Morbid Curiosity: ESDI and SUE II

When I see job postings like this one, that assumes you know what ESDI and SUE II are, I wonder what percentage of the potential candidate pool this destroys.  Do you only get people who know ESDI and SUE II, or do you only end up with people so desperate for work that they’ll apply to anything?

I haven’t even been able to make a lot of headway in casual searching to find out what these are, so if you know, feel free to comment.  I’m assuming the posters of this job aren’t having a lot of luck — I wouldn’t expect them to.

Unspecified: Senior Derivatives Developer

MIS Consultants is helping an unspecified company search for a Senior Derivatives Developer:

A Strong Java developer is required for  a Senior Derivatives Developer role. The successful candidate will join a fixed income securities / credit derivatives team already in place in Toronto Ontario. You will be responsible for leading the development and design of complex derviative systems.

The Good
It’s a moderately senior position with interesting technology in a complex financial field, which I’m sure is filled with its own set of challenges.  The technology seems to include distributed computing with JMS messaging.   If they’re truly agile and expect you to exercise architectural skills, those could both be positive signs.  And although knowledge of derivatives is nice-to-have, it’s not a requirement, which is relatively rare for these kinds of positions.

The Bad
The language sends mixed messages, talking about desiring the candidates to have architectural experience and to have worked with agile methods, but also using language like “assigned tasks” and “meet business specification.”  These aren’t necessarily bad things, but they’re also not couched in the language of most agile shops, so I’d want to understand their process and culture in a little more detail.  There’s also almost no mention of auomated testing, which is surprising if they’re truly agile.

What’s Missing
Tons, as usual.  What’s the company?  What do they do in terms of derivatives, and do they do other things?  What’s the project you’d be working on?  How has the downturn affected this company, and what are their prospects, revenue, burn rate?  How are they building distributed systems with JMS — what’s the architecture of their applications look like?  Who uses them?  What’s the compensation like?  What’s the size and nature of the team you’d be working on?  What’s their development process like?  Where are they located?

YMMV
Your mileage may vary on whether or not this is a good time to be involved with finance and derivatives.  This could either be a great time or a terrible time for companies that deal with derivatives.

Much of the current downturn could be laid at the feet of complicated derivative products sold by and to people who didn’t understand them completely.  Then again, that could simply mean that there’s changes headed to the world of derivatives, possibly in the form of new regulations.  These hypothetical changes might require additional development effort, so this is potentially a good time to get involved.  It may also be true that with the markets so far down, there are a lot opportunities in trading, and so this could be a good time to be involved. 

Your mileage may also vary with respect to the fact that this is a full coding position.  Some people love it that way, others chafe at the lack of control.

In Summary
This is probably most interesting if you can see yourself as a Senior Java Developer and you’ve either got experience with or interest in financial software and derivatives.

Unspecified: Senior Java Developer

Stoakley-Dudley Consultants is helping an unspecified company look for a Senior Java Developer:

Our client is a leading solutions provider specializing in enterprise architecture, systems integration and internet applications. This client seeks the services of an experienced Senior Java Developer looking for an opportunity to apply their programming skills and adaptability to help solvereally interesting challenges.

The preferred candidate will work closely with Team Leads and Business Analysts to understand requirements and implement maintainable and testable software using web development tools. Your experience using J2EE tools to develop complex web applications will be an essential asset. Knowledge of WebLogic and other web application server technologies, the Struts framework and related tools, as well as experience with user interface development and deployment will also be important attributes.

The Good
The technology stack seems like a reasonable one, and there’s more detail on the technology than many postings, particularly recruiter-based ones.  If mobile application development plays a reasonable part of the role, it could be an interesting sector.  The emphasis on RESTful services instead of the WS-DeathStar implies a company with a sensible, simple take on architecture.  If the compensation really is attractive (which for a role like this, should be at least $80k, I’d say, and possibly higher), then it could be a good fit for someone looking to fill a senior developer role.

The Bad
What’s there is pretty good, which means that what’s bad is primarily the fact that there’s so much missing.  I might switch one or two of those technologies (Struts, Ant) for something else, but those are fairly minor quibbles.

What’s Missing
Almost everything except the technology stack and a little bit about the role.  What’s the company?  Is it a startup, and if so, what’s the funding situation?  If it’s not a startup, what’s the revenue and burn rate, and how has that changed with the downturn?  What do they do, and how does that connect to mobile development?  What projects would you be working on?  What’s the size and composition of the team or teams on which you’d be working?  Where is this company located?  What’s the process like?  

YMMV
Your mileage may vary when it comes to responding to a positino with such limited detail and working with a recruiter.

In Summary
A decent recruiter posting; what’s there is reasonable, although there’s a lot missing.  If you’re looking for a Sr. Java position, this might be worth further investigation to see if the missing details are interesting.

Unspecified: Technical Architect

TAL is helping an unspecified company look for a Technical Architect:

• Key player in translating business requirements into dynamic, proven J2EE based solutions.
• Lead high level architecture design inline with current and future business demand.
• Drive the creation of new product design requirements and technical specifications.
• Participate in the construction and coding of key modules, infrastructure and proofs of concept.
• Act as a technical adviser in support of key sales opportunities and professional services engagements.
• Communicate architectural concepts via mentoring, technical presentations and white papers. 
• Drive tool selection and technologies for development.
• Approve all core product designs.
• Lead application migration to new platforms, databases and technologies.

The Good
Sounds like a pretty senior role in an organization;  keeping an eye on the present and future of the software development arm while managing reports and contractors.  It’s also not stuffed with heavy process terms that might imply it’s an organization where you’re going to spend most of your time marking off checklists and following the eighty-two step process to repeatable software nirvana.  It also sounds like you’d be at least partially hands-on, which in my opinion is imperative for the success of the software team, even though it’s not how all companies view architecture.

The Bad
It’s a recruiter posting with only minimal information, so it’s possible that this is in fact an organization with a heavy-weight process that was just clipped out of the posting as it was sanitized.  The reference to ‘subcontrators’ is hard to read much into, but  you’d want to understand what they’re using subcontractors for.

What’s Missing
A ton, as is usual for a recruiter-based posting.  What’s the company?  What do they do?  What software do the build?  What technologies do they use to do so?  What’s the number, size and composition of the teams you’d be working with, and how’s the development organization structured?  In essence, this is just enough to get you interested, but you’ll need to learn a ton more by talking to the recruiter about the position.

YMMV
Your mileage might vary when it comes to being hands-on at times, but I think the best architects will actually be pleased with this requirement. 

In Summary
If you’re an architect in the Java world with the interest and ability in doing some hands-on work as well as the high-level architectural work, this might be worth further inquiry.

Unspecified: VP of Technology and Product Development

The People Bank is helping an unspecified company look for a VP of Technology and Product Development:

TPB Office is currently recruiting for our client in the GTA who is seeking a VP of Technology and Product Development. This person is a key member of the executive team and will have tremendous impact as our client continue to scale the organization and expand into the U.S. You will be responsible for all facets of technology and product development in the company. Your immediate focus and key contribution will be in leading the software team in the development of enhancements and integrating new functionality for our enterprise class software. 

You will be responsible for:

•Managing and accelerating the continual enhancements and development of our existing application AND leading the development to modularize and productize the application for further integration and licensing opportunities.
•Working as part of the executive team to establish a product vision, prioritize business objectives and requirements and establish accurate, comprehensive development requirements and planning to meet those objectives.
•Communicating and educating all stakeholders in the functionality, benefits and possibilities of our products and services and keeping them ahead of the competition. 
•Adhering to industry recognized processes and development guidelines to ensure first-rate product quality and stability and a timely delivery.

The Good
Sounds like a pretty senior role, and if this company is expanding into the US, it could be at an inflection point in terms of growth (at least, if it’s the kind of business that can survive a downturn). The technology sounds like it could be interesting, although there’s not a lot to go on.

The Bad
I’m a little wary of their desired skills — .NET, OLAP, Video, SaaS, Chat, SOA, Agile, VoIP.  Often companies that are looking for such a broad range of skills have unrealistic expectations, either about you or about the product they’d like to build.  That my not be true here, but the tone occasionally gives me that vibe.

Although Agile rates a mention, it’s only a mention.  Is this lip-service or is the company really agile at its core?

What’s the company, the compensation, the location?  What product(s) do they have?  What team’s already in place?  What’s the management team like?  What are these supposed expansion plans?  What would be on your plate in the first year?

YMMV
Your mileage may vary when it comes to what is presumably not a very hands-on tech role.  Then again, if you really wanted hands-on, why would you be reading this far into a ‘VP’ posting?

They’d like a .NET background, and your mileage may vary when it comes to arguing that the technology specifics are less important in a less hands-on role.

In Summary
If you’ve got the experience and the interet to be a VP, and a background in .NET, Video, OLAP, SaaS and others, this could be your gig.  Inquire to find out more, like the company in question.

Unspecified: Ruby Developer

Brainhunter is helping someone look for a Ruby Developer:

Develop detailed technical specifications in response to business requirements
• Hire, manage, direct and lead a core group of programmers to deliver on the technical spec.
• Generate creative solutions to functional, performance, and technical problems.
• Development of a web based application with the following functionality:
o Spidering and structuring of data
o Geographically based mapping
o Integration, presentation and analysis of multiple sources of data
o Clipping, storing and tracking of data
o Web2.0 Interface functionality
• Subject Matter Expertise to lead a group of technical experts with the following characteristics:
o Roles: Front-end and back-end Development, System Admin, DBA, Data Capture
o Environment: Java, Ruby, HTML, Ajax, MySQL and PostgreSQL

I’m inclined to believe, based on the skills they’re asking for, that this job is in a roundabout way for Rogers — Rogers is doing some “side projects” with Ruby, although details are scant unless you actually apply for one of these things.

The Good
There aren’t a lot of Ruby jobs in Toronto, and so that’s a good start right there.  And the technology mix sounds interesting, and interesting is usually good.

The Bad
There’s very little information on this, as is often true under a recruiter.  We don’t know who the company is, where the job would be, what the pay would be — it’s really hard to form a concrete opinion about the pros and the cons based on this level of information.

YMMV
Not everyone likes to work with a recruiter on a potential job.   And, frankly, there’s not a ton of info here.  I imagine some of you might want to do Ruby work, but, then, you probably didn’t read this far.  Some of you might want to do Ruby and not Java.

I could speculate about other reasons based on what I’ve heard about the job that I imagine this is, but I think that’s far too many conditionals to bother, don’t you?  Unfortunately, if this is the job that I believe it may be, it may already be filled.  But, then, it doesn’t hurt to inquire.

In Summary
There aren’t a lot of well-paid Ruby jobs in Toronto, near as far as I can tell, and really not that many jobs in Ruby at all, so if you’re interested in doing Ruby work, and you’re not already doing some, you might as well put your hat in the ring.

Little Bites: Autodesk Maya Threading, Telecom Dev Mgr, Cobol/Assembly, Adult

It’s been too long since I’ve done C, so I can’t say whether or not Autodesk’s job to look into Threading and Performance for Maya is interesting to someone who’s well-versed in C, but it’s a well-known company, a well-known product, and a technical challenge, so I’m thinking it’s not all bad.

VTrac is helping a telecom firm look for a Development Manager to work in the new product division, on something related to billing.  The compensation is apparently ‘very competitive’, but there’s just not enough detail to really tell if this is interesting.  If you think this might be you, talk to VTrac and get more details (and then come back and tell us).

Ten people to recode an application … into Cobol?  And it wouldn’t hurt if they know assembly?  I’m not even sure what to say.  Good luck, guys.  Charge a lot of money for that job.  And is that better or worse than Senior IT for the adult industry?

Little Bites: CBC, Heenan, Microsoft/Ireland, Devlin

CBC is clearly still looking for their Senior Applications Manager (15-Feb-2008, 30-Jan-2008): Craigslist/Modis, Craigslist. I’m still skeptical about the compensation, and the one person I know who has worked for the CBC doesn’t have overly-inspiring words of encouragement, but there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the posting, and I think the CBC is an interesting organization.

Heenan would like you to qualify for the “hidden job market” by putting your information in their databank. While I agree the ‘hidden job market’ exists, I don’t believe the jobs that recruiters hold are usually in that category. If a recruiter is retained, why would they not do their best to attract additional candidates? That said, if you’re willing to trust ‘em … maybe there’s an interesting job in it for you.

Microsoft still (20-Feb) wants You to move to Ireland. Ireland’s a nice place, if you’re willing to move. Well, it seemed nice in the two weeks I was there, anyway, which I suppose isn’t the same thing. Still, interesting opportunity for the mobile and Microsoft-oriented.

Devlin’s still (22-Feb-2008) looking for that tech lead / architect.