AudienceView: Scrum Master

AudienceView is looking for a Scrum Master:

We are seeking an exceptionally talented Scrum Master who will provide effective collaboration, facilitation, leadership, and coaching skills supporting the development of our ticketing software application. You are someone with a software development and leadership background.
We need an individual that puts the team before themselves. You will be responsible for enforcing the rules of Scrum, removing impediments from their team while promoting self-management and constantly improving our standards of work.

• Organize and facilitate project planning, daily stand-up meetings, reviews, retrospectives, sprint and release planning, demos and other Scrum-related meetings
• Track and communicate team velocity and sprint/release progress
• Guide and support teams in ongoing adoption of agile principles and practices (e.g. ATDD, TDD, continuous integration)

AudienceView is also hiring for other roles, if you’d be a better fit for: Senior Software Developer, Intermediate Software Developer, Deployment Engineer, Business Analyst, QA Analyst, Technical Writer.

The Good
AudienceView is clearly doing well enough to be hiring in a lot of roles.  Ticketing is well-traveled, but I think still fairly ripe for disruption.  And it looks to me as if they’re pretty serious about being an Agile / Scrum business.  They’ve gotten far enough to integrate the language in with the job posting, which is more than a lot of companies.  They also seem to have leadership with strong industry expertise.

AudienceView also has a clean website; it doesn’t scream ticketing to me, but it’s clearly had some design, and it’s well above average.  It also looks like they’re at least somewhat aware of social media, with clearly-identified Facebook and Twitter.

The Bad
TicketMaster has done a bad job of retaining a solid public image.  I hope the leadership from TicketMaster won’t make the same mistake.

I’ve also seen a lot of companies that pay lip service to agile, but neuter it in all the ways that I deem important.  I don’t get that vibe from this posting, but it’s something that anyone serious about Agile would want to do more research on during the interviews.

What’s Missing?
There’s very little detail on their technology stack.  Their website talks about it being built on web technologies, but the only language mentioned in the posting is C++.  Their website implies they have a large set of products.  If that’s true, which ones will you be working with?  What’s the size and composition of the team?   The posting basically only talks about the industry they’re in, and the details of what a Scrum Master is likely to do (with which most qualified candidates would already be familiar).

The Location
They’re located at Adelaide and John, in the heart of the club district.  Reasonably close to the subway and Union station, accessible from two streetcar lines.  There’s lots to eat and do in the area.  Basically, it’s a pretty good area to work and play, and not so far off the main transit lines.  If you were coming in by car, it’s not a wonderful place to park, but that’s true of most of the downtown core.

In Summary
If you’re really into Agile and you want a company that takes Agile seriously, it’s probably worth talking to AudienceView in more detail, learning a little more about what they’re up to.

Qualcomm: Multimedia Systems Hardware Architect

Qualcomm is looking for a Multimedia Systems Hardware Architect:

The successful candidate will work in a multi-site team of hardware and software designers and architects defining next-generation Multimedia systems for world-class handheld solutions.  The Multimedia Hardware Architect is expected to perform the following tasks:

. Work closely with engineering and marketing teams to analyze and define detailed chip requirements
. Collaborate with HW teams to create, own and document re-usable micro-architectures for data-movement system infrastructure components
. Develop system multimedia candidate architectures to achieve optimal performance in areas including bus and memory architectures, processor subsystems, and power utilization.
. Perform analysis and simulation of Multimedia use-cases (video, camera, display, audio and graphics) and apply results to improve system performance
. Validate multimedia platform architecture via modeling and simulation

The Good
Rare work in Toronto.  Working in the interaction between mobile, hardware and media, definitely a growth area and an area that has a certain amount of interest to it.  Qualcomm is a supplier to a lot of significant mobile phone makers, so you might have an opportunity to be involved in some pretty interesting hardware discussions.   It’s also interesting that they’re looking for someone with good presentations skills, so the role is not only a technical one.

The Bad
The initial problem is that most of you probably don’t have the right background for this role.   The location may be a problem for some of you.  But fundamentally, if this is the work you’re interested in, I’m not sure there are going to be a lot of alternatives in the area, so there aren’t really that many bad points here.

What’s Missing?
Who would you be working with?  Are you going to be working across Qualcomm product lines, or for a specific product line, chipset, handset — and if so, what product?  What’s the compensation like?  What’s the location?

YMMV
Your mileage may vary when it comes to working in Markham.  For some, it’s close to home, for others it’s impossibly far and out of the way.

The Location
Qualcomm has an office up by Buttonville Airport / Markham / 404 & Hwy 7, and it sounds like that’s the location for this job.  It’s a common spot for tech work, but if you’re not already in North Toronto or east of the city (e.g. Pickering) and used to commuting, it’s probably pretty far out of the way.

In Summary
As with the other Qualcomm job, if this is the work you’re interested in, then you’re probably already filing your resume in your head so that you can at least learn more about the opportunity.  If this isn’t the work you’re interested in and qualified for, then you’ve only read this far because, like me, you find it interesting in an academic sort of way.

Qualcomm: WebKit Rendering Lead

Qualcomm is looking for a WebKit Rendering Lead:

Our Web Technologies team is looking for candidates who have a passion for enhancing the web experience with rich multimedia and graphics. Extend your experience in audio, video, imaging, and graphics technologies as you accelerate the web with HTML5, Javascript, browser plugins (Flash) and CSS. We are preferably looking for ‘webkit committer’ or ‘webkit reviewer’ who can take a lead role optimizing WebKit eye candy.

As a member of the Web Technologies team you will be involved in creating the next generation mobile web experience by leading an engineering team to design and optimize the WebKit rendering engine for power and performance. Build open web standards (W3C) into the Webkit engine using open multimedia and graphics standards such as Khronos OpenMax IL, OpenVG, and OpenGL ES. Realize your innovations by collaboratively integrating the solution with product, systems and integration teams

The Good
WebKit has been a leading browser engine for some time now — it’s the engine at the core of Chrome, Safari, iPhone and Android.  HTML is increasingly moving into supporting more rich experiences, and it sounds like you’d be working on the leading edge of that.  If you’re already a committer or reviewer, it sounds like you’d have a big leg up, and this would be a chance to get paid to do something you might currently be doing as hobby.  This is also the kind of work that is pretty difficult to find in Toronto, in my experience.

The Bad
Although a job doing WebKit work is pretty  exciting, if that’s your goal, you might prefer doing Android/WebKit in Waterloo, Safari/iPhone WebKit in Cupertino, or Chrome/WebKit in Mountain View(?).  While you’ll be working on a leading browser engine and a leading area of that browser engine, you won’t be working for one of the most exciting companies in that area.  Qualcomm’s interest in this is probably LiMo, although you’d have to talk to them to get a better sense of what they’re doing and why.  Still, that isn’t a massive downside.

What’s Missing?
Almost everything other than the work.  What does Qualcomm get out of WebKit dev, is this to power LiMo, or for some other reason?  What’s the compensation like?  Who would you be working with at Qualcomm, on what team, in what division, and how many of the other people are in Toronto?  Where’s this office located?

YMMV
Your mileage might vary when it comes to the location, or to some of the specifics that Qualcomm has thoughtfully left out of the posting, but if this is the kind of work you want to do, you’ll probably be talking to Qualcomm anyway.

The Location
It looks to be at Qualcomm’s office up by Buttonville Airport / Markham / 404 & Hwy 7.  This is a common tech area, but it’s definitely “out of the way” for people who aren’t already up north of the city, or highway-commuting from the east end.

In Summary
There are probably two categories of people who would read this posting.  Those who have the interest and experience to find this a really interesting opportunity and those who don’t.  In the former case, you’re probably going to want to lwarn more no matter what I say. In the latter case, you might find the posting interesting, but you probably can’t get the job even if you wanted it, so it’s only interesting in passing, and you’ve already moved on.

Toronto Tech Jobs Meetup

I’ve been talking with a few people about having a Toronto Tech Jobs meetup.  At the moment, I’m most interested in getting a bunch of tech contractors/freelancers together, since I’ve been doing contract work and I’m curious to “talk shop” with other contractors.  That said, I don’t think I’m inclined to limit the event to contractors this time around, simply because it’ll be the inaugural event, and, frankly, if there are lots of people looking for full-time work who want to talk about that, then I’m all for that happening too.

In order to get a better sense of who’d be interested, where and when it makes sense to hold it, I’ve put up a form.

This might have to wait for slightly better weather, but I’d rather get the process moving now.

Reconsidering Direct Leap

I’ve mentioned Direct Leap before, as some of you will remember.  Recently, Simon Rowland of Direct Leap has posted to the comment threads in previous posts and sent me a few emails to try and share his side of the story, and I’ve been doing some re-examination of what I know, what others have said, and what I’ve said, and it seems worth trying again to be as clear as I can.  It’s hard to be really clear in this scenario, because I don’t know much and what I’ve heard is both suspect and confidential.

What I Know
Nothing.  I haven’t worked with Direct Leap or Simon personally.  I’ve heard several stories from both sides now, and I don’t have anywhere near enough evidence to form an opinion, let alone suggest that the matter is clear.

What I’ve Heard
I have heard a caution from more than one source that claims to have had dealings with Direct Leap that didn’t go well.  Each of these sources has talked to me claiming that they hope I can protect others from going through the same.  It’s motivated by that desire that I’ve been moved to talk about a subject about which I know nothing.

Simon Rowlands, acting on behalf of Direct Leap, argues, as you might expect, that these sources aren’t to be trusted and may be suspect in motive.  Perhaps more interestingly, I’ve also heard from another unrelated source that it’s not black and white and that there’s enough blame to go around, and that potential sources might also have axes to grind.

What I’ve Said
Mostly, I’ve just tried to communicate that I’ve heard some things that give me pause, and that if you’re considering working with Direct Leap, you should do your research.  I’ve used a lot more words than that, but I hope that’s what it comes down to.

Bias
It’s true that everyone in this mess is probably biased in some way, the more so the more directly they’re connected.  Even though I’m not connected in any tangible way, I’m trying to err on the side of the candidate, since that’s really why I’m talking about Tech Jobs in Toronto.  That is itself a bias, though, and one that factors into my willingness to say anything at all, but also something to bear in mind when considering Direct Leap.

What Does That All Mean?
Not a lot.  This is the breakdown, as I see it:

• I’ve heard some negative things thrown towards Direct Leap and towards people who once worked for direct leap in some way.
• I don’t have any evidence or first-hand knowledge with which to confirm or deny the things I’ve heard.
• Business relationships can be complicated and messy, particularly when things go wrong.
• Most of the people involved in this discussion has a bias and an agenda, even if they don’t mean to.

What am I not suggesting?

• That I recommended that anyone should definitely work for, or not work for, Direct Leap.
• That Direct Leap is a good or bad employer.

What am I suggesting?

• Anyone considering working for Direct Leap should try and do research before getting too involved.
• Talk to your friends, put out feelers and find out what you can.
• Talk to the company, talk to past employees and contractors, if you can find them.
• Frankly, that’s the same advice I’d give you about any company you’re considering working for.

I’m not sure I can be any more clear than that.  As always, I’m happy for Friends and Foes of Direct Leap to get their words in edgewise below, because my opinion, even when I don’t have one, is not the only word in the subject.  Similarly, if you have a question that I can answer, I’ll give it a crack.

I’m also going to go back over what I’d written previously and make sure I haven’t erred to much in one direction or another, but I consider this to be the most complete statement on the subject anyway.

Tucows: Sr. Ruby Engineer

Tucows is looking for a Sr. Ruby Engineer:

Work as part of a small Agile team (2-3 developers) to deliver and improve RoR/AJAX/DHTML/Javascript based systems and interfaces that help us meet our business objectives and support an excellent customer experience.

The Good
Tucows is a pretty well-known company, and you can get a glimpse into their finances (they seem to be doing well enough).  They imply they’re small enough that you can make an impact:

We’re a small team with a big mission. Come prepared to hit above your weight.
We believe in taking the time to do it properly while working in a real-time environment. Launch, learn and iterate is favored over taking too long to find the perfect answer.

There are also not a ton of Ruby jobs in this town, so if you’re really into Ruby, there’s no point in leaving stones unturned.

You can also get a little view into Tucows from reading Joey DeVilla’s blog (or go talk to him at one of the many events he attends in town).

What’s Missing?
A fair amount.  What exactly would you be working on?  What are tucows online retail services applications?  What are the other team members like, and what’s their experience with Ruby on Rails?  What’s the compensation like?  Is this at the 96 Mowat location?   What’s the office and work environment like?  What are the challenging problems you’d solve in Tucows retail services applications?  Is it likely that you’ll be proud describing retail services applications, as they suggest?  How do they empower the developers to be creative?

There’s a lot of information in the posting, but most of it just raises more questions for me.

YMMV
My mileage would definitely vary with this location; that won’t be true for everyone.  It’s not bad if you can get on the gardiner or the lakeshore without too much effort, but there’ll still be days when traffic is evil, and there isn’t really free parking in the area.

The Location
Probably in the King/Dufferin area:

View Larger Map

Parkdale has its moments, there’s some good food around, but if you’re not somewhere in the area already, it’s pretty far west for a TTC commute.

In Summary
If you’re interested in doing Ruby on Rails, it’s probably worth talking to Tucows about this position.   Otherwise, I’m not sure there’s enough of the right kind of information to really draw me in.

Direct Leap Anecdote

Last time I posted a job that Direct Leap was offering, I got some feedback that implied that any interested parties should be wary.  Someone else has contacted me recently with the same warning.  Both have offered specific details, some of which I’ve been asked not to get into, and, in fact, since I’m only hearing one side of the argument, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to present a viewpoint that I haven’t corroborated in detail.

That said, I think it’s fair to say that when you hear a number of troubling stories from different people about the same company, it’s troubling sign.  Anyone considering taking a job or doing some work with Direct Leap would do well to do your research, talk to people who’ve worked with or for them, reach out to your networks or search LinkedIn, or whatever it takes to get more information.  For that matter, if you really can’t find anything and you’re desperate to learn more, get in touch with me and I’ll try and put you in touch with people who might be willing to talk to you from both sides.

If you think about it, that’s good advice for any company.  I’m only emphasizing that advice here because, as I say, I’ve had two cautions passed on to me.  You could simply play it safe and avoid the whole situation, but that’s really your call.

Anyone who’s worked with or for Direct Leap and wants to share their story, whether that’s positive or negative, do feel free.  It’s up to you how explicit or anonymous you wish to remain.

Closing the Loop

I’ve recently met a few people who found jobs they’re happy with after reading about them in Toronto Tech Jobs, and it’s nice to hear — helps me justify the time this takes to myself.  So if you’ve found a job through Toronto Tech Jobs, drop me a line, leave a comment on the post, send me a message on twitter, whatever works for you, let me know that I’m doing something useful.  ;)

If you haven’t been following the twitter stream, you might want to know about the following positions:

• Organic: Rich Media Architect
• IBM: Application Solution Architect
• Unspecified: Configuration Management and Build/Release Engineer

And, yes, as @EmFi discovered this morning, I have my own twitter stream, and I do sometimes accidentally tweet jobs there, although I usually realize it and push them over to the other stream.

CTVglobemedia / The Globe and Mail: Systems Integrator

CTVglobemedia is looking for a Systems Integrator for The Globe and Mail (TGAM):

• Analyze business and technical requirements with Partners who want to build or enhance web and data integration solutions;
• Engage Developers, Data Analysts, and QA to build, modify, install, deploy and manage components of data and web solutions using a variety of technologies including HTML, XML, JSP, and possibly Java and Oracle as appropriate;
• Maintain integrity of interface definitions (API’s) between the Globe and Mail and Partners.
• Monitor implementations where Partner sites have integrated Globe content for reliability, integrity, and performance;
• Represent Partners within Globe QA and change control notification processes;
• Provide first or second level support of Partner solutions in conjunction with Customer Support Representatives.
• Identify opportunities whereby the Globe and Mail can leverage common development to the benefit of Integrated Solution Partners and Globe public sites such as reportonbusiness.com.

The Good
The Globe and Mail is a well-respected newspaper, and some of their staff (e.g. Mathew Ingram) are clearly in tune with the kinds of technologies cultures they’re going to need to survive the turmoil of the newspaper industry.  Integration is increasingly a part of many enterprise applications, and that’s true in the media world as well, so this could be a good opportunity to make a real impact at The Globe if they’re serious about integration.

The Bad
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve heard the newspaper industry isn’t in great shape, and television looks like it’s going through some challenges as well.  This may not be the best of times at CTVglobemedia.  And, despite some of their more recent digital features, I’m not sure the Globe is well-known for it’s APIs.  The technologies they describe are pretty basic; that could be good or bad depending on your viewpoint.

What’s Missing?
What kinds of integration is The Globe doing right now?  It sounds like at least some of it will be financial/securities, although it’s not clear if that’ll be most or all of it. How does it expect to continue to expand the integrations it offers and consumes?  Does your role offer a chance to have an impact on that?  Would you be the first of your kind, or part of a larger team?  What approaches and technologies are they using for integration right now?  How is this role likely to expand within The Globe?  What does The Globe pay for a Systems Integrator?

YMMV
Your mileage may certainly vary when it comes to working in media, and particularly the newspaper industry.

The Location
Unclear.  Could be Queen & John, which is a great building, a fun area, and pretty easy to get to; could be front and spadina, not a bad area, easy to reach by vehicle and not totally off-the-grid for transit riders.  Could be something else entirely.

In Summary
If you’ve got a background in integration, this might be an interesting opportunity to focus on it in a challenging industry.

On the Road Again…

As some of you have no doubt heard from Twitter, it looks like I’m back in the hunt for new contracts or employment; I’ve got a slight preference for contract work at the moment, but I’m not averse to employment.  I’m a software development generalist, and I like hands-on roles where I have a chance to make a real impact, so when I go for employment,  I tend to lean toward positions like technical lead, “architect”, and in small companies, even things like “development manager” and the like.  I’ve got a ton of Java experience, but I’ve dabbled and worked in a variety of others, so if you’re looking for someone to help you with Scala, Ruby, Python, Groovy, or something else entirely, I’d be happy to explain where my experience could help and where I might need some ramping-up.

Many of you are also looking for employment rather than potential employers, so I’ll leave this short; if you’re looking for someone and you think I might be a fit, get in touch and I’d be happy to talk about it in more detail.  If you’re a job-hunter with no jobs to offer (or at least, none that you think are worth taking), take heart, because being on the hunt means that despite my hectic schedule, I’m going to have to dedicate more time to looking at jobs and that means more traffic and content for you to absorb.

I hope this economy isn’t finding too many of you searching, but if it is, I  hope I can help some of you find the position you’re looking for.