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Build BDT With Us
Contributing to BDT is a great way to gain experience working on an open source project with a friendly team!
Benefit Decision Toolkit is a Code For Philly project. Visit our page on Code For Philly’s website to learn more and become a volunteer.
Volunteer Roles
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Benefit Analyst (Program Rule Translation)
Apply your understanding of benefit rules to the design and development of our project.
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Role Description:
Apply your understanding of benefit rules to the design and development of our project. Help create clear patterns and documentation so that the Benefit Toolbox can handle the vast diversity of rules across programs.
Key Responsibilities:
- Analyze diverse public benefit programs (e.g., local tax relief, utility assistance, food access) to identify common patterns and unique complexities in their eligibility rules.
- Advise the Engineering team on how to design the framework to accurately and robustly model rules.
- Develop a standardized documentation template for writing benefit rules that can be easily entered into the DMN editor by non-analysts.
What We’re Looking For:
- Professional experience researching, interpreting, or applying rules for government benefit programs (e.g., former analyst, policy researcher, or eligibility specialist).
- Strong attention to detail and ability to parse dense legal/regulatory documents.
- Ability to communicate complex logic clearly and structurally.
- Ability to commit 3–5 hours per week.
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Grant Writer / Funding Strategist
Help secure the long-term sustainability of this critical infrastructure project by identifying and applying for grants.
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Role Description:
Help secure the long-term sustainability of this critical infrastructure project by identifying and applying for grants. This funding can eventually support dedicated project management, outreach, and maintenance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Research grant opportunities focused on civic technology infrastructure, non-profit capacity building, or economic empowerment.
- Draft compelling proposals, narratives, and budgets, using the Philly Property Tax Relief Screener as a key proof-of-concept.
- Work with the Project Manager to track and report on project metrics and impact.
- Develop a strategy for demonstrating the value of reusable open-source tools to funders.
What We’re Looking For:
- Proven experience in grant writing or technical writing.
- Ability to craft persuasive and detailed written materials that articulate both the technological solution and the human impact.
- Ability to commit 3–5 hours per week (often project-based around grant deadlines).
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Project Manager / Coordinator
Ensure the project team stays focused on delivering value for our user partners and advancing the core framework.
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Role Description:
Ensure the project team stays focused on delivering value for our user (non-profit partners) and advancing the core framework. Coordinate efforts across engineering, research, and analysis.
Key Responsibilities:
- Facilitate weekly team meetings, managing agendas, and documenting decisions.
- Own and manage the GitHub Issues backlog, translating high-level goals into actionable user stories for technical and non-technical volunteers.
- Help define and track milestones for the development of the reusable framework.
- Maintain project documentation and ensure new volunteers have a clear path to contribution.
What We’re Looking For:
- Experience in Agile/Scrum methodologies is strongly preferred.
- Excellent organizational, time management, and written communication skills.
- Familiarity with collaboration tools like GitHub Issues, Slack, or Trello.
- Ability to commit 3–5 hours per week.
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Software Engineer (Full-Stack or Backend Focus)
Build and refine the core engine of the Benefit Toolbox, creating reusable components for defining complex benefit rules.
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Role Description:
Build and refine the core “engine” of the Benefit Toolbox: the reusable components that allow a user to define complex benefit rules (the “DMN” component) and generate a web-based screener.
Key Responsibilities:
- Write clean, modular, and well-tested code for the framework’s architecture (we currently use Java and JavaScript/SolidJS).
- Focus on developing the low-code/no-code interface that non-profit users will use to define benefit eligibility rules.
- Help containerize and document the deployment process to make it easy for partners to launch their own screeners.
- Participate in code reviews and follow open-source best practices.
What We’re Looking For:
- Proficiency in Java (for backend logic) or JavaScript/SolidJS (for the editor interface).
- Familiarity with data modeling, APIs, and rule engines (or a strong interest in learning about them).
- Experience with Git/GitHub and collaborative software development.
- Ability to commit 5+ hours per week.
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UX Designer (Focus on Admin/Builder Interface)
Design the intuitive interface that allows non-profit staff to define complex logic and deploy screening tools without writing code.
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Role Description:
Our primary user is a non-profit staff member who needs to build a screener. The UX designer designs the intuitive interface that allows them to define complex logic, manage questions, and deploy their tool without writing code.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design the administrative interface for defining benefit rules (the “DMN” editor) and managing benefit data.
- Create wireframes and user flows that minimize friction and cognitive load for the non-technical non-profit user.
- Collaborate closely with Engineers to ensure the admin interface is feasible and meets usability goals.
- Maintain the design system for both the builder tool and the resulting client-facing screeners.
What We’re Looking For:
- Experience using design tools like Figma or Sketch.
- A portfolio showing examples of designing data entry tools, admin panels, or “builder” interfaces.
- Strong understanding of accessibility and information architecture.
- Ability to commit 3–5 hours per week.
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UX Researcher (Focus on Non-Profit Needs)
Understand the non-technical needs, workflows, and pain points of non-profit staff and their clients.
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Role Description:
Understand the non-technical needs, workflows, and pain points of non-profit staff who currently screen clients for eligibility or want to use a tool like BDT.
Key Responsibilities:
- Plan and conduct research (interviews, surveys) with non-profit managers, benefits navigators, and program staff to understand their current methods.
- Validate the usability of the Benefit Toolbox admin interface with non-technical users.
- Synthesize research findings into clear, actionable recommendations for the UX and Engineering teams.
- Help define user personas for the non-profit builder and the end client.
What We’re Looking For:
- Experience planning and executing UX research activities.
- Strong interviewing, synthesis, and presentation skills.
- Experience working with or interviewing non-profit organizations is a significant asset.
- Ability to commit 3–5 hours per week.
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Volunteer Recruitment and Management
Grow and nurture our volunteer community, ensuring we have the right mix of technical and non-technical talent.
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Role Description:
Grow and nurture our volunteer community, ensuring we have the right mix of technical and non-technical talent to meet our roadmap goals.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop targeted outreach for the specific roles needed (e.g., Benefit Analyst, Engineer roles).
- Manage the onboarding process, ensuring new contributors feel welcome, have clear first tasks, and access to necessary documentation.
- Monitor volunteer engagement and proactively address communication gaps or burnout.
- Maintain a positive, inclusive, and goal-oriented project culture.
What We’re Looking For:
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
- Experience in recruiting, community management, or volunteer coordination.
- A passion for civic tech and team building.
- Ability to commit 3–5 hours per week.