Digital Platform Developer (Consultancy)

Role overview

The New York Climate Exchange seeks a developer or small development team to design and build a bespoke digital platform that enables users to submit, review, publish, browse, search, and analyze climate tech content. The platform will serve as a repository (including documents and media) and a content discovery hub for a climate tech knowledge-sharing pilot.

Key deliverables

• Front-end platform: build a clean UI that supports browse, search, and filter across a climate tech content repository.
• Back-end database: architect a structured submission schema so The New York Climate Exchange team can access the repository data.
• Submission portal:
  • form fields for metadata
  • file support, including large files (e.g., decks and videos)
  • IP acknowledgement capture
  • automated reviewer routing
• Review workflow:
  • lightweight workflow for internal administrators to track submission status
  • assign reviewers, manage permissions, and control publication
• Roles & permissions + privacy:
  • permissions based on user type
  • secure login to protect privacy
• Search & discovery:
  • integrate tagging-based search and/or AI-assisted search to parse and browse content
• Roadmap recommendations:
  • provide recommendations for future platform development and maintenance, including rough cost estimates.

Schedule (10-month contract)

• Month 1: UX/workflow design using sample content; deliver a workplan and platform inclusions list.
• Months 2–3: build front-end and back-end database after feedback.
• Months 3–4: QA/testing with initial content batch; periodic questions/tweaks.
• Months 4–8: very light engagement; on-call if needed.
• Months 8–10: further testing/tweaks during go-live and as workflows/content expand; deliver final maintenance/build-out recommendations.
• Availability: several hours/week in the first 3 months and final 3 months; very light engagement in between.

Required skills & experience

• Experience building lightweight data platforms and web applications.
• Ability to collaborate with non-technical stakeholders, explaining decisions, workflow, and outputs.
• Ability to work independently, iterate based on feedback, and drive progress.
• Ability to design for future growth and AI integration, with recommendations for a long-term technical roadmap.
• Familiarity with early-stage environments; experience working with universities and/or climate tech/startups is a plus.

Location / working model

• Remote. Must be available for occasional weekday meetings in ET time zone.