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AMERICAN RED CROSS
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"There is an emotional benefit in working with an organization with a long-standing tradition of helping people."
— Herb Drucker, General Manager, Information Systems
• HP 9000, HP3000, AS/400, IBM PCs, Novell LAN •
• UNIX, MPE, Sybase, C, COBOL, RPG, AREV •
• Nonprofit • Large shop •
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The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies - services consistent with its Congressional Charter. American Red Cross services include disaster relief; health and safety courses; and a reliable supply of blood, blood products, and related biomedical products and services. Other services include prompt relief to families and victims of major disasters; emergency communication between members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families; international tracing services; and training in first aid, CPR, swimming, lifeguard certification and HIV/AIDS education.
The American Red Cross is a private, nonprofit organization. Founded in 1881, their headquarters is in Washington, D.C. Their parent organization, the International Red Cross, is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The American Red Cross has 1.49 million volunteers and 28,500 paid employees including 2,000 employees in the Washington, D.C. area.
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Technology
The American Red Cross has an HP/9000, which runs under UNIX, an HP 3000 with MPE, and an IBM AS/400. In addition, they have 30 file servers at national headquarters and over 100 local area networks (LANs) connecting over 3,000 IBM PCs across the country.
The LANs run under Novell's networking software, using C, FoxPro, and Advanced Revelations (AREV) fourth generation languages. The HPs are programmed in Powerhouse, COBOL, and C, and the AS/400 in RPG.
The American Red Cross has just over 100 computer professionals working in Technical Integration, Systems Development, Bio/Medical Systems, Applications Support, and Operations. Job titles include Programmer Analyst, Senior Systems Analyst, Information Center Specialist, and Trainer. There is a dual technical/management career path.
Over half of the technical work is new development. The American Red Cross recently developed the Chapter Environmental Resource System (CHERS), which automates the five major service areas in a chapter, including mailing lists and Red Cross certificates. The system was written in AREV on IBM PCs/LANs. A Blood Computer System is in the initial development stages using CASE tools.
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Culture
Computer professionals work in offices and cubicles in Washington near the White House and in Old Town Alexandria. Facilities are smoke-free. All staff members have an IBM or Dell PC connected to a LAN. There may be a need for travel, depending on the project and an occasional need for overtime.
The American Red Cross offers a good working environment with an opportunity to make an impact in an organization dedicated to providing prompt services in time of need.
The American Red Cross observes10 holidays and 2 floating days per year. They offer 12 days of vacation to start, increasing to 20 days after 3 years. There is a choice of medical insurance plans. The organization provides life insurance (one times the annual salary), a pension plan, and long-term disability insurance. A retirement annuity plan, dependent care reimbursement account, and grants for tuition reimbursement are also available.
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Candidates
The American Red Cross looks for candidates with Computer Science degrees or related experience. They choose candidates with good interpersonal skills and an understanding of applications.
The American Red Cross typically hires 5 to 10 computer people a year. They find candidates primarily through advertisements and contacts, and occasionally through employment agencies.
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Contact
A letter with a resume is preferred.
The American Red Cross
Personnel Services, #10
18th and D Streets, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Copyright 1993. Vandamere Press. Covin’s Washington Area Computer Job Guide
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