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FACULTY OPENING Digital Research and Instructional Services Metadata Specialist for User Projects The University of Virginia Library seeks an innovative, service-oriented individual to provide direct user support for the organization, description, and documentation of original digital scholarly projects. Environment: The University of Virginia Library is a leader in the development of digital library initiatives and infrastructure with electronic centers for texts; digital images, music and media; geospatial and statistical data; and rare books and manuscripts. The Library system consists of eleven libraries, with independent libraries for health sciences, law, and business. The libraries support 12,000 undergraduates, 6,000 graduate students and 1,600 teaching faculty. The University and the Library have a strong commitment to achieving diversity among faculty and staff. The Library's homepage can be accessed at http://www.lib.virginia.edu. The Neoclassical buildings of founder Thomas Jefferson's Academical Village still serve as the center of the University's Grounds and as a unique backdrop for teaching, learning and research. For a virtual tour of the Grounds, visit: http://www.virginia.edu/uvatours/slideshow/ Digital Research and Instructional Services (DRIS) provides the University with leadership in the application of technology to instruction and research. DRIS builds on the groundbreaking collaborative aspects of the Library's original electronic centers, including the Electronic Text Center, the Geostat Center, and Rare Materials Digital Services. Working closely with faculty and students, DRIS helps to define scholarly digital projects and support the use and creation of digital content for both research and instructional contexts. DRIS provides a forum for experimentation as well as basic support services, and collaborates actively with other library departments and services to provide a holistic approach to the user's needs. The Metadata Specialist for User Projects is a newly defined role, created to assist researchers in the organization, description and documentation their projects and collections. Responsibilities: Reporting to the Director of Digital Research and Instructional Services, the Metadata Specialist for User Projects works as a team member to help define, plan, and implement digital scholarly projects and collaborates with users to define standard vocabularies, taxonomies, thesauri, or other relevant authority schemas. Serves as a member of the DRIS public services team to educate and train users in the use and application of Library standards and practices; conducts regular training sessions on metadata concepts, needs, and issues. Keeps current on standards and practices related to metadata and digital resource management and identifies possible local applications. Participates as an active member of the Library's Metadata Steering Group and liaison between DRIS and Cataloging. Conducts original research related to metadata and digital resource management and reports findings. Identifies and participates in professional development opportunities. Qualifications: Required: Master's degree in library science or in a relevant field and experience in an academic library setting. Strong experience in public service and user education; background in the development of metadata and digital resource management; demonstrated ability with several major metadata standards and basic familiarity with others (e.g, MARC, Dublin Core, TEI, FGDC, DDI, VRA, METS, MODS). Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to present complex technical information to a generalist audience; demonstrated skills in project management; and a commitment to professional development. Preferred: Some experience with programming or scripting languages such as Perl or XSLT. General understanding of digital library technologies and directions. Salary and Benefits: Competitive depending on qualifications. This position has general faculty status with excellent benefits, including 22 days of vacation and TIAA/CREF and other retirement plans. Review of applications will begin on January 3, 2005 and will continue until the position is filled. Send in print or electronic format, a letter of application, resume, and the names, addresses (including e-mail), and phone numbers of three references to: Mr. Alan R. Napier ([log in to unmask]), Director of Library Human Resources, Alderman Library, PO Box 400114, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4114. More information about the Library can be found at: http://www.lib.virginia.edu/. The University of Virginia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer strongly committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The University actively encourages applications and nominations from members of underrepresented groups.