Zotero Expert

People rely on Zotero for critical, time-sensitive projects, and we work hard to make sure that their experience is as smooth as possible, including getting fast, expert help if they need it. Zotero support works a bit differently from most places, and we’re incredibly proud of it. We don’t have customer service representatives — instead, Zotero developers work directly with users in the Zotero Forums to troubleshoot problems, fix bugs, and figure out ways to improve both Zotero and the support experience going forward.

We’re looking for an outgoing, empathetic Zotero expert to take the lead on helping people use Zotero. You’ll work with users every day in the forums, answering questions, debugging technical problems, discussing feature requests, identifying common sources of confusion or frustration, and generally learning how people are using the software so you can be an advocate for them within the team. You’ll work with Zotero developers to build tools to make troubleshooting easier or better convey important information. You’ll write documentation and in-app text to guide users through complex issues. You’ll identify bugs or usability problems and collaborate with other developers to fix them or dive into the code to fix them yourself. Most importantly, you’ll participate in a vibrant global open-source community with amazing community developers and passionate users, helping to shape the future of how people manage their research.

We’re an international, remote-only team. We meet up occasionally around the world (falafel is often involved), but you’ll primarily be working remotely, communicating with Zotero users via the forums and with the rest of the Zotero team via chat rooms and GitHub. We have a collaborative but often-asynchronous workflow, and you’ll be fully in control of your own schedule.

What We’re Looking For

• Deep Zotero knowledge — ideally you’ve used Zotero for years, have helped others use it, and have spent time in the Zotero Forums (even if only as a lurker)

• A desire to talk to people every day and help them fix problems — helping people use technology more effectively should be something that brings you joy

• Strong English writing skills — nearly everything you do will be in writing, so you should be a clear, careful, and elegant writer

• Ability to quickly absorb complicated technical information

Bonus Points

• Programming experience in JavaScript or other languages — it can often be helpful to read source code to fully understand an issue, and we’d love you to feel comfortable occasionally jumping in and fixing things yourself

• A love of free and open-source software

This is an open-ended contract role that can scale up and down in hours based on availability and workload. This role is open to applicants worldwide and doesn’t require a fixed schedule, but you should regularly be available during U.S. daytime hours, when Zotero Forums traffic is at its highest.

Pay range: $30–$60/hour (USD) based on background and experience

Interested? Email us at jobs@zotero.org with the subject line “Zotero Expert”, let us know why you’re interested in working with us and why you think you’d be a good fit for this role, and include your résumé.

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We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the diverse, global community that uses our software. We strongly encourage people from traditionally underrepresented groups to apply.