Software Innovation Technical Lead
About the role
Staff - Non Union
Job Category
M&P - AAPS
Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Information Systems and Technology, Level E
Job Title
Software Innovation Technical Lead
Department
Leadership | Learning Technology Innovation Centre
Compensation Range
$9,859.25 - $15,380.75 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
March 24, 2026
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
April 14, 2029
This is a 3-year term position, with the possibility of extension.
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
UBC’s Learning Technology Innovation Centre (LTIC) mandate is to catalyze and elevate learning technology application, innovation, and inquiry at UBC. Under academic leadership, LTIC is charged with meeting UBC’s needs for faculty and students in using and transforming learning technology, including playing a pivotal role in the support of Artificial Intelligence in research, development, and education, across the entirety of UBC.
The Software Innovation Technical Lead is responsible for leading large-scale university wide software development initiatives grounded in the learning technology space, and is responsible for setting innovation strategy for the Learning Technology Innovation Centre. This role leads LTIC’s software development innovation teams in architecting, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating novel learning technologies, leveraging new and emerging technologies in both development and deployment (primarily AI), deployed at scale for widescale UBC use.
The Technical Lead will be working in research & development and will provide expertise in product development for creating innovative AI-powered products and services. This position involves instrumental hands-on development of AI tools and solutions using Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) at UBC. This position requires advanced coding skills, knowledge of AI technologies, and experience in implementing complex systems. The Technical Lead will provide technical expertise in development projects, mentor less experienced developers, ensure code quality, and contribute to the establishment of best practices for AI development within the university.
Organizational Status
UBC’s Learning Technology Innovation Centre (LTIC) mandate is to catalyze and elevate learning technology application, innovation, and inquiry at UBC. Under academic leadership, LTIC is charged with meeting UBC’s needs for faculty and students in using and transforming learning technology, including playing a pivotal role in the support of Artificial Intelligence in research, development, and education, across the entirety of UBC.
This role reports to Academic Director.
This role works with members of the UBC teaching and learning community including faculty members, instructional support staff and others, to build, develop, test, deploy and evaluate applications to meet specific pedagogical goals.
This role leads and works with other Programmer Analysts and Systems Analysis at all levels.
Work Performed
Specific Duties:
- Is responsible for planning and development of the LTIC innovation strategy supporting the entire UBC Community.
- Designs, develops, or leads the development of UBC Learning Technology APIs and software applications which includes investigating, analyzing, estimating, designing, developing, testing, documenting, and implementing on time and to budget.
- Leads multiple complex UBC-wide learning technology innovation projects, encompassing requirements elicitation, software and architectural design, software development, system-wide integration and university-wide deployment and adoption, in service of the University’s vision of transformative student learning.
- Leads LTIC innovation projects in collaboration with faculty PIs and with other rapid development innovation centres at UBC.
- Contributes to on-going strategic planning and development of the University s learning technology ecosystem and enterprise architecture by providing technical expertise and advice on industry trends.
- Leads the work of other programmer analysts and systems analysts to implement and deploy solutions to the UBC instructional community.
- Develops proofs of concept and prototypes to illustrate approaches to technology and functional problems.
- Builds a positive working culture of respectful debate and encourages that culture within the team and the broader unit.
- Takes responsibility for overall solution designs (including consultation, application development, testing and technical support) for applications, integrations, intellectual property (IP) audit reports.
- Evaluates and defines functional requirements, system features, integration requirements, security requirements, scalability and performance requirements for learning applications.
- Undertakes project planning, prioritization and implementation of development projects. Follows agile project management processes suitable to open-source application development, managing complex, dynamic, iterative and creative development process.
- Builds partnerships with stakeholders for collaboration on achieving UBC-wide LT innovation goals.
- May be requested to provide after hours support in situations requiring an urgent response.
Core Duties
- Provides technical leadership in the analysis and review of existing or proposed system features and integration, security, scalability and performance requirements with users, business analysts, architects and team members.
- Leads the evaluation and selection process for application packages, and advises on options, risk, cost vs. benefits, and impacts on business processes and goals.
- Develops system test plans, oversees testing of new or modified applications and ensures applications meet specifications.
- Develops integration plans and ensures for the incorporation of plans into integration testing process.
- Ensures documentation of functions and changes to new or modified modules, tests activities/results, error handling and backup/recovery procedures.
- Designs, develops and programs specialized custom software, prepares functional specifications, and builds prototypes.
- Provides expert advice on complex system design issues and contributes to ongoing planning and development of systems enhancements.
- Packages in house developed applications for production or integrates vendor supplied applications.
- May manage small to medium sized projects.
- Provides technical expertise, training, and consultation to other staff.
- Provides ongoing maintenance and operational support for applications.
- Supports software development lifecycle and applies and follows appropriate programming/development methodologies and best practices as instructed.
- Maintains appropriate professional designations and up-to-date knowledge of current information technology techniques and tools.
- Performs other related duties as required.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
The decisions and actions of the Tech Lead directly influence the reliability, security, and performance of UBC’s learning technology ecosystem. Development choices that do not meet end-user requirements or adhere to institutional standards may compromise system integrity, disrupt teaching and learning activities, and expose the university to reputational risk. Insecure or poorly governed systems increase the likelihood of unauthorized access to sensitive information, with potential regulatory, legal, and financial consequences. Such outcomes could negatively affect a broad cross-section of the university community, including students, faculty, and staff, and undermine confidence in UBC’s digital infrastructure.
Poor technical choices or unsound strategy could cause significant expense and information security risk to the unit, to clients, or to the university. Any of those could result in broadly impactful reputational damage.
Supervision Received
Works under the direction of the LTIC Academic Director. Work is reviewed in terms of achievement of desired results.
Supervision Given
Manages and supervises groups of programmer analysts and systems analysts.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of eight years of related experience including at least two years of managerial experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
-
Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
-
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Software design and development experience with clear expertise in all aspects of modern software development practices.
-
Software development team leadership experience.
-
Fluency with modern and cutting-edge development approaches including the use of AI.
-
Command of software development for large scale solutions with complex usage patterns.
-
Proven record of setting technical strategy to achieve innovation goals, and leading technical teams to carry out that strategy to achieve goals.
-
Experience mentoring and teaching junior developers to increase capacity within a team.
-
Excellent communication skills, including presentation and written formats.
About Us
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally. A large part of what makes us unique is the community of engaged students, faculty, and staff who are collectively committed to shaping a better world.
Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada, UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential. New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work. Are you ready to embrace the future together?
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at
workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca
.
Similar jobs you might like
Software Innovation Technical Lead
About the role
Staff - Non Union
Job Category
M&P - AAPS
Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Information Systems and Technology, Level E
Job Title
Software Innovation Technical Lead
Department
Leadership | Learning Technology Innovation Centre
Compensation Range
$9,859.25 - $15,380.75 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
March 24, 2026
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
April 14, 2029
This is a 3-year term position, with the possibility of extension.
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
UBC’s Learning Technology Innovation Centre (LTIC) mandate is to catalyze and elevate learning technology application, innovation, and inquiry at UBC. Under academic leadership, LTIC is charged with meeting UBC’s needs for faculty and students in using and transforming learning technology, including playing a pivotal role in the support of Artificial Intelligence in research, development, and education, across the entirety of UBC.
The Software Innovation Technical Lead is responsible for leading large-scale university wide software development initiatives grounded in the learning technology space, and is responsible for setting innovation strategy for the Learning Technology Innovation Centre. This role leads LTIC’s software development innovation teams in architecting, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating novel learning technologies, leveraging new and emerging technologies in both development and deployment (primarily AI), deployed at scale for widescale UBC use.
The Technical Lead will be working in research & development and will provide expertise in product development for creating innovative AI-powered products and services. This position involves instrumental hands-on development of AI tools and solutions using Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) at UBC. This position requires advanced coding skills, knowledge of AI technologies, and experience in implementing complex systems. The Technical Lead will provide technical expertise in development projects, mentor less experienced developers, ensure code quality, and contribute to the establishment of best practices for AI development within the university.
Organizational Status
UBC’s Learning Technology Innovation Centre (LTIC) mandate is to catalyze and elevate learning technology application, innovation, and inquiry at UBC. Under academic leadership, LTIC is charged with meeting UBC’s needs for faculty and students in using and transforming learning technology, including playing a pivotal role in the support of Artificial Intelligence in research, development, and education, across the entirety of UBC.
This role reports to Academic Director.
This role works with members of the UBC teaching and learning community including faculty members, instructional support staff and others, to build, develop, test, deploy and evaluate applications to meet specific pedagogical goals.
This role leads and works with other Programmer Analysts and Systems Analysis at all levels.
Work Performed
Specific Duties:
- Is responsible for planning and development of the LTIC innovation strategy supporting the entire UBC Community.
- Designs, develops, or leads the development of UBC Learning Technology APIs and software applications which includes investigating, analyzing, estimating, designing, developing, testing, documenting, and implementing on time and to budget.
- Leads multiple complex UBC-wide learning technology innovation projects, encompassing requirements elicitation, software and architectural design, software development, system-wide integration and university-wide deployment and adoption, in service of the University’s vision of transformative student learning.
- Leads LTIC innovation projects in collaboration with faculty PIs and with other rapid development innovation centres at UBC.
- Contributes to on-going strategic planning and development of the University s learning technology ecosystem and enterprise architecture by providing technical expertise and advice on industry trends.
- Leads the work of other programmer analysts and systems analysts to implement and deploy solutions to the UBC instructional community.
- Develops proofs of concept and prototypes to illustrate approaches to technology and functional problems.
- Builds a positive working culture of respectful debate and encourages that culture within the team and the broader unit.
- Takes responsibility for overall solution designs (including consultation, application development, testing and technical support) for applications, integrations, intellectual property (IP) audit reports.
- Evaluates and defines functional requirements, system features, integration requirements, security requirements, scalability and performance requirements for learning applications.
- Undertakes project planning, prioritization and implementation of development projects. Follows agile project management processes suitable to open-source application development, managing complex, dynamic, iterative and creative development process.
- Builds partnerships with stakeholders for collaboration on achieving UBC-wide LT innovation goals.
- May be requested to provide after hours support in situations requiring an urgent response.
Core Duties
- Provides technical leadership in the analysis and review of existing or proposed system features and integration, security, scalability and performance requirements with users, business analysts, architects and team members.
- Leads the evaluation and selection process for application packages, and advises on options, risk, cost vs. benefits, and impacts on business processes and goals.
- Develops system test plans, oversees testing of new or modified applications and ensures applications meet specifications.
- Develops integration plans and ensures for the incorporation of plans into integration testing process.
- Ensures documentation of functions and changes to new or modified modules, tests activities/results, error handling and backup/recovery procedures.
- Designs, develops and programs specialized custom software, prepares functional specifications, and builds prototypes.
- Provides expert advice on complex system design issues and contributes to ongoing planning and development of systems enhancements.
- Packages in house developed applications for production or integrates vendor supplied applications.
- May manage small to medium sized projects.
- Provides technical expertise, training, and consultation to other staff.
- Provides ongoing maintenance and operational support for applications.
- Supports software development lifecycle and applies and follows appropriate programming/development methodologies and best practices as instructed.
- Maintains appropriate professional designations and up-to-date knowledge of current information technology techniques and tools.
- Performs other related duties as required.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
The decisions and actions of the Tech Lead directly influence the reliability, security, and performance of UBC’s learning technology ecosystem. Development choices that do not meet end-user requirements or adhere to institutional standards may compromise system integrity, disrupt teaching and learning activities, and expose the university to reputational risk. Insecure or poorly governed systems increase the likelihood of unauthorized access to sensitive information, with potential regulatory, legal, and financial consequences. Such outcomes could negatively affect a broad cross-section of the university community, including students, faculty, and staff, and undermine confidence in UBC’s digital infrastructure.
Poor technical choices or unsound strategy could cause significant expense and information security risk to the unit, to clients, or to the university. Any of those could result in broadly impactful reputational damage.
Supervision Received
Works under the direction of the LTIC Academic Director. Work is reviewed in terms of achievement of desired results.
Supervision Given
Manages and supervises groups of programmer analysts and systems analysts.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of eight years of related experience including at least two years of managerial experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
-
Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
-
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Software design and development experience with clear expertise in all aspects of modern software development practices.
-
Software development team leadership experience.
-
Fluency with modern and cutting-edge development approaches including the use of AI.
-
Command of software development for large scale solutions with complex usage patterns.
-
Proven record of setting technical strategy to achieve innovation goals, and leading technical teams to carry out that strategy to achieve goals.
-
Experience mentoring and teaching junior developers to increase capacity within a team.
-
Excellent communication skills, including presentation and written formats.
About Us
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally. A large part of what makes us unique is the community of engaged students, faculty, and staff who are collectively committed to shaping a better world.
Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada, UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential. New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work. Are you ready to embrace the future together?
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at
workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca
.