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Vacancy: Data Projects Technical Consultant

This contract is a permanent position, but we are open to part-time, flexible and contract applications - no recruitment services please. Initial salary up to £45k (or, if contract, day-rate to be negotiated) pa plus pension and benefits.

Open Innovations is an accessible employer and this position is open for part-time or flexible working arrangements.

Open Innovations is looking for a Data Projects Technical Consultant who can help us deliver our client and sponsor projects. You will write code and wrangle data as part of our delivery team, with a willingness to bring your expertise to solve challenges on the wide range of projects we work on.

Who we are

Open Innovations is a not for profit, independent, mission led, radically open organisation. We like to work in the open with our sponsors, companies, organisations, governments and individuals to use open data to innovate and help people make better decisions.

You can find out more about what we do, who we are and how we do it on our website https://open-innovations.org/

What you will do

As a Data Projects Technical Consultant in the Open Innovations data projects team, you will contribute to the successful delivery of our client and sponsor projects. Your specific responsibilities will include:

  • working with your colleagues and people from our clients / sponsors to plan and deliver projects. Examples of current and former projects can be found at https://open-innovations.org/projects/
  • working with data, and building web visualisations and data-based tools to meet project needs, or to support our mission-led work,
  • supporting clients and sponsors to understand open data and publish data openly,

All of the Team at Open Innovations are involved in the day to day running of the organisation and the Innovation space. This means that as well as the specific responsibilities outlined above you will also be expected to:

  • support the events that we run in our space and online, including / hackathons, conferences and workshops. Some examples include #PlanetData5, #OpenDataSavesLives, and our regular sponsor meet-ups,
  • help us tell stories about our work, through writing blogs and talking at our events,
  • ensure clients and sponsors who visit our workspace feel supported, when you are also working from our office

Who you are

Required qualities

  • You are able to research and work independently on multiple concurrent projects, while maintaining a strong attention to detail, open ethos, helpful and friendly
  • You have the proven ability to work under pressure as part of a small team,
  • From either former work or qualifications you have experience of:
    • developing high quality code in one or more of the following languages: Javascript/Typescript, Python, R.
    • creating websites with HTML/CSS and appropriate progressive enhancement with client-side Javascript.
  • You adopt methodical approaches to ensure task completion including good planning, prioritisation and time management skills

Desirable qualities

  • You bring knowledge and connections from prior experience of working in data, innovation and digital transformation projects focussed on organisations, particularly local authorities,other political institutions, or not-for-profits and charities,
  • You have experience in one or more software engineering disciplines such as green coding, accessibility, testing, cloud deployment, data pipeline management,
  • You understand both how to use open data and publish data openly, with experience of implementing techniques that handle personal and sensitive data.
  • You consider yourself to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a clear writing style.

What we will provide

  • A competitive salary, contract & benefits package during your time at Open Innovations, up to £45k per annum (or, if contract, day-rate to be negotiated)
  • Space and resources to work in our open-plan, collaborative innovation workspace in central Leeds
  • Equipment to do your work - laptop
  • Guidance on your work and your projects and programmes
  • The opportunity to attend Open Innovations events
  • Flexible work hours

What next

Please send: a cover letter (no more than one page) & a resume to Paul Connell (Founder of Open Innovations) paul.connell@open-innovations.org.

This can be a CV or similar summary. We encourage you to include examples of your work. Alternatives to a standard CV are welcomed, but please keep them short.

We are keen to recruit soon, and may be interviewing for this position before the deadline. Candidates are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as possible.