Digital Platform Developer (Consultancy)

Project Overview 

The New York Climate Exchange is seeking a developer or small development team to build and/or customize a functional digital platform that enables users to submit, review, publish, browse and analyze an online repository including word documents, excel spreadsheets, presentations, and other file types. The platform is meant to facilitate content discovery. The contractor will be responsible for delivering a customized front-end platform as well as architecting the backend database with a structured submission schema that can be easily accessed by The New York Climate Exchange team. This will be a bespoke platform and is a key deliverable for a pilot project to develop a hub for climate tech knowledge sharing and exchange. 

Key Deliverables 

• Design and build a clean, functional front-end platform that allows users to browse, search, and filter a repository of climate tech content. Architect a backend database with a structured submission schema that can be accessed by The New York Climate Exchange. 

• Integrate a submission portal with form fields, file support (including large files such as decks and videos), IP acknowledgement, and automated reviewer routing. 

• Implement a lightweight review routing workflow for internal administrators to track submission status, assign reviewers and permissions, and manage publication. 

• Add roles and permissions based on user type and ensure privacy on platform using secure login. Integrate a search (either tagging tools, or AI assisted) to be able to parse and browse content. 

• Outline recommendations for future development and maintenance of platform including rough cost estimates. 

Required Skills & Experience: 

• Experience building lightweight data platforms and web apps. 

• Ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with non-technical colleagues to describe your decision-making process, workflow, and work output. 

• Willingness to drive progress independently and iterate based on feedback. 

• Ability to design and build for future growth and integration of AI and to make recommendations for long-term technical roadmap. 

• Experience working with universities and familiarity with early-stage technologies, climate tech and startups is a plus. 

Tentative Schedule of Deliverables 

• Month 1: Design the workflow and user experience by assessing sample content and developing a workplan and platform inclusions list. Platform inclusions list to include front-end platform, core library and repository of data (including PDF content, excel tables, among others), search and discovery/ submissions portal, and review workflow. 

• Month 2-3: After feedback from The Exchange team and project partners, build the front-end platform and back-end database. 

• Month 3-4: QA and testing with initial batch content; availability for periodic questions or tweaks. 

• Month 4-8: Very light engagement, on call if needed. 

• Month 8-10: Availability for further testing and tweaks as platform goes live, additional content is ingested and workflows are implemented. Deliver final set of recommendations for future build-out and maintenance. 

Contract duration: 10 months total, anticipated kick off in August. Expected concentrated periods of availability (several hours per week) for the first 3 months and final 3 months with very light engagement in the months between.

Location: Remote, must be available to join occasional weekday meetings in ET time zone.

To apply please submit: 

1. Resume 
2. Portfolio showcasing relevant past projects
3. Brief written project plan for how you would approach the scope, including flat-rate project cost.

Proposals should include a flat fixed-fee rate for the project (flat project total, NOT hourly rate).  Additional context on the project and sample links can be provided upon request. 

About The New York Climate Exchange: 

The New York Climate Exchange is a nonprofit designed to accelerate climate solutions. By leveraging the perspectives of a cross-sector network of diverse partners and New York City’s global influence, The Exchange engages in cutting-edge research, delivers impactful education and training, hosts world-class convenings and scales climate technology solutions. The Exchange is developing a state-of-the-art  climate campus on Governors Island that will bring climate scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and changemakers under one roof—sparking the collaborations and breakthrough ideas we need to build a sustainable future. Learn more at  nyclimateexchange.org .  

You must be able to work in the United States as The Exchange does not yet have visa-sponsoring capabilities.