15 Jul 2015

TDF Freelance Job Opening (#201507-01) – Development Mentoring Lead

Posted in Tenders By Florian Effenberger On July 15, 2015

The Document Foundation (TDF), the charitable entity behind the world’s leading free office suite LibreOffice, seeks a

Development Mentoring Lead

to start work as soon as possible. The role, which is scheduled for 20 hours a week, includes amongst other items:

  • Helping new contributors to get started with LibreOffice code including:
    • building LibreOffice
    • getting started with patch submittal on gerrit
    • patrol bugzilla, github and mailing lists for patches uploaded there and help author to upload to gerrit proper
    • clarifying beginner tasks (Easy Hacks) and connecting beginners with domain experts
    • manage, update and watch the list of beginner tasks
    • select attractive beginner tasks and promote, share and advertise those
    • together with other TDF staff, manage quick access to TDF cloud resources for developers (see: Anytime Builder VMs for Developers and Using a VM)
    • Talking to people
      • make the first time contributors feel they are awesome
      • get them to IRC ASAP
      • watch them, ping them, ask them what’s the next thing they want to
      • work on, help them to choose if they are unsure
  • ensure changes are not lingering too long (2 weeks) on gerrit unreviewed by reviewing them or finding someone to review them
  • organizing, announcing and leading regular events for onboarding beginners (virtual Hackfests)
  • updating, steamlining and maintaining developer documentation
  • broadening developer resources with podcasts or screencasts for newcomers
  • reporting and blogging about interesting developments on LibreOffice code to attract new contributors
  • regularly check back with the existing volunteer developer base:
    • to identify and clear out stumbling blocks
    • to learn about reasons why volunteers move on
  • encourage contributors with basic experience to move on from EasyHacks to more challenging and interesting tasks
  • coordinate with QA, design and other groups in the LibreOffice community
  • put outstanding volunteer contributions into the limelight
  • take part in weekly Engineering Steering Committee meetings
  • reach out to other OSS communities (desktop environments, programming languages and frameworks, databases, IDEs etc.) and find opportunities for collaboration, integration and shared marketing

The role requires the following:

  • C++ coding experience
  • basic LibreOffice development know-how
  • excellent communication skills

Previous experience with such tasks is highly welcome, so is using free software for creation of media. Speaking and writing English fluently is a mandatory requirement.

The work time during the day is flexible, apart from some fixed times when availability is required (e.g. during meetings, which usually take place at 1400 or 1500 UTC once per week).

TDF welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

As always, TDF will give some preference to individuals who have previously shown a commitment to TDF, including but not limited to members of TDF. Not being a member, or never having contributed before, does not exclude any applicants from consideration.

The job is offered on a freelance basis. Work happens from the applicant’s home office, which can be located anywhere in the world.

TDF is looking forward to receiving your applications, including curriculum vitae, your financial expectations, and the earliest date of your availability, via e-mail to Florian Effenberger at floeff@documentfoundation.org no later than August 15, 2015. You can encrypt your message via PGP/GnuPG.

If you haven’t received feedback by September 15, 2015 your application could not be considered.