DCTP is hiring an IT Manager to support the development of our local wireless deployment and general organizational IT needs.
The IT manager will be supervised by DCTP’s Chief Network Engineer, Anderson Walworth, apprenticing to become a wireless engineer and community technologist while managing the IT systems within DCTP. The IT manager will work with DCTP staff, the Equitable Internet Initiative (EII) Digital Stewards, and other partners to continuously design and refine our approach to teaching technology, designing and managing systems that track our technical assets and deployments, and building technology solutions.
For this manager position, we are seeking candidates that have both technical expertise in wireless technologies and the desire to share that expertise with communities throughout Detroit. We are open to candidates with backgrounds in non-profits, startup companies, WISPs, or other relevant experience. Our goal is to hire an individual with the desire to both teach and learn our community technology practices and processes, while holding the technical expertise to help us build more efficient tracking and equipment managing systems. This position will grow to support existing networks with maintenance and outages, and to incubate new wireless networks throughout the city of Detroit. This job requires the ability to lift 40lbs, climb ladders, and occasionally work on various rooftop surfaces.
This is a Full-time position with the compensation of $50,000 and a generous benefits package. The new IT Manager must live in or be willing to relocate to Detroit, Michigan. The ideal start date is September 1, 2021.
If you believe this is the position for you, we encourage you to apply! Details about the specific responsibilities and qualifications of the job are listed below.
To apply
Please forward your resume, 2-3 references, and responses to the below questions to communitytech@alliedmedia.org by Friday, August 6, 2021. Interviews will be held Monday, August 9, and Tuesday, August 10, from 9am-4pm.
Questions
How would you define community technology and why is it important?
What would Detroit look and feel like if equitable internet was available to every resident?
How do you establish and nurture authentic relationships within your networks (family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc)?
What is your special sauce when working in a team dynamic?
About the IT Manager Role
Purpose
The Detroit Community Technology Project’s (DCTP) mission is to use and develop technology rooted in community needs that strengthens human connections to each other and the planet. Rooted in the Detroit Digital Justice Principles, we work towards demystifying technology and expanding digital literacy in our communities.
The work of DCTP has two main work areas, Data Justice and The Equitable Internet Initiative. The Equitable Internet Initiative accelerates outreach, training and wireless broadband Internet sharing on the neighborhood level in three neighborhoods in Detroit. The program’s mission is to ensure that more Detroit residents have the ability to leverage online access and digital technology for social and economic development.
By Data Justice, we mean understanding the ways in which open data - which is information and public records about government operations and services provided by the City - can be both beneficial and harmful to residents, especially to communities that have been historically criminalized. This work focuses on research related to the public perspective of safety, security, and consent in the digital landscapes.
The IT Manager will be responsible for supporting the programs of DCTP with IT needs such as the deployment and maintenance of neighborhood community wireless networks, designing tracking and mapping systems to keep equipment and wireless deployments organized, monitor network health as well as training our partners and program participants in various wireless and emerging technologies.
The IT Manager will work with the DCTP team with the following goals:
- To uphold and practice the Detroit Digital Justice Principles.
- To ensure EII networks are high-functioning and serving community need.
- To support the Chief Wireless Engineer in the design, organizing, and deployment of community wireless networks.
- To disseminate technical skills to partners and participants through community technology practices.
- To manage the overall IT needs for DCTP staff and facilities.
Responsibilities
The Detroit Community Technology Project works closely with local and national groups to build community based Internet Service Providing entities. This work relies heavily on the grace and knowledge of our IT team. DCTP focuses on working with communities that have been traditionally marginalized from or by Technology. The IT manager will be a point person for our community members and partners as well as staff in troubleshooting technical issues as well as learning new technical skills. Working closely with the Chief Network Engineer this position will be nurtured in being a wireless engineering and community technologist.
Some general responsibilities of the the IT Manager position are known at the time of this posting:
- Purchasing equipment and supplies for EII networks and DCTP technical projects
- Managing equipment inventory and distribution
- Working with EII digital stewards to ensure maps, spreadsheets, and documentation of networks are organized and maintained
- Selecting wireless equipment solutions and developing equipment lists using available budget information
- Installing and configuring monitoring and alerting platforms for each neighborhood network
- Troubleshooting EII network outages
- Supporting existing networks in designing and implementing expansion plans
- Managing EII networks’ health by gathering monthly network reports, ensuring digital stewards are up to date in maintenance techniques
- Running network reports and translating them into narratives that can be used for reporting to funders and communities.
- Supporting local networks in maintenance and installs
- Fixing technology as it breaks, or finding people to fix broken gear
- Supporting Chief Network Engineer in consulting with EII neighborhood organizations regarding the purchasing of equipment and technology needs
- Supporting Chief Network Engineer in high-level training’s, site surveys, network design and installation, and general tech support with partners as needed
- Working with Digital Stewards to troubleshoot network maintenance and issues. (you may be asked to work odd hours depending on network outage or maintenance issue timing)
Qualifications
Required
- Ability to lift 40lb
- Ability to climb ladders and work on roof tops
- Able to use spreadsheets to track information
- An enthusiasm for learning new technologies and processes
- Confident in the ability to translate technical language for non technical people
- Well organized with the ability to meet deadlines
- Ability to work collaboratively and strategically
- Ability to evaluate, learn from successes and missteps, and adapt
- Experience in wireless networking, design, and/ deployment
- Proficiency in use of Google Sheets and other Google Drive applications
Bonus
- Background in administering online content management systems or hosted services
- Experience with instructional or technical writing
- Community Organizing Experience
- Teaching Experience
- Experience as a participant in the Allied Media Conference and/or one of our Sponsored Projects
The Detroit Community Technology is a Direct Project of Allied Media Projects. Allied Media Projects is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, religion, HIV serostatus, disability, height, weight, veteran status or marital status.
About the Equitable Internet Initiative
Through the EII, we are creating the world we want to see! EII is a program of the Detroit Community Technology Project. EII supports and develops historically marginalized residents to build and maintains neighborhood-governed internet infrastructure that fosters accessibility, consent, safety, and resilience.
About the Detroit Community Technology Project
The Detroit Community Technology Project was born from a legacy of coalition work and collaboration, building on Allied Media Projects’ (AMP) nine year track record of digital media education and community technology building in Detroit. Our mission is to use and create technology rooted in community needs that strengthens neighbors’ connection to each other, and to the planet. We are a sponsored project of AMP.