Creative Technologist

About the Opportunity

JOB SUMMARY

Northeastern University is looking for a Creative Technologist to join its storytelling operation. The role focuses primarily on the design and development of Northeastern Global News (NGN), our award-winning news organization. This role invents and builds interactive storytelling experiences-multimedia features, new story formats, and data visualizations-that help audiences understand complex topics clearly and quickly. The Creative Technologist will collaborate closely with reporters, editors, photographers, videographers, and developers in a fast-moving newsroom environment, taking projects from concept through launch and helping shape how journalism is presented and experienced across NGN's digital platforms. The ideal candidate is a creative builder who can prototype quickly, iterate confidently, and ship polished work under deadline. They have a strong front-end portfolio demonstrating design excellence, storytelling instincts, and web development expertise, with a proven ability to work collaboratively across disciplines. They can translate complex ideas into clear, intuitive digital experiences with clean, well-organized code. This role requires creative ownership and hands-on technical execution while working as part of a broader digital team with shared standards, reviews, and workflows. This role reports to the Director of Digital Engagement within the Office of Communications in Northeastern's External Affairs team. Northeastern is a global research university with 14 campuses in three countries. The university's Communications strategy focuses on promoting the university, its faculty, students, and community by showcasing global leadership and innovation across the enterprise. This position is fully in-person, based on Northeastern's Boston campus. Like all positions in the Office of Communications, after-hours and weekend work are routinely required. Experience in higher education is not needed for this position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree 5-8 years of job experience Professional experience designing and building interactive digital experiences in a journalism, media, or publishing environment. A portfolio demonstrating interactive or experiential digital storytelling projects that ranges from quick turnaround work to more long-term, ambitious projects. Strong proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Working knowledge of object-oriented PHP, with the ability to read, understand, and extend existing application or component code. Familiarity with and willingness to use AI-assisted design and development tools. Strong visual and interactive design instincts, including typography, layout, motion, hierarchy, responsive design. Ability to take projects from concept to prototype to production while shaping and iterating on ideas collaboratively. Familiarity with Git/GitHub, code review processes, and modern development workflows. Ability to write clean, organized, and maintainable code. Understanding of web accessibility standards and inclusive design practices. Strong communication skills and collaborative mindset, comfortable working at a newsroom pace.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Identify stories that benefit from interactive or experiential treatment and conceptualize appropriate approaches that go beyond traditional article formats. Design and build interactive storytelling experiences from prototype through launch, working collaboratively and incorporating feedback throughout the process. Translate complex ideas, narratives, and data into clear, engaging digital experiences. Build both quick-turnaround visual elements and more complex, immersive projects. Build mobile-first, responsive, accessible experiences that follow NGN brand guidelines using HTML/CSS/JavaScript and appropriate visualization tools. Work within and extend existing systems, including object-oriented PHP-based components, following team best practices and workflows and participating in code reviews to ensure all work is maintainable and reusable. Collaborate closely with writers, editors, designers, and developers on story packaging, considering layout, image placement, typography, visual hierarchy, color, and motion. Communicate timelines, tradeoffs, and technical constraints clearly to project stakeholders. Stay current on evolving tools, techniques, and best practices in digital journalism. Job Duties Hands-on Technical Execution and Engineering Design, build and ship interactive features, data visualizations, and custom story formats using HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other visualization technologies Extend and maintain existing object-oriented PHP-based components and systems, adhering to established architectural patterns, coding standards, and workflows Write clean, maintainable and reusable code; participate in peer code reviews and technical discussions to ensure code quality and long-term maintainability Build mobile-first, responsive, and accessible experiences that meet WCAG standards and NGN brand guidelines Troubleshoot, debug and optimize performance across browsers, devices and platforms Apply emerging tools, including AI-assisted development tools, to improve efficiency, experimentation, and production workflows Interactive Storytelling & Experience Design Primary focus: conceptualization, narrative translation, and experience design informed by technical expertise Identify stories that would benefit from interactive or experiential treatment and propose appropriate technical and design approaches Translate complex narratives, data, or abstract research concepts into clear, intuitive and engaging digital formats Design interactive patterns, layouts, motions, and visual hierarchies Rapidly prototype concepts to test ideas, iterate based on feedback, and refine experiences prior to coding and launch Cross-functional Collaboration & Project Communication Work closely with reporters, editors, designers, photographers, videographers and developers throughout the lifecycle of projects Communicate timelines, technical constraints, tradeoffs, and feasibility clearly to non-technical stakeholders Balance editorial ambition with technical scope, deadlines, and available resources Contribute to shared standards, documentation, and best practices across the digital team Position Type Information Technology Additional Information Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation.

Visit https:

//hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

111

S Expected Hiring Range:

$87,785.00 - $123,998.75 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change. Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—which includes 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university's residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern's personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today's highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.