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Digital Accessibility Specialist

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN,USA

Job ID 369638

About the Job
Please note, we are not offering H-1B or Green Card sponsorship for this position. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

The University of Minnesota is committed to fostering local talent through employment opportunities. While this position utilizes a remote modality, prospective applicants must be located either in the state of Minnesota or near the Wisconsin border or otherwise open to relocation.

Position Overview:
This Digital Accessibility Specialist position within the Office of Digital Accessibility supports the University's commitment to providing accessible digital experiences for all individuals. The Academic Technology team provides a variety of functions focused on advancing the teaching and learning, research, and outreach missions of the University through thoughtful application of technology. This specialist will report to the Manager of Academic Technology and will be a part of one or more cross-functional teams in a matrix-managed organization. They will play a key role in enhancing and advancing the accessibility of web resources, IT tools, and digital learning materials. This includes evaluating, sourcing, and procuring accessible vendor products and ensuring compliance with relevant accessibility standards and laws.

Responsibilities:

Digital Accessibility Analysis and Implementation: Lead analysis, design, implementation, and testing efforts to improve the accessibility of University-designed web applications, software, and vendor products. Collaborate with IT teams and stakeholders to provide expert guidance on accessibility best practices and solutions.
Vendor Product Review: Evaluate vendor products for accessibility compliance and contribute to IT procurement processes. When accessibility gaps are identified, propose alternative solutions and collaborate with vendors, buyers, and department representatives to ensure equitable access.
Sourcing and Procurement: Define and integrate accessibility requirements and responsibilities into procurement bids and contracts processes. Monitor vendor compliance with contractual requirements related to accessibility. Partner with team members and internal stakeholders to prioritize accessible digital resource acquisitions..
Standards and Compliance: Monitor and drive progress to ensure digital learning materials and online experiences meet accessibility standards and regulations. Partner with University stakeholders to align the University’s digital presence and IT infrastructure with compliant W3C WCAG standards, ADA, Section 504, and other accessibility-related laws. Oversee the evaluation of vendor solutions to document compliance with the University’s accessibility policy and generate reports detailing progress for the advancement of digital accessibility.
Training and Support: Assist with and support training sessions, workshops, and webinars on accessibility guidelines, standards, and best practices. Provide direct assistance to staff and faculty in accessibility production and the creation of instructional materials.
Qualifications
*Please document qualifications on resume*

Required Qualifications

BA/BS plus at least two years of experience in digital accessibility, education, academic technology, instructional design, or a related field, or master's degree.
Experience sourcing and procuring technology resources.
Experience using and testing assistive technologies, including screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech-to-text applications.
Working Knowledge with digital accessibility audit and quality assurance tools and processes.
Knowledge of disability law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Effective written and oral communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field (web development/design, information technology, computer science, human-computer interaction) and four years of experience in digital/IT accessibility analysis and implementation; OR six years of experience in digital/IT accessibility analysis and implementation with an unrelated Bachelor’s degree.
1+ years of experience with web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and ARIA).
1+ years of experience with WCAG accessibility standards and guidelines application and adherence.
Experience working in a higher education environment.
Experience integrating accessibility requirements into sourcing and procuring technology resources process.
Experience with web accessibility testing tools like PopeTech, Deque WorldSpace Comply, Siteimprove, etc.
Experience evaluating and responding to accessibility compliance reports, such as VPATs.
Experience assessing digital instructional materials that adhere to accessibility standards (WCAG 2.x, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, WAI-ARIA, UAAG, and ATAG).
Experience teaching or training users (instructors, staff, students) on effective uses of technologies.
Knowledge of designing and testing methodologies on multiple platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android).
Demonstrated expertise with web-based standards such as WCAG 2.2 and ePub3.
Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) Certification.
Experience working with third parties to improve support for digital accessibility (e.g., through product accessibility roadmaps).

Salary Range: $72000 - $82000

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