IT Professional 2 - St Paul, United States - University of Minnesota

Description

About the Job:
This position serves as a developer and research support engineering for a news personalization system being designed to serve as an experiment platform for the broader research community. The team includes two full-time research staff, six faculty (at five institutions), and 6-10 students.

The University of Minnesota-led project aims to develop a shared news recommender system that will enable researchers nationwide to carry out live one-time and longitudinal experiences on users of AI systems that personalize the news-reading experience.
Approach is agile and collaborative. Development will be integrated with support to experimenters. The ability to learn new technologies and work with a team of students is essential.

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

Serve as software architect and developer for news personalization research project (70%)

• Design and build research software for news personalization project
• Create the systems needed to import and process news articles, manage membership, manage experimental conditions, and deliver personalized news as newsletters and web/mobile sites
• Create the systems and interfaces to support researchers using the system to conduct studies, including systems to track, store, and report on research data.
• Collaborate with and direct students working on software development for the project

Support 5-site team of faculty and students to better study AI-powered news recommender systems (20%)

• Work with researchers, students, news experts, and ethics experts to help guide the development and operation of a news personalization infrastructure and associated use guidelines.
• Incorporate researcher's findings on design choices and their impact on users into the news personalization system.
• Support shared research infrastructure that provides artificial intelligence researchers and students across the nation with access to transformative resources including high-quality data on human-machine interactions in the context of news recommendation.

Other related tasks as needed (10%)

Location:
Primary project site is University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Additional sites are in Clemson, SC; Philadelphia, PA; Boulder, CO; and Evanston, IL. Hybrid and remote work options are available with the US, but we are also happy to provide onsite work facilities at one of the project sites (Minnesota preferred).

Work experience includes work that was paid and unpaid, as an employee in industry or in any other arrangement. The experience needs to be clear in the CV or resume when applying, or the application may not be forwarded.

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree and two years of work experience or MS degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering

Preferred Qualifications:

• For all candidates, work experience must include a minimum of 12 months of experience developing software on the AWS Cloud Platform.
• Proficiency and experience programming in Python.
• Experience in front-end development and user experience design.
• Experience in web development, including mobile web.
• Experience in back-end development including web back-end and databases.
• Experience mentoring or supervising staff or students.
• Experience with recommender systems, machine learning, information retrieval, and/or natural language processing.

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering is a large, research-intensive department organized into research groups and laboratories. The department has shared facilities and services, including computing support services. This position is in the GroupLens Center for Human-Centered and Social Computing, a research group focused on social and collaborative computing with 5 faculty, approx graduate students, an administrator, and many undergraduate students. The group is based in a large laboratory in Keller Hall.

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you'll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Please visit the for more information regarding benefits.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Please submit a cover letter at the time of application and be prepared to submit three references later.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail or call

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U:

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019,