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I am hiring a full-time RB developer to take over development and architecture of 2 major RB apps. One is a desktop app that we will be porting to a web app. One is a desktop app that has HTTP server functionality. We will take that slice of the app (a translations QA Checker) and rebuild it as a headless server app, running on linux. Both apps will be integrated with a commercial translation management system (TMS) via a SOAP/WSDL API. There are also a variety of small scripts and things that need to be maintained and authored to support the translations team. Most are currently in Perl, but we could agree on a different scripting language if you prefer, and it's workable.

This is a corporate environment (Medtronic is the world's largest manufacturer of medical devices), but you will be working with a small, pretty unique group here (Minneapolis) and with our colleagues in the Netherlands.

This project is already approved and funded. It is a 2 year project, and I can't promise anything beyond that at this point, but my goal is to make this a contract-to-hire, permanent position.

If you know someone you think might be interested, please pass this on. I can also send a PDF of the job description, contact me through here (I don't log in here all that often, but will try over next few weeks to check once a day), or through gts_jobs@medtronic.com.

Micah Bly
Localization Manager
Medtronic Translations
Medtronic, Inc.

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Job Description

Title: ATOM Principal IT Developer
Part-Time / Full-Time: Full-Time
Employee / Contractor: Contractor
Length: 2 Years
Location: Minneapolis, MN USA
Contact: gts_jobs@medtronic.com

Main Purpose of Job
Responsible for the architecture, system design, implementation, maintenance, and evolution of the MDT Portal and MDT QA Checker components of the ATOM (Advanced Translation for One Medtronic) System. Responsible for designing, managing, and maintaining the integration between the MDT Portal web application, MDT QA Checker Server, XTM TM Server, memoQ Translation Editor, and other components of the ATOM system. Performs unit testing and documentation of ATOM System software and other software used by Medtronic Translations department. Develops miscellaneous single-purpose scripts and applications to support Medtronic Translations department.


Main Job Duties/Responsibilities
User requirements – Understands ATOM user requirements as documented
Software methodology – Selects the software development languages and tools used by the ATOM team.
Software design – Works with the ATOM Business Analyst to understand users’ needs, design software to meet these needs, and prototype software designs as needed to confirm functionality. Primary development platform is REAL Software REAL Studio. MDT Portal is a web application, MDT QA Checker is a UI-less server application.
Unit testing – Performs unit testing of ATOM system software, to ensure that the software meets the requirements as documented and does not cause regressions or unintended consequences.
Integration testing – Quickly corrects any errors discovered during integration testing of ATOM system software.
Validation testing – Quickly corrects any errors discovered during validation testing of ATOM system software.
Documentation – Ensures that complete and accurate documentation (e.g. ATOM System Design document) is created as needed for ATOM system software for each ATOM release. Does not write user documentation.


Job Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge/Education:
B.S. in Computer Science or related field or equivalent experience

Job Experience:
7 years of experience in architecting and developing software tools
2 years of experience in creating and deploying web apps
1 year of experience in using SOAP or other WSDLs

Skills/Competencies:
Ability to develop, document, and unit test complex systems software
Demonstrated expertise in software development methodologies and tool use. This includes software development planning, strategy, estimation and scheduling, aligning development schedule with overall project schedule, and delivery of software to schedule.
Experience developing complex, web-based software applications
Excellent communication skills (both written and oral)
Experience and skills in understanding requirements, developing software, and unit testing of software to requirements
Experience with object-oriented programming languages (e.g. C#, VB.NET, Java)
Experience with scripting languages (e.g. Perl, UNIX shell scripts, etc.)
Experience with SQL language and relational databases
Experience with UNIX shell scripting, system environments, and file systems
Extensive experience working with complex regular expressions
Experience with Microsoft Windows client environments
Experience with publishing systems, markup languages, and localization

PREFERENCES

Knowledge/Education:
Additional coursework or experience in software development (methodologies and tools)

Skills/Competencies:
Experience with complex products, especially electronic products and/or medical devices
Demonstrated expertise in process thinking and automation bias
Experience in and familiarity with audit compliance process in a highly regulated environment
Experience in an international organization
Experience with XML publishing tools (e.g. editing and publishing software, command languages, DTDs, FOSIs, XSL-FO)
Experience developing project management software
Experience with business reports and reporting tools
Experience with RealBasic programming
Experience with translation profession and tools
Supporting processes and tools in a translation environment
Experience with XLIFF
Experience with SRX and/or other segmentation methods
Knowledge of translation memory and other computer-assisted-translation (CAT) tools
Experience developing file filters for CAT tools
Experience supporting or developing translation quality checking tools

Physical Requirements: None

Update: this is now posted to the Medtronic contracting agencies. I also posted it on Craigslist (Minneapolis):
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/s ... 86423.html

We are looking to complete interviews, select candidate, and start work by June 10, so if you are interested, please send in a resume and cover letter. This is a "Principal" position at Medtronic, so the compensation is quite good. In terms of mechanics, if you apply through Medtronic directly (see link on Craigslist), we'll set you up as a contractor through one of our "pass-through" agencies. They will send you paychecks. We would cover the employer-side social security/etc., so it's not like being a sole proprietor where you have to pay both sides. You can also get health insurance through the agency if you want.

It is also a position where the right person can really take a lot of ownership over the direction of software development at Medtronic Translations. FYI, you would be working with a business analyst, a QA tester, a project leader (me), a local European support person, one external vendor (XTM, provider of TM system we integrate with). The primary application (and most scripts, etc.) supports about 60 people, the QA Checker application will be supporting those 60 people plus a few hundred freelance translators around the world.

Several people have asked about telecommuting, and my response is this: in the beginning especially, it's going to be very important to have in-person, tight communication. There is quite a lot of brain-dump that needs to happen, plus training on translation requirements, on what we're doing, etc. For the right person, we do have models where a developer works from the other side of the world, but that isn't possible right off the bat. Also, this is initially a contract position because of how the project is set up, but it is my goal (can't promise of course) to make this a permanent position and transfer all ownership of software design/architecture/coding for Medtronic Translations to the person hired.

I also had a few queries about whether a company could fill this role. My response is that I'm looking for someone to be here for the long-term, and make a home here (Medtronic Translations). Yes, we *could* outsource the specific tool development work to another company, but we don't just want code out of this, we want a technical leader to provide design input and vision for the long-term.