Senior Creative Technologist

Location                      Amsterdam

Salary                         € 4.361,31 to € 6.114,87 (Schaal 11)

Contract                      Temporary contract, with the possibility to prolong

At Digital Society School (DSS), we believe that technology can help create a more inclusive, sustainable, and engaging society. Our mission is to empower the next generation of changemakers by combining hands-on learning with impactful collaborations that address societal challenges.
 
1.    Through our learning program, we bring in talented trainees from around the world and connect them with partners facing real-world challenges. Over the course of a semester, trainees work on these challenges, creating prototypes and presenting their solutions in a showcase. These projects aim to deliver tangible results, working toward a better future.
2.    Beyond the learning program, DSS also offers consultancy services in creative technology, e-learning, co-creation, and workshops. We work closely with our partners to co-create, design, test, and develop solutions that contribute to digital innovation and transformation. Partners can engage in multiple trainee projects and leverage our creative technology team to further improve outcomes and enhance their project impact.
 
Our collaborations span a diverse network of organizations, from local institutions to global enterprises, and focus on creating meaningful change. While we are rooted in Amsterdam, our community and reach extend across five continents, with partners including ING, Heineken, UNHCR, and many others.
 
At DSS, we continuously experiment with emerging technologies to explore how they can drive positive impact in both business and society. Whether it's through our learning programs, consulting projects, or collaborative events, we aim to be a catalyst for societal progress.

The role
The Senior Creative Technologist will play an essential role in developing our DSS’s Creative Technology team, a small and adaptable group working on a variety of projects that range from internal initiatives to collaborations with partners both within and outside of HvA. You will work closely with the project manager and fellow technologist(s) to bring creative ideas to life through a combination of hands-on development and design.
 
The work is diverse, including tasks such as: 
•    (Rapid)Prototyping new tools for partners,
•    Experimenting with emerging technologies to enhance the team’s capabilities,
•    Business development within HvA for project and collaboration opportunities,
•    Providing technical and creative guidance to our trainee teams and ensuring the high quality of their projects.

While you’ll be directly involved in the technical and design aspects of projects, you’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to the long-term development of the team, helping to create a foundation that supports future growth. 

Key Responsibilities:
•    Technical & Creative Guidance 
•    Design & User Experience Oversight 
•    Hands-on Design & Development 
•    Mentorship & Skill Development 
•    Innovation & Experimentation: Lead the team’s efforts in exploring emerging technologies such as AI/ML, VR/AR, and encourage experimentation.
•    Collaboration with Project Manager 
•    Entrepreneurial mindset: Identifying new project opportunities, foster partnerships, and contribute to business development.

Core Skills & Experience:
•    Proficient in front-end development technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and modern frameworks like React or Vue.js. Some experience with back-end technologies (Node.js, Python) is preferred.
•    Expert in using rapid prototyping tools like Figma to create proof-of-concept models quickly. Able to translate ideas into working prototypes across web, mobile, and interactive platforms.
•    Strong knowledge of user experience and interaction design principles. Capable of reviewing and refining designs to create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces.
•    Emerging Technologies Expertise: Experience with or strong interest in emerging technologies such as AI, VR/AR, and immersive media. Able to experiment with new tech and bring innovative solutions to projects.
•    Skilled at breaking down complex challenges and offering creative, practical solutions. Adept at balancing technical constraints with creative vision to produce effective outcomes.
•    Comfortable working with a small, dynamic team and mentoring team members. Collaborating with the project manager, offering expert insights.

Secondary Skills (Nice-to-Have):
•    Data Visualization: Familiarity with data visualization tools (D3.js, Chart.js) to create compelling visual stories when needed.
•    Game Development: Basic understanding of game engines (Unity, Unreal Engine) or gamification principles could be beneficial for specific projects.

Your perks 
•    A gross monthly salary between € 4.361,31 and € 6.114,87 (Hay profile Ontwikkelaar ICT 2, salary scale 11 of the higher education collective labour agreement), based on a full-time appointment and depending on education and experience.
•    A year-end allowance of 8.3% and a holiday allowance of 8% of your gross annual salary. 
•    428 holiday hours per year with a 40-hour working week.
•    Entitlement to various types of leave, such as (un)paid parental leave, care leave, adoption and foster care leave and various other arrangements.
•    A travel allowance for your commute, an NS-Business Card, your own AUAS bicycle or a tax incentive to purchase your own bicycle. If you are unable to use personal or public transport to travel to work, e.g. because of a disability, we will look at other possibilities together. 
•    Plenty of development opportunities, via our own AUAS Academy and the online courses of Good Habitz.
•    Discounts on various facilities, such as books, cultural courses, soft- and hardware and a number of insurances. 
•    A strong focus on your job satisfaction, work-life balance and vitality.  For example, you can participate in various sports activities for AUAS staff or via the USC sport center. You can also visit our (career) coaches and use various online tools to benefit your mental health.
•    A good pension scheme via the ABP pension fund.
•    A laptop and smartphone on loan. A monthly internet allowance.
•    Last but not least: a chance to work in a dynamic and pleasant environment with wonderful colleagues. You and your colleagues can also get together outside work, in one of our communities such as HvAPride, HvA Alumni, HvA United, JongHvA and FEM IT.

Become our new Senior Creative Technologist
•    Upload your CV and letter of motivation via the application button before 22 November 2024. We will get back to you within two to three weeks, so keep an eye on your inbox. 
•    Would you like to know more about the position before you apply? Zeynep Yavuz, Projectmanager Creative Technology, can tell you all about it. Send an email to z.yavuz@hva.nl. 
•    For more information about the application procedure, you can send an email to vacatures@hva.nl. 
•    This vacancy has been published simultaneously internally and externally. In the event of equivalent suitability, internal candidates will be given preference over external candidates; 
•    We apply the AUAS Job Application Code to this vacancy’s recruitment and selection process. No (recruitment) agencies please.

Creating tomorrow at the Faculty Digital Media and Creative Industry / Digital Society School

More about Digital Society School: www.digitalsocietyschool.org

Talent as our foundation, diversity as our strength

Can you imagine how dynamic that enormous diversity of personalities, backgrounds and perspectives is? Important too, because we believe that it is precisely thanks to that diversity that we perform better as an employer and a university of applied sciences of and for the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. We aim to see Amsterdam's diversity reflected in our workforce. And to be an organisation where every employee and student feels welcome, valued and at home. So whoever you are: you are most welcome!