{"id":916466,"url":"https://alion.io/job/harvard-university-tech-lead","title":"Tech Lead","company":{"id":241,"name":"Harvard University","domain":"harvard.edu","url":"https://alion.io/company/harvard-university","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SmartRecruiters","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":19,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":28,"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Cambridge, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":140000,"max_usd":287000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":1354},"experience_years_min":7,"visa_sponsorship":true,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":false},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":false},{"name":"Docker","optional":false},{"name":"ElasticSearch","optional":false},{"name":"Embeddings","optional":false},{"name":"FastAPI","optional":false},{"name":"GitHub","optional":false},{"name":"Hallucination","optional":false},{"name":"Hybrid Search","optional":false},{"name":"Jira","optional":false},{"name":"Kubernetes","optional":false},{"name":"LLM","optional":false},{"name":"LLM Guardrails","optional":false},{"name":"Machine Learning","optional":false},{"name":"Next.js","optional":false},{"name":"OpenSearch","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"RAG","optional":false},{"name":"Scrum","optional":false},{"name":"Semantic Search","optional":false},{"name":"JavaScript","optional":true},{"name":"React.js","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-14T14:47:17Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-14","last_verified_at":"2026-11-01T11:23:44Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":47,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":47},"description":"By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.\nWhy join Harvard University Central Administration?\nHarvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.\nHarvard University Information Technology (HUIT) is a community of Information Technology professionals committed to understanding our users and devoted to making it easier for faculty, students, and staff to teach, research, learn, and work through the effective use of information technology. We are recruiting an IT workforce that has both breadth in their ability to collaborate and innovate across disciplines - and depth in specific areas of expertise. HUIT offers opportunities for IT professionals to learn and work in a unique technology landscape and service-focused environment. If you are a technically proficient, nimble, user-focused and accountable IT professional who also connects with the importance of collaborating well in a team environment we are looking for you!\nMore About HUIT:\nOur Mission: huit.harvard.edu/about\nWe empower the Harvard community with essential and transformative technologies to advance education, knowledge, and discovery.\nHUIT’s core values are:\nHuman-centered \nUniversity-focused \nInnovation-driven \nTeam-oriented \nIT Academy (designed for IT Staff):\nHUIT’s IT Academy aims to enable each IT staff person to grow professionally and become a trusted partner to her or his team. The IT Academy is built on the belief that every IT staff member across the University (including technology employees at each school and campus) can grow in her or his area of expertise as well as building strong people and project management skills. Learn more here: https://itacademy.harvard.edu/.\n Harvard Library and Harvard University IT are advancing the Reimagining Discovery initiative to transform how researchers, students, and the global community discover and explore Harvard's distinctive collections. This work includes the development of Collections Explorer, an AI-enhanced discovery application, and supporting metadata infrastructure to improve access and discovery of collections through modern hybrid search and user-centered discovery experiences. The IT Project Technical Lead provides hands-on technical leadership for this project by leading architectural and design decisions, collaborating with team members in technical matters, and guiding implementation, integration, and production readiness for a system that combines modern web application development, metadata pipelines, applied AI techniques, and hybrid search technologies.\nThe IT Project Technical Lead establishes project specifications and technical direction, creates a framework of technical standards and procedures, oversees software quality and system development and modifications, guides team members with troubleshooting technical issues, analyzes existing operations to identify risks and redundancies, and conducts comprehensive assessments to develop solutions for Collections Explorer and related Reimagining Discovery initiatives.\nJob-Specific Responsibilities:\nArchitect and design technical solutions and ensure technical quality and standards. This includes making architectural decisions and guiding technical design.\nMaintain awareness of relevant AI and machine learning advancements, research papers, and tools to inform project direction. Lead technical decision making and make judgment calls on technical implementation details and choices as needed.\nLead technical decisions related to search, retrieval, APIs, metadata processing, and AI/LLM enabled features, ensuring AI-enabled capabilities are designed and implemented with appropriate attention to evaluation, transparency, privacy, security, bias, hallucination risk, and responsible use.\nEstimate and plan work, ensuring they align with the project's overall goals. Breakdown high-level requirements into tasks and estimating time/effort required. Assist with project planning and scheduling.\nDevelop and review code written by other engineers to ensure it meets quality standards and aligns with design/architecture as needed. Ensure the reliability and accuracy of the AI-driven discovery features through testing, evaluation, and monitoring.\nTroubleshooting and problem solving. Helping to debug and resolve technical issues/problems that arise during development.\nSet and reinforce coding standards and best practices. Ensure consistent coding style, patterns, naming conventions etc. across the codebase.\nSupport production readiness, including reliability, performance, monitoring, logging, error handling, and maintainability.\nCollaborate with the project manager and act as a liaison between technical and non-technical teams as needed to communicate project status and issues.\nTrack and manage technical debt. Identify technical debt and prioritize its resolution.\nEnsure appropriate technical documentation for code, architecture, processes etc.\nAdhere to Harvard University's IT technical standards and best practices.\nAbide by and follow the Harvard University IT Code of Conduct.\nOther duties as necessary. \nBasic Qualifications:\nBasic Qualifications are the minimum threshold a candidate must meet in order to be considered for this role.\nMinimum of seven years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience\nAdditional Qualifications and Skills:\nThe following qualifications are strongly preferred. If you meet some, but not all, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn.\nMinimum of two years of experience working with Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence (ML/AI) technologies including proficiency in data preprocessing and transformation, feature engineering, and model evaluation methods.\nMinimum of two years' experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products and minimum of one year of experience with software design and architecture.\nExperience with search, information retrieval, data pipelines, metadata systems, AI/ML-enabled applications, or related technologies.\nExperience with API-oriented application development.\nFamiliar with fundamental security principles and secure software development practices.\nDemonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical collaborators.\nKnowledge of Python and the FastAPI framework, React/NextJS and API tooling.\nExperience with search platforms and retrieval technologies such as Elasticsearch/OpenSearch, vector databases, embeddings, semantic search, or hybrid search approaches.\nExperience designing or supporting metadata pipelines, data transformation workflows, APIs, or integrations between source systems and discovery applications.\nFamiliarity with LLM-enabled application patterns, retrieval-augmented generation, prompt/response evaluation, guardrails, and responsible AI practices.\nKnowledge of software development tracking tools such as Jira and GitHub.\nKnowledge of continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) software orchestration principles.\nRelevant working experience with Docker and Kubernetes.\nExperience working in libraries, archives, museums, cultural heritage, higher education, research, or other complex information environments.\nDemonstrated team performance skills, service mindset approach, and the ability to act as a trusted advisor.\nAttitude that supports an Agile working environment and familiarity with Scrum framework\nKnowledge of information technology applications, processes, software and equipment\nHighly specialized knowledge of a specific technology\nFamiliarity with WCAG 2.1 AA standards for web accessibility. \nCertificates and Licenses:\nCompletion of Harvard IT Academy specified foundational courses (or external equivalent) preferred\n Working Conditions: Work is performed in an office setting\nAppointment End Date:This is a fully benefited, full-time Harvard University position that has been funded through 6/30/28. There is the possibility of renewal, contingent upon your work performance meeting the needs of the department and the continued availability of funding designed to support the position. \n\nHybrid: Onsite as needed with advance notice.\nVisa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position\nPre-Employment Screening: Identity\nOther Information:Please provide a cover letter and resume as one document with your application.\nThis position has a 180-day orientation and review period.\n\nWork Format Details\nThis position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.\nSalary Grade and Ranges\nThis position is salary grade level 059. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.\nBenefits\nHarvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:\nGenerous paid time off including parental leave \nMedical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one \nRetirement plans with university contributions \nWellbeing and mental health resources \nSupport for families and caregivers \nProfessional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement \nCommuter benefits, discounts and campus perks \nLearn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.\nEEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement\nHarvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.\nHarvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.","description_format":"text","description_chars":11465,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":7,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"All levels","optional":false}]},"benefits":["Health insurance","Insurance coverage","Parental leave","Professional development","Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Higher Education"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-14T20:30:36Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 176 · green card filings: 21","filings_12m":176,"filings_prev_12m":208,"green_card_filings_12m":21,"median_offered_wage_usd":82830,"route":null,"cap_exempt":true,"checked_at":"2026-10-29T16:27:21+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":18,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.512,"p_room":0.36,"age_days":47,"expected_fill_days":28,"reasons":["conf:2","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/harvard-university-tech-lead","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/harvard-university-tech-lead.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-01T11:34:11Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":17862,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-02T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":241},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=241"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fharvard-university-tech-lead"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fharvard-university-tech-lead"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fharvard-university-tech-lead"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/harvard-university-tech-lead\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fharvard-university-tech-lead"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":916466}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"harvard.edu","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":916466},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}