Temporary Senior Engineer
The Berkman Klein Center seeks a full-time, term-limited Senior Engineer through December, 2026 to continue building out a groundbreaking online video-based discourse platform designed to facilitate constructive dialogue and collaborative decision-making across diverse groups. The Senior Engineer will help prepare for our Frankly project (frankly.org) for its next phase including a potential spin-off as an independent organization. The role reports to Frankly’s Senior Program Manager and will operate within a team of engineers, designers, product managers, and leadership to design, build, and test platform functionality as we activate beta instances with multiple external institutions.
We are looking for generalists, engineers that can work on building technology that spans the entire stack, from back-end storage to front-end user interfaces. In concert with staff including other engineers, designers, product managers, and leadership, the engineer will ensure that the new technology satisfies traditional engineering goals like scalability and robustness while meeting goals that center responsible technology principles (e.g., giving users more control over their data, or strengthening a user's ability to defend against online harassment).
Apply here.
Job-Specific Responsibilities:
As a Senior Engineer you will:
- Design, build, and test new social media infrastructure using appropriate software languages and methodologies
- Engage with senior management and external stakeholders (e.g., open-source project leaders) to integrate technology with the larger tech ecosystem
- Collaborate with others to identify technical areas of cross-pollination
- Engage with the larger Berkman Klein Center communities (e.g., by attending workshops and seminars) to learn from the Center’s dynamic intellectual environment and share individual and team learnings.
Basic Qualifications:
Minimum of five years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience.
Additional Qualifications:
We are looking for people who have:
- Technical experience with coding, testing, UX design, or other CS skills
- The ability to work on open-ended problems in ambiguous spaces
- A strong ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Experience in public interest technology is a plus
Working Conditions:
This position may be performed in-person or remotely from Massachusetts or another of the states in which Harvard can register employees.
Additional Information:
This is a term appointment expected to extend through December 31, 2026, subject to departmental funding and need. This role will offer competitive compensation based in part on skills and experience. No benefits are included with this position.