Humanities Data Curator

Description

Reporting to the Head of Cataloging & Metadata Services (CMS), the Humanities Data Curator has primary responsibility for the planning, implementation, and ongoing production of digital collections and scholarly initiatives in support of digital humanities scholarship and artistic production on campus to ensure their high functionality and discoverability through the flow and lifecycle of digital research data. As part of an evolving team of Data Curators, the candidate will be expected to make substantial contributions to his/her primary area of responsibility as well as to collaborate with other members of this team.

The Humanities Data Curator is responsible for collecting, managing, curating, preserving, and providing access to digital humanities datasets and other digital collections in the Library.  The candidate actively manages data produced by humanities scholars on campus, as well as data acquired by the Library, and ensures ongoing sustainable preservation and access through metadata creation and data discovery tools development.  The candidate participates in the development, evaluation, education, and implementation of metadata policies, standards, goals, procedures, and workflows in cooperation with engaged campus stakeholders.

The Humanities Data Curator will create and implement the Library’s support plan for digital humanities researchers and provide research data consultation to campus data creators. S/he will understand the ways in which humanities scholars conduct research in this new era of data sharing, including using new computational methods of analysis (for example, text-mining, topic modeling, social network analysis, or mapping and visualization).

In collaboration with humanities subject librarians and other data curators in the library, the Humanities Data Curator will provide leadership to define the library's strategy as it transforms research data services.  S/he will engage relevant faculty and researchers and will collaboratively provide services that are scalable to each data set, promote the Library’s digital humanities research data services, and educate data users and producers of datasets on campus. The Humanities Data Curator will contribute to local, regional, and national digital humanities discussions and initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

• ALA-accredited MLS or equivalent experience in one or more fields relevant to library services in data curation.
• Significant relevant experience working with digital humanities projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of issues and technical challenges related to data curation, including format migration, preservation, metadata, data access (including open access).
• Working Knowledge or advanced training with XML metadata.
• Knowledge of metadata standards, such as TEI and EAD, and data management practices in humanities.
• Familiarity with common content-management-system platforms used by humanities data creators such as WordPress and Omeka.
• An understanding of the humanities research process as demonstrated by academic or work experience.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, prioritizing work to ensure that departmental and library goals are realized.
• Excellent organizational skills, proven problem solving ability, and flexibility.
• Demonstrated initiative in fostering new ideas and in implementing change.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.  Librarians at the University of California, Santa Barbara are professional academic appointees who accrue vacation at the rate of two days per month and sick leave at the rate of one day per month.  The University has an excellent retirement system which is coordinated with Social Security.  A selection of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans are offered by the University.  The incumbent will be a member of the LX Collective Bargaining Unit represented by the American Federation of Teachers.

This position will remain open until filled with primary consideration of applications received by October 16, 2015.