ITHAKA's mission is to expand access to knowledge and education around the world. We started in 1995 with a simple idea: digitize the materials in university and college libraries to preserve them and make them available online to people everywhere. Today, we do that and so much more.
Our 350+ staff - everyone from software developers, designers, and editors, to quantitative analysts, human resource specialists, and marketers - work to deliver four services developed to advance our mission.
JSTOR is a digital platform expanding access to knowledge by making thousands of books, journals, images, and primary sources available to millions of students and researchers in 180 countries.
Portico is a global archive preserving nearly 500 terabytes of digital research content for libraries and publishers to ensure it's accessible for future generations.
Ithaka S+R is a strategic consulting group providing research to help colleges, universities, libraries, and museums with challenges like enrolling more low-income students and veterans, increasing diversity in their workforce, transitioning to digital environments, and improving learning outcomes and graduation rates through the use of adaptive learning technologies.
To learn more about ITHAKA's jobs, culture, and our impact in higher education, visit ithaka.org.
Rating Reviews
Rating is calculated based on
3
reviews and is evolving.
Pros: I've really enjoyed my time as a Junior Software Engineer at ITHAKA in Ann Arbor, MI. It's been a great place to learn and grow in the education technology space. The team is super supportive, always willing to help out with new features or tricky bugs. I feel like my work contributes to something meaningful, helping universities and researchers. The hybrid work model is also a big plus for work-life balance.
Cons: While the environment is fantastic for learning, I'd say career growth can sometimes feel a bit slower than in a pure tech startup. Promotions take time, and there isn't always a super clear path mapped out. Also, some of the older systems can be a challenge to work with, requiring a bit more patience.
Advice to Management: Consider implementing more structured career development plans and clearer pathways for internal promotions, especially for junior-level staff. Also, investing in modernizing some of the legacy systems would greatly improve daily workflows and efficiency for the engineering team.
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Pros: The mission here is truly inspiring, contributing to higher education access is a big motivator. The culture is very collaborative and intellectually stimulating, with many smart people passionate about education technology. Work-life balance is generally excellent, and there's good flexibility for remote or hybrid work. Benefits are solid for a non-profit.
Cons: Sometimes, decision-making can feel slow, and navigating internal project management tools and approval processes can be a bit cumbersome, especially for cross-departmental initiatives. While career growth is possible, it can feel less structured than in a for-profit tech company, and compensation, while fair, may not always keep pace with market rates in the broader tech industry.
Advice to Management: Focus on streamlining cross-functional workflows and providing clearer paths for professional development and compensation reviews to ensure top talent retention.
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Pros: The mission at ITHAKA is truly inspiring, making you feel like your work contributes to something bigger in educational access and research. I really valued the caliber of my colleagues; everyone was smart, dedicated, and genuinely collaborative. The hybrid work setup offered good flexibility. I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to work on complex data challenges within the non-profit sector.
Cons: While collaboration is strong, sometimes decision-making processes felt quite slow and layered, which could be frustrating when trying to move projects forward quickly. There were also moments where resource allocation or strategic alignment across different departments could have been clearer. It's a large organization, and that scale sometimes leads to bureaucracy, which is a common challenge in this industry.
Advice to Management: Streamline decision-making pathways and communication between departments to improve project velocity. Invest further in tools or training that support agile development within this mission-focused non-profit.
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What is the interview scheduling process like at ITHAKA for tech roles?
After applying for a software engineering position at ITHAKA, I received an email within a week to schedule my initial phone screen. The recruiter was flexible and offered several time slots, which was convenient for my busy schedule.
What's it like working in category management at ITHAKA?
As a Category Manager at ITHAKA, I really enjoy the collaborative environment with a focus on driving user growth and engagement within the digital publishing industry, especially given ITHAKA's significant impact.
What is ITHAKA's policy on remote work for roles like software engineers?
ITHAKA offers a hybrid work model, allowing for flexibility for roles such as software engineers. While some roles may be fully remote, many teams operate on a hybrid schedule, requiring a few days a week in the New York City office.