Jekyll and Eleventy, and Ruby on Rails.

Familiarity with metadata standards and schemas, including Dublin Core and VRA Core.

Experience with Docker and Jupyter.

Interest in exploring and adapting emerging digital scholarship tools and supporting digital humanities and Library community engagement with current and emerging digital technologies and best practices.

Position Type and Work Location and Salary

This is an exempt-level, benefited position based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement with up to two remote days per week.

Salary for this position will be $85,000-95,000 annually

About UVA

The University of Virginia is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. UVA Library supports research, teaching, and learning across the University.

Additional Requirements

This position will not sponsor VISA applicants now or in the future

Reference checks are conducted through SkillSurvey. Candidates will be asked to provide five references; at least three completed responses are required.