Employment Opportunities

CAST seeks a Development Officer to become part of a small entrepreneurial team that works collaboratively to raise over $4.5 million annually. CAST is an educational R&D organization based in Wakefield that uses technology to make education more accessible for all students, especially those with disabilities. Responsibilities include managing a portfolio of major national prospects (individual gifts $3,000-$25,000, foundations and corporate prospects $50,000-$1 million) including identification, research, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities. Will write proposals, solicitation letters and reports and participate in federal grants. Qualifications: Three to five years of development experience, Bachelors degree, strong verbal, written, and interpersonal skills, analytical and organizational skills, and computer literate. The ideal candidate is a creative, flexible, self-motivated professional who functions independently and as part of a team and who has the ability to adapt to a range of development activities.

E-mail cover letter and resume to devofficer@cast.org.
AA/EOE

Position Description: Full-time professional position available within a mission-driven not-for-profit organization dedicated to using technology to improve educational opportunities for learners, especially those with disabilities. Position requires professional degree in computer science, strong leadership and communication skills, and significant experience in project management and engineering. It involves supervision of a strong technical team, ability to liaison with project and technical staff, and an interest in improving educational programs for children and adults.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors or advanced degree in Computer Science or equivalent preferred.
• 5 years or more in developing and supervising the development of Web sites, Web applications, and client applications.
• Solid experience providing technical project management. This includes working with non-technical research and project leads to understand requirements and then translating them into technical implementations.
• Interest in improving education through Web-based professional development and the delivery of learning services through Web and client-based applications.
• Experience researching technical feasibility of Web and client software features
• Experience with or detailed knowledge of Web and application development and accessibility in accordance with W3C WAI and Section 508 Guidelines.

Management Skills Desired:

• Experience planning, budgeting, and supervising multiple tech development efforts.
• Exceptional communication and collaborative work skills.
• Ability to supervise and support continuous development of technical staff.
• Ability to be flexible and develop new cost-effective systems within the R&D cycle.
• Experience hiring, supervising, and evaluating the performance of technical development personnel, quality assurance staff, and consulting developers.

Technical Skills Desired (provide leadership and oversight):

• Strong knowledge of Web-based technologies and trends, with an emphasis on interactive learning environments.
• Solid understanding of programming techniques using varied markup languages (including HTML, SMIL, SVG).
• Understanding of advanced data representations (XML, RDF) and methods for processing structured data (XSLT, DOM, SAX)
• Knowledge of various development platforms for building rapid client-side prototypes and their relative merits.
• Knowledge of implementation issues across varied development and deployment platforms (e.g. OS: windows, Linux, Unix; CLIENTS: Mozilla, IE, Opera).

Additional Skills Desired (knowledge a plus for applicant):

• Knowledge of accessibility guidelines and implementation approaches for Web and software development (e.g. W3C WAI and Section 508 Guidelines), including integration of Assistive Technologies.
• Programming skills in Flash and other Web-based interactive components.
• Knowledge of speech technologies for speech synthesis and voice recognition, including DAISY digital talking book technologies.
• Knowledge of up-to-date Web server Open Source technologies.
• Experience with digital publishing and content management systems.
• Experience working with standards setting groups.

General Responsibilities:

• Supervise technical developers including the management of outside contractors.
• Collaboratively plan and implement approaches that address immediate requirements while positioning the organization for future innovation, growth and efficiencies.
• Oversee entire technical development process, including development of functional and technical requirements, writing of design and technical specifications, develop-ment, testing, user documentation, deployment, and customer technical support.
• Implement methods to streamline the development, testing, and deployment processes, including use of defect-tracking and source code control software and sharing of code and technical designs across projects.
• Work closely with CAST’s CTO and technical staff to develop and implement an overall architecture that can be supported by a mission driven not-for-profit.
• Provides frequent updates to COO regarding schedules and resource allocations.
• Evaluate new technologies for possible benefits regarding integration with CAST’s technology development efforts.
• Contribute to critical fundraising and grant-writing efforts

CAST is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or condition of handicap.

To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to techdevmanager@cast.org

Position Title: Professional Development Provider
Reports to: Director of Program and Services
Availability: immediate
FTE: 1

CAST Background Information: CAST believes that the most effective strategy for expanding educational opportunities for all students is through universal design for learning. Universal Design for Learning refers to the creation of educational media and methods that are usable by everyone, including individuals of all ages, whether they are gifted, are typical learners, or have special needs.

CAST advances Universal Design for Learning, producing innovative concepts, educational methods, and effective, inclusive learning technologies based on theoretical and applied research. Specifically, CAST:

• conducts applied research in universal design;
• develops and releases products that expand opportunities for learning through universal design; and
• disseminates universal design concepts through public and professional development channels.

Position Description: The successful candidate for this full time professional development position will be a member of the CAST professional development team and will plan and provide professional development to pre-k-12 and post secondary educators on local and national levels.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of three years experience as a classroom teacher, special education teacher, curriculum administrator or district administrator;
• Recent successful professional experience in professional development, teacher education, or educator coaching and training;
• Knowledge of professional development practices;
• Knowledge of on-line professional development systems;
• Successful experience conducting professional development classes and/or workshops;
• Knowledge of the issues facing students with special needs;
• Knowledge and skill of integrating technology into curriculum;
• Skilled in working on collaborative teams;
• Excellent communicator able to implement workshops, institutes, site-based consultation, and making presentations to districts, school boards, and professional groups;
• Minimum of a Masters degree in education

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and present, with the support of the professional development team, varied professional development opportunities (workshops, institutes, consultations) that help educators apply UDL to instructional practice.
• Provide consultation to schools, districts, organizations, and/or higher education institutes on a national level.
• Work with the professional development team to develop new approaches to CAST’s professional development, including on-line offerings.
• Support the follow-up of professional development clients
• Work with other CAST staff to disseminate the on-going research into new professional development offerings.
• Support the general professional development work of CAST