Note: NIS is currently interviewing graduate and undergraduate students for positions that are now open. Immediate start dates are available for qualified applicants. The minimum commitment is one year without exception.

Networked Information Services (NIS) provides Web services to the students, faculty, staff, and departments at Boston University. NIS teaches classes, provides consulting, designs sites, conducts webcasts, produces multimedia presentations, and brings new Web technologies to campus.

As a part of the NIS team, you can have the opportunity to sharpen existing skills and learn new ones.

About Position

NIS is looking for a few good Web Support Specialists. Here are some of the typical tasks and responsibilities for the job. Of course, each person has a unique set of skills and interests and will perform some of the tasks, but not others.

1. Answer webmaster mail and provide consulting.
   NIS answers about 70-80 e-mail messages a week. They range from, "I want a website. What do I do?" to, "I want a secure order form and have installed PGP. Now what do I do with my public key?." You will help answer this mail. It takes patience and skill. Most importantly, you need to know where to look for the answers.
   
2. Support faculty using CourseInfo and WebCT.
   In work very similar to webmaster duties, NIS answers about 90-100 e-mail messages a week from faculty who use CourseInfo and WebCT, ranging from basic to complex problems.
   
3. Maintain BU Web pages.
   NIS owns and maintains more than 2,500 pages on the Boston University Web. There is always minor maintenance work to be done. You will help maintain these pages. It takes great attention to detail.
   
4. Assist in web training classes.
   Every semester, we teach Web classes, from Basic HTML, to Flash Animation. Since Spring 2000, all of our classes have a hands-on component. You will assist in these classes, take roll, answer questions, etc.
   
5. Scan or produce web graphics.
   We frequently create graphics for our own pages or for sites we design. If you have graphic skills, you might assist in these projects.
   
6. Produce text content for the Web.
   We produce lots of text content for those 2,500 pages we maintain and for the sites we build. If you have good writing and editing skills, you might process a set of News Releases for a new site we are designing or write some FAQs to help reduce the mail we get.
   
7. Produce audio and video content for the Web.
   We have conducted several live webcasts and produced numerous multimedia presentations. If you have interests in this area, you might assist in a webcast, encode a video tape for streaming on the Web, or perform other tasks.
   
8. Design, build, and launch websites.
   NIS designs, builds, and launches about 20 sites a year. Students design prototypes, give presentations, conduct client training, process content, and sometimes manage the project.
   
9. Write PHP applications.
   NIS designs, builds, and launches several PHP/MySQL applications a year. Students with programming experience can contribute to those applications.

About You

Any Boston University student can apply for these positions. You don't need to be a Work-Study student, but it's okay if you are. Here are some of the traits we are looking for in our Web Support Specialists:

1. Strong commitment to customer service.
2. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
3. Great attention to detail.
4. Commitment to quality.
5. Ability to work independently without supervision.
6. Work well as part of a team.
7. Eager to learn.

Common Questions

How many hours can I work?
Workload is flexible, however, you must work a minimum of 12 hours per week. If you are a Work-Study, Law, or International student, you cannot work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session. Other students do not have this upper limit.

When can I work?
Schedules are flexible. You can work your hours any time between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday - Friday. You must work a minimum of 3 hours in a shift. Some projects, such as webcasts, occur during off hours. Also, for some projects, it is okay to work off hours, if that is what you prefer.

Where will I work?
You will work with NIS staff in the IT offices at 111 Cummington St. However, some events, such as webcasts and training, occur off site. For some projects, you might be able to work at home.

What is the pay?
Pay is based on your experience. We will discuss pay during the interview.

When would I start?
That's flexible. We typically hire right before a semester begins, say in August, January, and May. But, we also sometimes hire mid-semester.

How do I apply?

1. To apply, you should complete the NIS questionnaire. It's a Web form that sends e-mail to NIS.
   
2. NIS will review all questionnaires. We will contact all applicants by e-mail or phone. If your interests, skills, and experience match our needs, we will invite you to an interview.
   
3. Before your interview, you should print and complete the IT Student Employment Application form. It's a PDF file, so you will need the free Acrobat Reader. Bring this completed application to the interview.
   
4. Once we have completed all interviews, we will notify you regarding your status.