Digital Accessibility Consulting Engineer

Job Description:

Do you have a passion for being part of an expanding team that will build a culture of inclusion for those with disabilities? Are you an advocate for digital accessibility? Do you possess the talent to educate and technically consult others in adopting and developing accessible solutions?

At Stanford University, we make accessibility a priority. The Stanford Online Accessibility Program (SOAP) seeks a Digital Accessibility Consulting Engineer who will support and expand on the successes of the current office with the aim of uplifting the culture of digital accessibility across the institution. This is a tremendous opportunity to be a part of a growing team and elevate the program.

As a Digital Accessibility Consulting Engineer in SOAP, reporting into University IT, you will,

Provide technical expertise to the university community on procuring, producing and providing accessible digital assets and services, including web, mobile and native applications, pdf, and online documents.
Serve in an accessibility audit role for vendor provided websites and applications, as well as evaluate the accessibility of external platforms that host institutional content.
Use your creativity and strategery to provide technical consultation and support to community members for increasing their own digital accessibility muscles. Assist in interpreting and understanding accessibility standards and remediation as well as developing and delivering education and training on digital accessibility topics.
Help us show and celebrate our continued and sustained progress by defining metrics and methods to best audit our digital assets to ensure that we are effectively implementing our policies and doing the right thing.
With support from our legal office, evaluate when we need to quickly improve and assist our community in remediating assets.
Show your love for online technologies and stay tuned into industry trends and how these emerging technologies can support our community with disabilities, as well as how they may need to be adjusted so that our community has equal access.
Be excited to contribute to reports, articles, presentations and training materials so we can scale our knowledge and increase the culture of accessibility at Stanford.


Education & experience:
Bachelor’s degree and four years of audit, privacy, compliance or other relevant experience in higher education, health care, research-based non-profit organizations, or government contracting or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

Advanced knowledge and application of accessibility best practices, per W3C WAI guidelines and specifications (WCAG, WAI-ARIA etc.), Section 508 and other evolving accessibility standards.
3+ years of experience with accessibility testing and remediation. Experience with assistive technologies (e.g., JAWS, VoiceOver, Dragon, others). Experience performing accessibility audits using technologies built into mainstream devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets.
Ability to quickly learn and assess new technologies, digital tools and platforms for accessibility compliance and impact.
Understand accessibility documentation provided by vendors, such as a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) and determine accessibility level of products.
Knowledge of accessibility regulations as applied to higher education, desired.
Committed to client satisfaction: exceptional skills in collaboration, consultation, communication, client support and analysis.
Demonstrated experience in designing, developing, testing, and deploying accessible applications.
Demonstrated experience in communicating accessibility best practices as well as developing and delivering education and training on digital accessibility topics.
Ability to define and solve logical problems for highly technical applications.
Ability to select, adapt, and effectively use a variety of programming methods.
Ability to recognize and recommend needed changes in user and/or operations procedures.
Ability to work in a busy environment and on your own initiative, be self-motivated and flexible.



Physical requirements*:

Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.
Frequently stand/walk, sitting, grasp lightly/fine manipulation.
Rarely writing by hand, use a telephone.
Rarely lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh 11-20 pounds.
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.


Working conditions:

May work extended hours or weekends.
This position is eligible for full-time remote work from any location in the US and may require periodic visits to campus once travel restrictions are lifted.


Stanford University’s commitment to safely and effectively meet the public health challenge presented by COVID-19 extends to ensuring University employees may work from home, or another off-site location, where determined appropriate, whenever necessary through the end of the 2020 calendar year. The department will give reasonable notice when employees are expected to return to work at the Redwood City campus.

Who We Are
The Stanford Online Accessibility Program is part of University Information Technology (UIT), a 600-person strong organization supporting 100+ services for Stanford. We are committed to assuring that online information is accessible to everyone. Our community is a wide range of administrators, content creators, designers, and developers, whom we want to support in the procuring, preparing and providing of accessible solutions to Stanford. We support faculty members, staff, and students, in understanding why online accessibility matters and how they can make a difference.

We’re located in Redwood City. Our new Stanford Redwood City campus is open and brings together 2,700 staff in a collaborative environment that reflects Stanford’s culture and mission. The campus offers amenities such as onsite cafes and a dining pavilion, a high-end fitness facility with an outdoor pool, and a childcare center. As part of our telecommute options, we have Stanford locations in San Francisco, Newark and San Jose and a supportive work-anywhere program for our team members.

Why Stanford is for You
Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enrich the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:

Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or audit a course. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.
A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.
A healthier you. Climb our rock wall or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits.
Discovery and fun. Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.
Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more!


How to Apply
We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button. To be considered, please submit your résumé and a cover letter along with your online application.