Full-Stack Developer to Modularize eLearning Course (Contract) - remote

OpenMind
Posted 2 years ago
About OpenMind
OpenMind is a non-profit organization that works to address these issues by translating the latest behavioral science research into educational tools that are practical, scalable, and evidence-based in order to equip people with the mindset and skillset to bridge divides. Our educational tools are built primarily for use in higher education and high schools, but they are also used in workplaces and community organizations.

OpenMind was co-founded by psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the bestselling author of The Righteous Mind and The Coddling of the American Mind. Since launching in 2017, our program has been used by 50,000 learners in more than 1,000 classrooms and 150+ organizations and companies across more than 30 countries.

About the role
We are seeking a contract Full-Stack Developer to help build a modularized version of our online learning program. Currently our program is broken into eight-lessons that learners engage with in a linear learning journey. We want to offer each lesson to our students separately, removing both content and technical interdependencies.


Our tech stack is a cross between a custom platform and an out-of-the-box LMS. We build apps and manage integrations using a third-party hosting and coding platform named GuidedTrack, and we work directly with the creators of the language. We also leverage AWS services for our back-end capabilities.

GuidedTrack is easy to pick up and master. We do not expect candidates to have previous experience with GuidedTrack, but the ideal candidate will have deep experience with other programming languages (such as Python or JavaScript) and fluency with backend development in AWS.

We're looking for a contractor with enough technical experience to dig into the code, learn GuidedTrack, and work with our team to execute requisite revisions to the program.

This is a 4-month, fully remote contract position (30-40 hours/wk, at a rate between $50–$60/hr) with a key set of objectives. There’s also the possibility of extending the contract for up to 12 months, as we have several additional technical projects to tackle.

Responsibilities
  • Develop a deep understanding of our technology infrastructure including our GuidedTrack programs and AWS services.

  • Review and iterate on the modularity development tasks outlined by the team, based on your new understanding of the program, and create a development timeline.

  • Address the documented tech debt required to facilitate the modularized program launch.

  • Implement required code revisions to the learner program, based on OpenMind's goals.

  • Implement required code revisions to the admin/instructor program, based on OpenMind's goals.

  • Work alongside the OpenMind team and a UX designer to create a new admin dashboard user interface, so our instructors can assign individual lessons or the whole program to their students.

Qualifications
  • Prior programming experience (2+ years)

  • Familiarity with best practices for software development for web

  • Self-organizing &comfortable working independently on dev work;a thoughtful collaborator in product design conversations

  • Proven ability to quickly learn new programming languages

  • Experience structuring data transfers to/from AWS DynamoDB (or an equivalent no-schema database)

  • Experience with the following:
    • JavaScript &jQuery

    • Building integrations with third-party APIs

    • Version control (Git &GitHub)

    • HTML/CSS

Why work with us
  • Compensation of $50–$60/hr. 

  • A Mission-Driven Culture — we practice what we preach, so we wear our values of intellectual humility, continuous improvement, and open-mindedness on our sleeves

  • Remote-First — OpenMind was founded as a remote-first organization, and we work hard to maintain a strong team culture across vast distances (our small crew is spread across six states and three countries)

OpenMind is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin. As an organization firmly committed to bridging divides, it is important for us to build a team representative of the nation’s rich diversity.