2023-12-05: Head of Research Data Services (University of Chicago)

The University of Chicago Library seeks a dynamic and enthusiastic individual to join our team as the Head of Research Data Services in the Center for Digital Scholarship. This position will report to the Director of Digital Scholarship and play a crucial role in supporting the University’s research community in effectively managing, preserving, and leveraging research data. They will join a team of library experts engaged in supporting open scholarship and will provide leadership in developing a research data services program. The successful candidate will collaborate with colleagues in the library to provide faculty, researchers, and students with expert guidance on data management, promote best practices, and contribute to the advancement of digital scholarship initiatives at the University of Chicago.

The Head of Research Data Services will foster collaborative approaches to research data services and infrastructure at the university level, actively engaging with partners such as Research Computing Center and IT Services. They will also contribute to the campus-wide Committee for Research Data Sharing and Management, to develop resources and strategies to meet funder requirements and to develop recommendations on research data governance.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Research Data Support:

1. Provide consultations, outreach, and training to researchers, guiding them on various aspects of the research data lifecycle. This includes data management planning, organization, sharing practices, and effective use of tools like Python, R, or OpenRefine.
2. Assist in the development and implementation of data management policies, procedures, and workflows at the library and university levels.
3. Provide guidance on data documentation, metadata standards, and data preservation to ensure long-term accessibility and compliance with funding agency requirements.
4. Deposit researcher datasets into UChicago’s institutional repository, and advise researchers on the deposit of research data into other repositories.

Research Data Policy and Ethics:

1. Stay informed about evolving data-related policies, regulations, and ethical considerations.
2. Collaborate with university stakeholders to ensure compliance with data privacy and security regulations.

Outreach and Engagement:

1. Engage with the research community through outreach efforts, workshops, and events to promote awareness of research data services.
2. Actively participate in scholarly communication and data management discussions within the university and broader academic community.
3. Cultivate strong relationships with faculty, researchers, and students to understand their evolving data needs.

Qualifications

Required:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of research data management best practices, data curation standards, and data preservation principles.
2. Familiarity with metadata standards commonly used in research data repositories (e.g., Dublin Core, DataCite, etc.).
3. Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
4. Strong commitment to staying current with emerging trends and developments in data management and digital scholarship.

Preferred:

1. Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution or a related field with relevant experience is preferred.
2. Experience providing research data services preferred.
3. Experience working in an academic or research library is preferred.

Salary and Benefits: Appointment salary based on qualifications and experience. Benefits include a retirement plan, insurance, and paid time off.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All University departments and institutes are charged with building a faculty from a diversity of backgrounds and with diverse viewpoints; with cultivating an inclusive community that values freedom of expression; and with welcoming and supporting all their members.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages diverse perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange. The University’s Statements on Diversity are at .

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-834-3988 or email with their request.

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