Technical Lead – Scientific Software Engineering Education

Introduction
At IBM, work is more than a job – it’s a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you’ve never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world’s most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.

Your Role and Responsibilities
Whether in the form of an AI model, a hybrid cloud capability, an API, a training pipeline, or an encryption process, software is how we compose, execute, demonstrate, share, and make usable the discoveries and emerging capabilities IBM Research creates. This software needs to be engineered well to have impact. IBM Research is building an education program to enable interested research scientists covering a broad range of skills to become professional software engineers. The person who fills the following Technical Lead role will build and direct this training program as well as other future educational initiatives.

The Role – Technical Lead – Scientific Software Engineering Education

You will lead efforts to strategically activate in areas focused on technical education and skills-based programs. You will direct a small team of content creators and trainers to build and deliver a six-month curriculum that trains expert scientists in the core principles of cloud native software engineering, covering the following general topics (subject to change):

Module 1: Cloud Engineering for Scientists

Module 2: Data Engineering for Scientists

Module 3: Machine Learning Engineering for Scientists

Module 4: Data Science for Scientists

Module 5: Internship with a Software Engineering Team

Applicants must have prior experience building and delivering training courseware, using appropriate tools for remote, on-demand delivery of content, and evaluating student progress.

Prior experience with the technologies in the “module” list, including software engineering with python, DevOps, or cloud computing with AWS, Kubernetes, and OpenShift, is desirable, but not required.

What you will do

Specific responsibilities include:

Build and provide leadership and mentoring for a team of content creators and instructors.

Work with IBM Research leadership to develop the program curriculum and the schedule for development and delivery of the curriculum to the first student “cohort”.

Work with IBM Research leadership to identify IBM-internal mentors to serve as courseware reviewers and part-time “teaching assistants” (TAs).

Identify third-party training modules for part or all of the curriculum.

Design and lead the creation of training modules as required for the rest of the curriculum or other future programming.

Design and lead the creation of a certification process.

Oversee delivery of training modules, including identifying and resolving issues encountered.

Managing the cohort of students, from initial sign-up to module completion to final certification.

Lead and support innovative educational initiatives with partners and communities around the world.

Promote broad awareness and understanding of the interplay between software engineering and science.

Work with minimal supervision and guide the training team as required to deliver high-quality work in an efficient manner.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise
BS/BA degree in a technical or education field, or equivalent experience.

3+ years of experience developing and delivering online courseware, including video, audio, and written content (such as slideware), exercises and quizzes, and student evaluations.

Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize, and multi-task in a fast paced and agile environment to meet deadlines and adjust based on feedback and problems encountered.

Effective written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.

Leadership skills such as empathy, organization, the ability to guide and motivate others and to address the problems they encounter.

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise
Any of the following additional skills are desirable, but not essential.

Prior experience in a leadership/management role.

3+ years of experience in a professional software engineering or scientific research role.

Experience developing software with popular language environments such as Python, Go, or JavaScript.

Experience with cloud-native environments, such as AWS (S3, lambda, CloudTrails, etc) or other cloud vendors.

Experience with Kubernetes or OpenShift.

Experience with DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) processes required to build Software as a Service (SaaS) products.

Experience in a data science or data engineering environment.

Experience with AI/ML, Quantum Computing, or High Performance Computing (HPC).