Software Accessibility Fellow

The Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) is offering a fellowship opportunity that is available to all University of Michigan undergraduates and graduate students. You can read more about CAI and its guiding principles by visiting ai.umich.edu.

Who we’re looking for

We are seeking highly motivated fellows to help with QA testing our educational software tools for accessibility. Our accessibility tester will have a keen interest in how software works, how users with different needs interact with software, and how software can be tested to ensure it delivers the desired experience. You do not need to major in computer science or engineering for this role. We’re seeking diverse applicants from the arts as well as the sciences. 

Duties

The fellowship will involve playing an active role in the AI Software Development Teams. You’ll be our developers’ best friend: someone who catches issues before our users do! You will have to be skilled in the art of finding ways to break a system!

Key responsibilities (what you will learn)  

• Test CAI software for accessibility issues using automated tools, heuristics, and WCAG (web content accessibility group) guidelines.
• Create clear, organized documentation of issues found.
• Track the status of accessibility issues as they’re resolved.
• Assist with the creation of VPAT and Accessibility Roadmap reports.
• Work with members of the educational technology team to create accessibility test cases and prioritize testing activity with the Quality Assurance Analyst. 
• Participate in QA testing process improvement.
• Assist with the creation of software tool documentation, for both developers and users, as needed.

Qualifications

• A quality experience rockstar who wants to explore their interests in educational technology and digital learning experiences. 
• A system breaker who loves to find loopholes in technology.
• Detail-oriented, consistent, strong ownership and organizational skills.
• Experience with HTML, CSS, ARIA, and/or Javascript.
• Basic knowledge of web accessibility fundamentals.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work both in teams, and as an individual.
• Proficient in the use of MS Office suite and Google Suite tools. Intermediate-to-Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills highly desirable.
• Knowledge of and interest in user experience concepts.
• Must have a desire to learn more about customer satisfaction, process and product quality, reliability, and experience.

General requirements for all our interns

• Working well independently in a multicultural and collaborative environment
• Working well in an environment with rapidly changing requirements and priorities
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Hours

10-20 hours per week during the semester, flexible schedules offered. Up to 40 hours per week during the summer. 

How to apply

If you are interested, please email cai-student-hiring@umich.edu and provide a copy of your resume and any other materials you would like us to consider.