[Sigcr-l] Job announcement: Web Services developer, Max Planck Digital Library, Berlin

[Traugott Koch]

Max Planck Digital Library
2008-06-26

The Max Planck Digital Library (MPDL) http://www.mpdl.mpg.de is a 
central scientific service unit within the Max-Planck-Society (MPS) 
which is responsible for strategic planning and development and 
operation of electronic infrastructures in order to provide the 
institutes with scientific information and to support web-based 
scientific communication.

We are looking for a

                      Scientific Developer.

For the recently started MPG Name Authority Service project we intend to 
hire a developer focusing on Web Services (REST, SOAP) from structured 
databases. The position is initially limited to one year in the context 
of a maternity leave. A further extension is possible. The location is 
in Berlin, Germany.

Project description
The person appointed to this position will be responsible for the 
technical development and the testing of a name authority prototype and, 
potentially, a future service.
Authoritative names and name variants of persons and organisational 
entities belonging to the MPG, disambiguating information and 
identifiers will be served, primarily via Web Services, to other 
internal and external services for reuse and quality improvement, e.g. 
in metadata creation, quality enhancement and information retrieval.


Tasks
* evaluation of existing solutions and contribution to the specification 
of the prototype
* design, development and documentation of the prototype according to 
the specification
* communication with providers of data for the prototype
* manipulation and normalisation of data for input to the prototype, 
application of standard-based formats
* mapping of name authority data into various different name authority 
standards for output
* development of Web Services interfaces for the prototype
* support of testing by other services and users.


Skills
Essential general skills, knowledge and experience:
* experience of working on research and development projects
* applied programming experience (at least three years)
* experience of designing, developing and implementing software systems
* strong IT skills, including knowledge and experience of a range of 
packages and/or software tools required for carrying out the duties of 
the post (cf. below)
* awareness of the needs of repositories of research outputs
* excellent team work skills with an ability to get the work done with 
minimal supervision
* good verbal and written communication skills, incl. the English language
* good problem-solving abilities
* experience of close cooperation with application managers, librarians 
and similar staff
* experience of communication with external suppliers and data providers
* experience of testing and evaluation procedures.

Required IT skills:
* professional web services development experience
* working experience with REST and/or SOAP
* experienced at developing database-driven web applications, 
manipulating and mapping data
* expertise in XML.


Desirable IT skills:
* Java, Javascript, SQL variants, Linux/UNIX
* Semantic web technologies, i.e. RDF
* understanding of large scale, multi-tier web application architecture
* good understanding of information architectures, SOA experience
* familiarity with harvesting (OAI-PMH), data export and retrieval 
protocols and solutions (e.g. HTTP, SRU/SRW; Lucene; web-based end-user 
search)
* familiarity with repository platforms (e.g. Fedora, DSpace, ePrints)
* familiarity with current and emerging web 2.0 standards, API's and 
services, mashups and syndication techniques.

The following IT skills will be a bonus:
* Python or Perl
* data formats (e.g. XML, XSLT, MARCXML, MARC21 authority format, Unicode)
* familiarity with the TEI


Our offer
We offer you a modern workplace which is centrally situated and can be 
reached easily with public transportation means. The compensation is 
based on the Labour Agreement for Public Service (TVöD-Bund) depending 
on your qualifications and work experience. The social benefits 
correspond to the rules of the Public Service.

The Max Planck Society intends to increase the share of women in those 
areas they are underrepresented. Therefore, women are explicitly invited 
to apply.

The Max Planck Society would like to employ more severely disabled 
persons. Hence, applications by disabled persons are most welcome.

Please address your written application with the usual documents naming 
Kennziffer 06-08 to

Max Planck Digital Library
- Verwaltung -
Amalienstraße 33
D- 80799 München
Germany

Email: hr at mpdl.mpg.de

Applications are due three weeks after the publication of this job 
advertisement.

Further information about the job: Traugott.Koch at mpdl.mpg.de

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Traugott Koch
Max Planck Digital Library, Invalidenstr. 35, D-101 15 Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49 30-288867789
E-mail: traugott.koch at mpdl.mpg.de
Homepage: http://www.mpdl.mpg.de/staff/tkoch/
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