Job Posting: Texas Rangers Programmer / Analyst
Texas Rangers: Programmer Analyst, Baseball Operations
City / State: Arlington TX
JOB SUMMARY: Analyzes needs, designs, writes, tests and supports new programs and applications to support Baseball Operations. Works according to approved requirements and detailed specifications. Supports and contributes to ongoing analytical research.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF POSITION INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
Job Duties
- Author readable software requirements by discerning key deliverables from short in-person meetings, phone calls, or emails
- Produce reasonable, accurate estimates from the gathered requirements with the ability to consistently meet them
- Develop high-quality software systems on multiple platforms in a rapid application development environment
- Confirm program operation by conducting tests
- Develop and maintain databases and links to multiple external data sources
- Provide reference material by writing and maintaining user documentation
- Ability to train and support end users with a wide variety of computer skills
- Support analytical research and development
- Other responsibilities as assigned
Job Expectations
- Protect operations by keeping information confidential
- Build professional relationships with baseball operations personnel in order to understand service requirements
- Willingness to be honest with clients if unable to meet deadlines as soon as problems are encountered
- Demonstrate a willingness to commit the additional time and effort necessary during periods of heavy workload in order to meet project milestones, implementation deadlines and the like
- Demonstrate desire and aptitude to become a subject matter expert in baseball data analysis
Skills/Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in computer related discipline or relevant work experience
- Communicate technical and complex information both orally and in writing
- Strong organizational skills
- Self-motivated and able to work under strict deadlines and minimal supervision
- Perform multiple tasks concurrently and respond to emergency situations effectively
- Possess a sound working knowledge of , and significant hands on experience with several of the following, by priority:
- Software requirements, design, testing, and debugging
- Rapid Application Development
- Microsoft SQL Server (advanced querying and stored procedures, analyzing performance)
- C#, ASP.NET
- jQuery and JavaScript
- MySQL
- C++
- Statistical Analysis
- R
- Tableau
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the job.
David Appelman is the creator of FanGraphs.
As a professional software engineer, allow me translate this for the laymen:
“Produce reasonable, accurate estimates from the gathered requirements with the ability to consistently meet them”
We need you to lie about when it will be done but still produce a workable half-ass solution to placate us.
“Ability to train and support end users with a wide variety of computer skills“
You’re also the IT guy.
“Willingness to be honest with clients if unable to meet deadlines as soon as problems are encountered”
We’re going to yell at you for correctly stating that the impossible is, in fact, impossible. We’re sorry. But not really.
“Demonstrate a willingness to commit the additional time and effort necessary during periods of heavy workload in order to meet project milestones, implementation deadlines and the like”
I hope you agree that sleep is overrated. If you don’t, I’m sure we could find someone more fanatical about baseball to take your place.
“Software requirements, design, testing, and debugging”
“Rapid Application Development”
We missed that part about choosing only two out of fast, good, and cheap.
my favorite part of the whole ad is the multitude of software and programming skills you must have to fit the bill, never mind that in order to be an expert at simply one of these computer programs it can practically take a lifetime.
It makes you wonder who really writes these job posts and if they truly know the significance and value of the skills they are truly asking for. Because the totality of all those skills they are asking, simply don’t grow on trees. Its like an MLB prospect that is a five tool player. Don’t find them every day. But this ad comes off as so nonchalant about it.
?Microsoft SQL Server (advanced querying and stored procedures, analyzing performance)
?C#, ASP.NET
?jQuery and JavaScript
?MySQL
?C++
?Statistical Analysis
?R
?Tableau
Normally I drool at the available positions but this one looks brutal. You’re basically just a code monkey, and I think Brett’s comments are spot-on.