Research Assistant (EMHR)

Position Summary:

Seeking a skilled web developer to join an academic team in the Department of Electrical and Computer creating software and hardware tools for people who are blind or low vision, as part of a funded grant running through mid-2022.

Primary Responsibilities:
Improve web accessibility by creating a multimodal audio and haptic system that represents web graphics, including tables, charts, and maps.  To support this goal, the developer will design and implement both a server and a browser plug-in which will connect the output of various machine learning tools to a rendering layer for audio and/or haptic effects. The browser extension will provide real-time dynamic overlay of the website contents, taking non-accessible images and replacing these with an accessible interface with description provided by our server. The project will be open-sourced and ideally have a fully modular API for others to expand on and develop.  As such, strong knowledge and experience with software architectures is imperatives. Preference will be given to applicants with a proven track record, demonstrating relevant development skills to the project.

Other Qualifying Skills and/or Abilities:

• CI/CD deployment to local and cloud servers
• Code review with junior developers
• Open source development
• Technical leadership
• Linux server
• Docker
• JavaScript/TypeScript and Node.js
• Python
• REST APIs
• Familiarity with web technologies/APIs (e.g., Web Audio)
• Familiarity with ML frameworks, e.g., PyTorch
• Familiarity with browser extension development

Minimum Education and Experience:

Bachelor's Degree 3 Years Related Experience /

Annual Salary:

(MPEX Grade 05) $64,210.00 - $96,310.00

Hours per Week:

20 (Part time)

Supervisor:

Professor

Position End Date (If applicable):

03/31/2022

Deadline to Apply:

10/08/2021

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [email protected] .