Digital Preservation Analyst

Description

Yale University offers exciting opportunities for achievement and growth in New Haven, Connecticut.  Conveniently located between Boston and New York, New Haven is the creative capital of Connecticut with cultural resources that include two major art museums, a critically-acclaimed repertory theater, state-of-the-art concert hall, and world-renowned schools of Architecture, Art, Drama, and Music.

Position Focus:  This role reports to, and works closely with, the digital preservation manager to preserve the Library’s digital content. The analyst will be the department’s expert in the Digital Preservation System (DPS) and the first point of contact for users (current and prospective) of the system. They will use the system’s reporting capabilities and risk identification tools to identify at-risk content and develop, test, and implement approaches for ensuring continued access to that content. The analyst will work with prospective content depositors to ensure workflows are configured and functioning to enable the depositors to ingest content into the DPS. They will troubleshoot any ingest issues in a timely manner and work closely with the depositors to ensure their content is successfully ingested. The analyst will also work with the digital preservation manager to document policies and procedures related to the DPS with the aim of gaining and maintaining ISO 16363 certification for the DPS and associated infrastructure.

Required Education, Skills and Experience: 
• Bachelor's degree in a related field and three years of related work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrable analytical skills and aptitude for desk-based research including the ability to reason insightfully when presented with a technical problem and present coherent argument for chosen way forward.
• Demonstrated technical understanding of digital preservation challenges and solutions.
• Knowledge and experience managing and/or preserving digital content, or working in a related area.
• Ability to write simple programs/scripts and XML stylesheets and understand basic program code and XML.
• Strong teamwork and communications skills.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:  Master’s in a related field. Understanding of file formats with regards to long-term sustainability. Experience working with preservation tools or systems, working on digital preservation research projects, and in a research library, archive or research data center. Ability to write complex programs using at least one programming language. Experience in software testing.

The University and the Library
The Yale University Library, as one of the world's leading research libraries, collects, organizes, preserves, and provides access to and services for a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity. It fosters intellectual growth and supports the teaching and research missions of Yale University and scholarly communities worldwide. A distinctive strength is its rich spectrum of resources, including around 12.8 million volumes and information in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to early printed books to electronic databases. The Library is engaging in numerous projects to expand access to its physical and digital collections. Housed in eighteen buildings including the Sterling Memorial Library, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the Bass Library, it employs a dynamic and diverse staff of approximately five hundred who offer innovative and flexible services to library readers.  For additional information on the Yale University Library, please visit the Library's web site at www.library.yale.edu.

The Preservation Department:
Yale University Library’s Preservation Department, started in 1971, is one of the oldest in the country. It has strong administrative support and has played a major role in the development of the preservation field. The Department has system wide responsibilities and consists of units covering conservation of special and circulating collections as well as exhibition preparation; reformatting of special collections materials and circulating materials; mass deacidification; and staff and user-education and consultation on wide variety of preservation concerns. To learn more, visit: http://web.library.yale.edu/departments/preservation.

Salary and Benefits:
We invite you to discover the excitement, diversity, rewards and excellence of a career at Yale University. One of the country's great workplaces, Yale University offers exciting opportunities for meaningful accomplishment and true growth. Our benefits package is among the best anywhere, with a wide variety of insurance choices, liberal paid time off, fantastic family and educational benefits, a variety of retirement benefits, extensive recreational facilities, and much more.

How to apply:  Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.  Applications, consisting of a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references should be submitted by applying online at http://www.yale.edu/jobs. The STARS req. ID for this position is 34214BR.  Please be sure to reference 34214BR in your cover letter.

Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.