Alternate Format Specialist, Office of Accessible Education

Hybrid Schedule: 3 to 4 days onsite

Budgeted Salary Range: The expected range for this position is $90,801to $102,000 per annum.

Job Purpose:

The Alternate Format Specialist is responsible for remediating and designing educational documents to meet accessibility standards and students'' needs. This includes managing projects from start to finish, ensuring the content is accurate, consistent, and functional across different platforms. The role requires remediation of complex STEM content, use of specialized software tools, and knowledge of accessibility standards. Additionally, the Alternate Format Specialist, coordinates and embosses braille materials and tactile graphics, and manages software and equipment to help the department achieve its goals.

In this role, you will:

• Under direction of the AF Manager, take responsibility for remediation of documents used in student courses using pre-established specifications. These specifications may be by course, student, or industry (e.g., HTML), etc.

• Determine the best strategy for remediation based on due date, student needs and content. Use established guidelines to prioritize tasks and ensure timely and accurate completion of projects.

• Remediate documents, including some complex STEM documents. Provide image descriptions for images used in the document for all visual elements used in the documents to ensure accessibility and clarity.

• Remediate documents to a variety of output formats including but not limited to docx and html, based on output formats specified for the job and specific document requirements and due dates. This can involve creating and remediating each format, starting from source materials to ensure consistency and functionality across different platforms.

• Use job-required software applications and mediums to develop and design materials according to defined requirements.

• Inspect remediated documents for accuracy and adherence to appropriate accessibility standards, including testing with assistive technology used by students.

• Coordinate workflow between braille text and tactile graphic development and production of embossed materials on-site.

• Collaborate with braille specialists regarding the appropriate equipment for the highest quality embossed results.

• Maintain knowledge of accessibility standards, trends in document remediation and new developments in job-specific software applications.

• Develop relationships with service providers throughout the university to advocate needs and obtain resources for faculty and students.

• Manage and maintain job-specific equipment (e.g., embossers, etc).

Core Duties:

• Under general creative direction, take responsibility for projects from client contact through delivery.
• Produce complex illustrations, graphics, images and photos for design assignments.
• Create the artwork and design for a variety of platforms, including layout for digital projects, starting from an initial concept and thinking in terms of broader solutions.
• Work closely with a project manager and design team in order to complete project using pre-established specifications.
• Maintain quality control of content, and support design strategy and execution.
• Use job-required software applications and mediums to develop and design materials according to defined requirements.
• Inspect proofs for accuracy and adherence to appropriate production standards.
• May coordinate with multiple clients to develop themes and designs to achieve desired results.
• Create content specification and design guidelines.
• Coordinate workflow between design development and vendors and print shops to evaluate quality and process.
• May provide guidance to other staff or contractors.
• Maintain knowledge of industry standards, trends and state-of-the-art technology to provide and enhance services.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor''s degree in related field and three years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated understanding of graphic design principles.
• Ability to work around an initial concept and think in terms of broad solutions.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of job-required software applications and mediums, including browser usability and cross platform compatibility.
• Ability to present a portfolio that reflects creative work.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, deadlines, and customer needs.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and communication (both written and verbal) skills.
• Ability to perform detailed work with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong knowledge in industry standards, trends, and technical knowledge.
• Ability to work effectively with others as part of a team.

Core Duties:

• Under general creative direction, take responsibility for projects from client contact through delivery.
• Produce complex illustrations, graphics, images and photos for design assignments.
• Create the artwork and design for a variety of platforms, including layout for digital projects, starting from an initial concept and thinking in terms of broader solutions.
• Work closely with a project manager and design team in order to complete project using pre-established specifications.
• Maintain quality control of content, and support design strategy and execution.
• Use job-required software applications and mediums to develop and design materials according to defined requirements.
• Inspect proofs for accuracy and adherence to appropriate production standards.
• May coordinate with multiple clients to develop themes and designs to achieve desired results.
• Create content specification and design guidelines.
• Coordinate workflow between design development and vendors and print shops to evaluate quality and process.
• May provide guidance to other staff or contractors.
• Maintain knowledge of industry standards, trends and state-of-the-art technology to provide and enhance services.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor''s degree in related field and three years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated understanding of graphic design principles.
• Ability to work around an initial concept and think in terms of broad solutions.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of job-required software applications and mediums, including browser usability and cross platform compatibility.
• Ability to present a portfolio that reflects creative work.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, deadlines, and customer needs.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and communication (both written and verbal) skills.
• Ability to perform detailed work with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong knowledge in industry standards, trends, and technical knowledge.
• Ability to work effectively with others as part of a team.