Web Technologist

A website is like a garden: Without someone to plant, water, and harvest it, it’s just a tangled mess of dirt and weeds. A Web Technologist, therefore, is like a high-tech Gardener, cultivating a company’s web technology, including, for instance, its website, web servers, search services, and content management system (CMS).

Because they’re “ Technologists ” — a generic term for anyone whose focus is on the practical application of science or technology — Web Technologists are generalists rather than specialists. If it’s related to the web, therefore, a Web Technologist does it.

For example, you handle both front- and back-end web development in this position, either as a Project Manager or a Web Developer. On the front end, your responsibilities might encompass HTML code, scripts, style sheets, graphics production, site maps, information architecture, and search engine optimization. In other words, does the website look right and function properly?

On the back end, meanwhile, your responsibilities might encompass web server administration, server-side programming, database management, CMS administration, and rich Internet applications. That is, is the infrastructure that supports your website stable?

You’re also in charge of quality assurance testing and performance monitoring, which encompasses browser compatibility, web accessibility, and web metrics. In other words, does the website look the same in Firefox as in Safari, can it be read by people with visual impairments, and is it attracting visitors?

Basically, you’re in charge of researching, selecting, implementing, configuring, and delivering web-based technologies, which means you can forget dialing “tech support” — because you’re it! Having technical difficulties? Dial 1-800-YOU!