US Based Django Programmer (remote/telecommute)

Description

We're seeking a US-based Django programmer.

What We Do
eCitizens offers anyone, including government or citizens, the ability to subscribe and receive email alerts whenever keywords they specify are used in local municipal government documents including agendas, minutes, support documentation and multimedia.

Job Description
This is a great chance to become a key team member on a significant national open-source, open-government project initially funded by the largest and most relevant international media foundation. This is a proof-of-concept prototype project that will likely lead to extensive future development opportunities, potentially including full-time engagement if desired. For this project however we’re seeking the best candidate for this phase alone.

What You’ll Do as a Team Member

Help us make key decisions on our methodologies, integration of various opensource scripts or, development of our own

Work directly with our team member who authored existing scripts and technologies (see https://github.com/codeforamerica/councilmatic) for the city of Philadelphia.

Adapt existing open-source code (see https://github.com/sunlightlabs/openstates/
specifically the scraper Billy) and many others

Build upon and adapt new scripts recently developed for this project (https://github.com/opencouncil/opencouncil)

Utilize APIs provided by world-class agenda management service providers (i.e.
Granicus, Sire Technologies and others)

For cities without such service providers, work with open-source volunteers who are creating localized scripts to scrape and index

Meet with team members and management in-person and/or teleconference

Assist in documenting all methodologies and code elements

Position Requirements
You'll have the following experience or, capability to quickly adopt:

Designing and developing scalable architecture

Python and Django framework development skills

Experience with databases including Mongo and PostgreSQL. MySQL helpful.

Other-language scripting (Ruby, Java)

Experience with variety of API integrations

Experience with search indexing strategies and techniques

Good eye for UX strategy and user-centered design (UCD) process helpful, not
necessary

Experience with Amazon EC2 hosting platform setup and maintenance helpful, not necessary

Ability to work independently and collaborate fluently via GitHub or similar platforms

Ability to work in the United States

Excellent English writing and communication skills

Strong problem-solving abilities and an attitude for learning new technologies

Degree in Computer Science or related field preferred, strong self-made skills respected

Ideal Candidates
Looking towards the future our ideal candidate(s) experiences include interest and
experience with:

Amazon EC2 implementation and system administration tasks

Semantic web strategies and methodologies helpful

Machine translation technologies – converting multimedia to text

Natural Language Processing (NLP) to aid in contextualizing data

Desiring eventual full-time employment with exciting company focused on this and similar national-focused open-gov, open-source projects

Ability to work within a start-up mentality – flexible, available, excited and positive

Compensation

The selected candidate(s) will initially work as an independent contractor.

We anticipate this to be a ninety-day project. Please describe compensation
requirements for this project and ideal future full-time compensation when additional
funding is secured.

How to apply
Please respond with questions or thoughts about project, work samples, desired rate and availability for the next ninety-days.