Product and Education Specialist
Remote
Full Time
Mid Level
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Product and Education Specialist develops and delivers synchronous and asynchronous training and education programs (including virtual and on-site training), creates comprehensive product documentation, and maintains deep technical expertise in designated open-source library technologies. This role involves public-facing engagement, collaborative cross-departmental project work, and participation in the broader open-source library community. The Product and Education Specialist works directly with library staff across public, academic, and special libraries and provides training, consulting, workflow support, and software demonstrations.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES
Programs & Resources
SOFTWARE & TECHNICAL TOOLS
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
PHYSICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
ABOUT EQUINOX OPEN LIBRARY INITIATIVE
Equinox Open Library Initiative is a mission-driven non-profit organization providing innovative open-source software and expert technology services (including software development, migration, consulting, IT management, hosting, and support) for libraries worldwide. Equinox offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, paid holidays and time off, and flexible work schedules. Equinox is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify.
The Product and Education Specialist develops and delivers synchronous and asynchronous training and education programs (including virtual and on-site training), creates comprehensive product documentation, and maintains deep technical expertise in designated open-source library technologies. This role involves public-facing engagement, collaborative cross-departmental project work, and participation in the broader open-source library community. The Product and Education Specialist works directly with library staff across public, academic, and special libraries and provides training, consulting, workflow support, and software demonstrations.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES
Programs & Resources
- Educational Asset Development: Plan, develop, and deliver training assets including video modules, live and recorded webinars, informational handouts, and user documentation.
- Development Documentation: Create end-user documentation for software development projects.
- Test Dataset Management: Maintain test data sets across multiple products and operational scenarios for training, testing, and demonstration purposes.
- Assessment & Evaluation: Administer assessment tools to evaluate the ongoing effectiveness of educational assets and report results.
- Accessible Design: Apply instructional design principles to produce accessible learning tools and resources.
- Customer Training: Provide synchronous training (both virtual/web-based and on-site/in-person at libraries) and asynchronous consulting on all open-source software products supported by Equinox.
- Subject Matter Expertise: Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on designated open-source library technologies and related workflow best practices.
- Project & Schedule Management: Establish, manage, and execute training project schedules and plans, working both independently and as a team member.
- Internal Staff Training: Conduct internal training sessions for Equinox staff on product releases, software features, and industry topics.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly evaluate and refine training programs and project delivery methods.
- Cross-Departmental Alignment: Collaborate with Education, Support, Software Development, Implementation, and Marketing/Communications teams to ensure consistent communication, shared learning, and customer service.
- Marketing & Event Promotion: Work with marketing and communications teams to promote educational resources, training events, and workshops.
- Community & Conference Engagement: Active participation in open-source software communities, including drafting conference proposals, attending events, and presenting on behalf of Equinox.
- Product Testing & Evaluation: Research, test, and evaluate existing and emerging open-source products.
- Quality Assurance & Releases: Participate in system release testing for new software features and assist support teams with troubleshooting.
- Business Development & Demonstrations: Develop and deliver product demonstrations and assist with business development efforts, including RFP responses.
- Industry Awareness: Stay current with library industry standards, metadata practices, and open-source software advancements.
- Client Relationship Management: Maintain regular communication with assigned library clients and partners to track project milestones and monitor client satisfaction.
- Outreach & Technical Guidance: Participate in structured customer outreach activities and provide ongoing workflow and technical guidance.
SOFTWARE & TECHNICAL TOOLS
- Supported Open Source Software: Evergreen ILS, Koha ILS, Aspen Discovery, CORAL ERM, SubjectsPlus, WordPress, and Fulfillment ILL.
- Project Management & Collaboration Software: JIRA, Asana, Confluence, Smartsheet and other related tools.
- Delivery & Training Tools: Web-based training applications, web conferencing software, and web design tools.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Education: Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLS / MLIS) or Master’s degree in a related subject; Bachelor's degree required.
- Library Experience: 3+ years of experience working within public, academic, or special libraries, or organizations providing technology services to libraries.
- Communication & Customer Service Experience: Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with a track record of effective customer service.
- Software Training Experience: Experience working with integrated library systems (ILS) and conducting software training.
- Demonstrated Prioritization & Time Management: Proven experience managing deadlines, prioritizing tasks, exercising sound judgment, and handling multiple projects in a fast-paced work environment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Open Source Software Knowledge: Experience with Evergreen, Koha, or Aspen Discovery software and open-source library communities.
- Instructional Design Experience: Familiarity with Instructional Design methodology, accessibility standards, web design, and library metadata practices/formats.
- Project Management Experience: PMP certification; Experience with project management tools.
PHYSICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to work from a home office environment.
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time for business (e.g., on-site training, conferences, client visits).
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
ABOUT EQUINOX OPEN LIBRARY INITIATIVE
Equinox Open Library Initiative is a mission-driven non-profit organization providing innovative open-source software and expert technology services (including software development, migration, consulting, IT management, hosting, and support) for libraries worldwide. Equinox offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, paid holidays and time off, and flexible work schedules. Equinox is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify.
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