Web Developer

Purdue Research Foundation; West Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Purdue University’s College of Engineering is seeking a Web Developer to join a dynamic web communications team. You will deliver front‑end and full‑stack work, email campaigns, and interactive solutions for faculty and programs, using modern standards and WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.

You will migrate legacy systems toward Django/Wagtail, maintain documentation, and ensure fast, accessible, brand‑aligned web experiences across projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related field and 2+ years of web design/development experience.
• Ability to support legacy applications while migrating to modern web architectures.
• Strong knowledge of accessibility standards and brand guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Design, code, test, and debug high‑performance, responsive web pages, sites, and apps from prototype to production.
• Write clean backend scripts and templates using Python; integrate data from APIs/databases.
• Ensure WCAG 2.2 AA compliance and Purdue branding across all deliverables.
• Develop accessible marketing emails and templates and coordinate campaigns.
• Maintain documentation and provide web support to faculty and staff.
• Assist with migrating legacy systems to Django/Wagtail and monitor performance.

Skills

Bootstrap

Front-end & full-stack development

Web accessibility

Python

APIs & databases

SEO fundamentals

Responsive design

Analytics concepts

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics Technology, Computer Science, Information Technology, Web Design/Development, or closely related field

Minimum of 2 years of professional web design and development experience

Tools

Django

Wagtail

Delivra

Jira

Wrike

Google Analytics 4

Siteimprove

Adobe Photoshop

Bootstrap

Job description

The Web Developer serves as a key technical and creative member of the College of Engineering’s web communications team, working under the direction of the Manager of Web Communications. This role is responsible for executing front‑end and full‑stack web development tasks, email marketing campaigns, and interactive digital solutions to support faculty, administration, schools, and programs across the College of Engineering.

The Web Developer will design, code, test, debug, and maintain highly accessible, performant, and brand‑aligned web experiences from initial prototypes to production. Utilizing modern web standards, this position ensures all deliverables achieve Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA compliance, adhere strictly to university brand guidelines, and employ mobile‑first, responsive design principles. Additionally, the Web Developer will collaborate on data collection, maintain clean technical and user documentation, and support content maintainers to ensure robust, high‑performance web experiences.

This position offers a chance to make a meaningful impact at a prestigious institution known for innovation and research excellence. Join our community of lifelong learners and contribute your skills to this critical program. At Purdue, you'll find unrivaled pride and unlimited potential as we persistently pursue the next giant leap together.

What You’ll Be Doing:

Web Design & Development

• Design, code, test, and debug high‑performance, responsive static and dynamic web pages, sites, and applications from prototype to production.
• Write clean, secure, and maintainable backend scripts, templates, and basic applications utilizing Python.
• Integrate data from various backend APIs, services, and databases.
• Strictly implement WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility standards and adhere to established Purdue brand and visual identity guidelines.

Bulk Email Design & Development

• Conceptualize, design, code, and test highly responsive, accessible HTML marketing emails and templates from prototype to final campaign deployment.
• Collaborate with internal clients on targeted email communications to ensure exceptional visual layout, high deliverability, and flawless cross‑client and mobile compatibility.

Website Maintenance & Client Support

• Fulfill ongoing web support and content update requests from College of Engineering faculty, staff, and administration in a timely, helpful manner.
• Maintain clear, comprehensive system, project, and workflow documentation.
• Act as a quick, adaptable learner when working with legacy web systems (e.g., Zope) and play an active, hands‑on role in helping migrate legacy systems to modern environments (such as Django and Wagtail).

Data Collection, Analytics & Optimization

• Leverage tools like Google Analytics 4 and Siteimprove to monitor, audit, and report on key website metrics.
• Proactively identify and resolve technical issues related to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), page speed, load times, broken links, and general web quality.
• Utilize tools like Adobe Photoshop to crop, resize, retouch, and optimize visual assets and photos, ensuring fast web load times and strict brand alignment without sacrificing visual quality.

Other Duties

• Assist with administrative workflows, participate in team meetings, adapt quickly to changing priorities, and complete other digital communication duties as assigned.

About Us:

The College of Engineering at Purdue University is among the best and largest Engineering schools in the world. With nearly 16,000 engineering students and more than 500 tenure track faculty in the college, this position has ample opportunity to have an impact at one of the world’s most influential universities.

For more information about our department, please visit:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics Technology, Computer Science, Information Technology, Web Design/Development, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in web design and development (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Must be an eager, rapid, and hands‑on learner who is comfortable supporting legacy applications while actively transitioning to modern web architectures.

Skills needed:

• Responsive Frameworks: Proven experience building mobile‑first websites using Bootstrap or similar responsive frameworks.
• Accessibility Standards: Strong working knowledge of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standards and semantic markup.
• Scripting & Backend Basics: Practical experience writing and debugging Python scripts; basic understanding of integrating web‑based APIs and databases.
• Performance & SEO: Demonstrated understanding of page speed optimization, modern SEO practices, and asset optimization techniques (including image optimization/retouching using tools like Adobe Photoshop).
• Professional Attributes: Exceptional attention to detail, strong problem‑solving skills, and a high standard for quality control.

Highly Desired & Preferred Qualifications

• Higher Education & Agency Experience: Experience designing and building complex websites within a higher education setting or a fast‑paced agency environment.
• Brand Alignment: Experience working within strict corporate or institutional brand identity guidelines.
• Modern CMS Platforms: Familiarity with Django and Wagtail, or experience preparing legacy environments for CMS migrations.
• Digital Marketing Tools: Experience setting up and managing campaigns in email marketing tools (e.g., Delivra) and working with project management systems (e.g., Wrike or Jira).
• Metrics & Quality Auditing: Experience tracking and reporting performance using Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, and Siteimprove.

Nice-to-Have Attributes

• UX/UI Focus: Knowledge of and genuine interest in User Experience (UX), interaction design, and user‑centered design principles.
• Drive to Innovate: A strong passion for web development, curiosity about emerging technologies, and a drive to experiment, innovate, and continuous improvement of workflows.

Who We Are:

Purdue is a community built on collaboration, with global perspectives, Boilermaker pride and endless opportunity to live, learn and grow. Join us and contribute to our culture.

• Purdue will not sponsor employment authorization for this position
• A background check will be required for employment in this position
• Retirement Eligibility: Defined Contribution Waiting Period

Compensation Information:
Professional 2
Pay Band S065
Job Code#20003640
Link to Purdue University’s Compensation Guidelines: https://www.purdue.edu/hr/mngcareer/compguidelines/index.php

Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university