IT Applications Developer

POSTING TYPE: Open Competitive
DEPARTMENT: Information Technology
HOURS: Full Time
PREFERRED HIRING RANGE: $78,981-$98,726/YEAR
FULL SALARY RANGE: $78,981 - $123,408/year
LOCATION: Administration Center, Hastings
UNION: None
CLOSE DATE: 4:30pm on 5/29/2025

The Department of Information Technology develops and maintains mission-critical applications for Dakota County. We are seeking a creative and motivated software developer with promising talent in engineering reliable applications that serve the strategic goals of Dakota County. Our opportunity would provide you the experience to participate in full-stack collaborative teams to develop and support a variety of technologies, including custom and vendor solutions that support the strategic goals of Dakota County. You'll build experience interfacing directly with our business units to gather requirements, exercise your problem-solving capabilities, and collaborate with other developers. We invest time and resources to help our developers succeed and grow in their careers and value professional development. If you're looking for an organization that incorporates your strengths and interests into your daily work, consider joining our team.

We would encourage you to apply if you're an Application Developer who has strong analytical skills to help solve technical challenges, is naturally curious and a lifelong learner, has a customer service mindset, values differences and collaboration, takes pride in the performance of projects and enjoys addressing projects using a variety of technologies. We are looking for a Developer who will design innovative solutions for new programs, system integrations and application enhancements, which will provide the best results to meet Dakota County business area needs. They will provide guidance to business application users, coordinate application production migrations, integrate data components into existing software solutions, coordinate with internal and external teams to provide technical support across platforms, and conduct detailed technical tasks in the areas of software development, data integrations, report creation and systems analysis. A successful candidate for this position will also have strong interpersonal and business analysis skills and be very comfortable working directly with end users to gather requirements and develop/extend software solutions.

* Bachelor degree in the field of computer science, information systems, software engineering, or related and 2 years of software development experience
OR
* 6 years software development experience including 2 years' Microsoft Visual Studio, 2 years Microsoft SQL database, and 2 years experience assisting with project plans and assigning, executing and monitoring tasks for small and medium projects.
OR
* An equivalent combination of education and experience of a 6 or more years.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE BEYOND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
* Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 or higher
* Microsoft SQL database 2012 or higher
* Experience using C#, ASP.NET, TSQL, JavaScript and MVC

These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this classification. Regular attendance according to the position's management approved work schedule is required for all positions.

1. Collaborate with other developers, business analysts and project managers in planning, designing, and developing new software applications.
2. Analyze and assess existing business processes, systems, and procedures.
3. Assist in the definition, development, and documentation of application development business requirements. This will include setting project objectives, deliverables, and software specifications on a project-by-project basis, in collaboration with application users, stakeholders, and support staff.
4. Assist in defining software development project plans, including scoping, scheduling, and implementation.
5. Research, identify, analyze, and fulfill project requirements for internal and external application development related projects.
Operational Management:
6. Liaise with network administrators, systems analysts, and software engineers to assist in resolving support issues with software applications or company software systems.
7. Consistently write, translate, and code software programs and applications according to defined specifications.
8. Write system integrations and programming scripts to enhance the functionality and/or performance of vendor-based applications as necessary.
9. Design, review, and monitor software performance tests on new and existing programs, for the purposes of correcting errors, isolating areas for improvement, and general debugging.
10. Administer critical analysis of test results and deliver solutions to optimize efficiency.
11. Develop and maintain user guides and technical documentation.
12. Train end users to operate new or modified programs.
13. Install software products for end users as required.
14. Manage and/or provide guidance to junior team members.
15. Other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:1-15

* Proficiency in a variety of programming languages, including C#, Windows and Web .NET.
* Good understanding of coding methods and best practices.
* Proficient relational database and operating systems experience with MS SQL and Windows operating systems.
* Good understanding of platforms such as Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 or higher, Team Foundation Server, Azure DevOps, and Web API architecture.
* Working knowledge of current and emerging web development technologies
* Prior experience interviewing end-users for insight on functionality, interface, problems, and/or usability issues.
* Hands-on experience developing test cases and test plans.
* Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws.

Personal Attributes:
* Able to communicate effectively with non-technical staff and with members of interdisciplinary teams.
* Flexible and adaptable in regards to learning and understanding new technologies.
* Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
* Ability to conduct research into software-related issues and products.
* Highly self-motivated and directed.
* Keen attention to detail.
* Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.
* Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
* Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Dakota County aims to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of diverse people, backgrounds, and experiences. Our goal is to have a workforce that is reflective of the communities and individuals we serve. We promote an equitable and culturally aware working environment where everyone can be their authentic selves.
* On-call availability as assigned.
* Overtime hours may be required to meet project deadlines.
* Sitting for extended periods of time.

SELECTION PROCESS: The examination/selection process for this classification will consist of a rating of your training and experience from the application materials submitted. The top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.