Montana State University

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 25399

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Shane Key

shane.key@montana.edu

406-994-7177

Classification Title Computer Sftwr Eng/Appl II

Working Title Computer Software Engineer/ App II

Brief Position Overview

The College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station (COA/MAES) at Montana State University seek a Software Developer and Database Engineer to develop and manage software and databases in a Microsoft environment, supporting various departments and ensuring application compatibility and security. This role demands a high degree of independence, continuous learning, and innovative problem-solving.

Position Number 4M0510

Department Dean of Agriculture

Division College of Agriculture/MAES

Appointment Type Classified

Contract Term Fiscal Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

FLSA Exempt

Union Affiliation FOCUS-MFPE

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible Eligible

Salary $34.875 - $42.785 per hour, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications

Contract Type Classified Salary

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type Open

General Statement

As part of Montana State University’s land grant mission, the College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station (COA/MAES) offer innovative degree programs and conduct research to address both traditional and new challenges in Montana’s agricultural sector through precision agriculture. This integration fosters opportunities for students and faculty to excel through hands-on learning, community engagement, exploring unique solutions, and connecting Montanans with the global community through research and outreach.

This position involves software development and database engineering and administration within a predominantly Microsoft environment. It primarily supports the Dean and Director’s office staff, as well as the College departments and the Agriculture Experiment Station (COA/MAES). Occasionally, projects developed for the College may serve the broader university community. While the role is highly independent, the employee will consult with the IT Director and others as necessary to ensure application compatibility and safety on central systems. The employee is expected to stay current with new technologies, propose innovative data management solutions, and pursue online and off-campus training to maintain innovation and provide leadership to both user and technical communities.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide unique and strategic products to the COA/MAES in support of the missions of teaching, research, and outreach.
• Translate user needs into scalable, functional, and secure Web-based applications.
• Maintain currency, security and functionality of deployed applications.
• Act as the primary steward of administrative, research and academic data housed in COA/MAES databases.
• Provide data upon request for administrative faculty or staff for reporting needs.
• Maintain an updated development environment for software and database applications unique to the COA-/MAES.
• Maintain technical competencies in areas specific to the position (e.g.; SQL Server, .NET, Microsoft SSIS and Microsoft SSAS, Visual Studio).
• Use industry best practices to manage code base for applications.
• Understand university business rules and processes and incorporate them as needed into projects.
• Maintain an understanding of the university’s primary ERP system (Banner) in order to effectively extract data as needed.
• Collaborate with the Agriculture IT Group to stay current with projects and initiatives, and provide skilled assistance where necessary.
• Research, test, develop and recommend new technology solutions.
• Develop documentation for customers and for internal use as needed.
• Maintain an approachable, customer-friendly atmosphere.
• Follow information security best practices.
• Abide by University security policies and the guidance of the COA/MAES IT Director and the Enterprise Security Group.
• Communicate and encourage security best practices throughout the COA/MAES.
• Assess information security needs.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

1. Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Two years of full-time software and database development experience.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

1. Bachelor’s degree in computer science with five years of progressively responsible experience in database design and software development.
2. Skilled in Oracle database environments, proficient in SQL Server, SSIS, SSAS, Progress Telerik DevCraft tools, controls and reporting, NHibernate, Entity Framework Core, C#, Visual Basic, jquery/JavaScript, ASP.NET MVC, Web Forms. Knowledge of Google Maps JavaScript API helpful. Knowledgeable about standards in higher education for research and academic data architecture, as well as Banner and Oracle architectures.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Complete tasks independently and as part of a team.
• Communicate professionally and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective professional relationships with diverse constituents.
• Exercise initiative and good judgment.
• Think critically and solve problems.
• Create and manage projects.
• Provide exceptional customer service.
• Identify areas for improvement and seek learning opportunities.
• Manage your calendar and demonstrate strong time management skills.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

Please note: This position is not eligible for sponsorship.

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties? No

Number of Vacancies 1

Desired Start Date Upon completion of a successful search

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on June 19, 2025; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

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