Research Data Management Specialist

Digital Initiatives

 

Academic Associate or Senior Academic Associate (Unranked Contract Academic Staff)

Duration:  three years, with possibility of renewal

Salary minimum:  salary commensurate with experience

Posting number: 19-AHU-11

 

The McGill Library seeks a creative, knowledgeable, and entrepreneurial Research Data Management Specialist to spearhead the development and implementation of strong research data management services at the McGill Library, promote good data management practices within the McGill community, and expand research data partnerships on campus.

 

McGILL UNIVERSITY

Within sight of one of Frederick Olmsted’s great urban parks, Mount Royal, McGill University is consistently cited as one of the world's top universities and has been ranked first among Canada's medical-doctoral universities by Maclean's magazine for ten consecutive years. Established in 1821, and one of only two Canadian members of the Association of American Universities (AAU), McGill University is located in Montreal, one of North America’s great urban centres. The University is consistently named one of the city’s Top Employers in an annual competition.

McGill Library & Archives has the largest collection in Quebec and is one of Canada’s largest academic libraries with over five million monograph titles and 100,000 e-journals and databases. The Library is a member of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI), and the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), and is the first Canadian member of the HathiTrust Digital Library.

The Library is committed to the delivery of innovative information products, services and programs of the highest quality focused on client needs in support of the University's strategic mission and directions. The Library proactively supports the teaching, learning and research needs of faculty and students to ensure that the university’s strategic mission of excellence as a research intensive, student-centred university is satisfied. In collaboration with other units oncampus, including the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) the Library is actively growing support for Research Data Management activities for McGill researchers.

 

INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STAFF

Information about the University and the McGill Library is at the University’s web site (www.mcgill.ca and www.mcgill.ca/library). Information regarding the employment of contract academic staff can be found at https://mcgill.ca/secretariat/files/secretariat/regulations_relating_to_the_employment_of_contract_academic_staff_0.pdf

 

DUTY STATEMENT

Primary Purpose of Position

Spearheads the development and implementation of strong research data management services at the McGill Library, promotes good data management practices within the McGill community, and expands research data partnerships on campus.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

·        Guide, formalize, and grow the implementation of the Library’s research data management services. Ensure services support funder, publisher, and disciplinary requirements, expectations, and norms, are in accordance with emerging best practices for research data management in research institutions, and match McGill campus-wide research data management framework. Ensure the Library provides adequate and up-to-date documentation for users in support of these services.

·        Provide outreach and individual consulting to campus researchers and research groups on the fundamentals of research data management issues, including data management planning, funding agency requirements, data citation practices, open data, and research data lifecycle management.

·        Work collaboratively with McGill Library’s subject liaison librarians to provide discipline-specific, in-depth advice on applying data management best practices to individual research projects within the McGill context. Provide support to public services staff in their interactions with researchers that involve the production or curation of research data.

·        In collaboration with staff from the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation), build knowledge and awareness of research data management issues and practices among Library staff, campus partners, and the campus research community.

·        Expand and solidify the Library’s campus partnerships for research data support, such as those with the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation), the Office of Sponsored Research, key faculties and departments, and Associate Deans for Research. Represents the Library in key campus venues related to research data management.

·        Develop and keep up to date written plans and goals for the implementation of Library-based research data management services and support the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) and other campus stakeholders in setting and assessing benchmarks for the growth of campus research data management practices and adherence to local frameworks.

·        Stay abreast of provincial, national, and international research data management infrastructure initiatives, policy developments, and professional practices, and integrate these into daily work.

·        Manage selected Library technology projects related to research data management.

Reporting relationship

The Research Data Management Specialist reports to the Associate Dean, Digital Initiatives.

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Required:

1.      Ph.D. in a research data-focused discipline.

2.      Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of research data curation trends and issues in the Canadian academic environment, including Canadian research data initiatives; disciplinary, institutional, and collaborative data repositories; funder and publisher mandates; data citation principles and practices; research data lifecycle best practices; and data management planning.

3.      Ability to translate overall best practices in research data management into concrete advice for individual researchers, in specific domains, and in the McGill context.

4.      Demonstrated skill in describing complex concepts in a simple and convincing way. Ability to adjust explanations and training methods to specific audiences, especially researchers, university administrators, and library staff.

5.      Experience applying entrepreneurial approaches to building awareness, advocacy, and education programs, and assessing their effectiveness.

6.      Demonstrated project management skills for technical and service design initiatives.

7.      Highly developed oral and written skills and ability to communicate clearly and concisely

8.      Ability to interact effectively and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including academics and technology staff.

9.      Creative and analytical thinking skills and good problem solving ability.

10.   Preferred: Ability to effectively participate in Quebec-wide committee work conducted primarily in French.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Applications should address the above selection criteria, be accompanied by a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and addresses of three referees and should be submitted by October 30, 2019, as one (1) .pdf document. Please indicate the number of the posting (19-AHU-11) on the letter of interest and on the subject line of the email.

 

Isabelle Roberge

Office of the Trenholme Dean of Libraries

McGill University

3459 McTavish Street

Montreal, Qc H3A 1Y1

Fax: (514) 398-3561

Email: [log in to unmask]

 

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND DIVERSITY

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, Professor Angela Campbell, Associate Provost (Equity and Academic Policies) by email or phone at 514-398-1660. 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.


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