Data Transformation Associate

Description

The Folger Shakespeare Library seeks a detail-oriented Data Transformation Associate to join our Digital Media and Publications (DMP) team for 18 months as part of the creation of a Digital Asset Platform funded through the Mellon Foundation. The Folger, located on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., is a well-respected cultural institution known for its leadership in digital initiatives. The DMP team works to develop the Folger’s online resources and connect them to a broad international audience, with staff expertise in programming, textual encoding, academic publishing, information architecture, usability testing, systems administration, digital content creation, and project management. This is an excellent opportunity for candidates who wish to further develop their skills and knowledge in an intellectually stimulating setting while contributing to a ground-breaking project. 

The Data Transformation Associate (DTA) will be responsible for collaboration with DMP team members to ensure the proper ingestion of data into the Folger’s Digital Asset Platform (DAP). The DTA will work closely with the project team to identify potential issues with data and develop guidelines, procedures, and metadata fields for the DAP to ensure completed files meet Folger best practices. Daily duties include: analyzing and preparing existing files for ingest into the DAP; extracting relevant metadata, transforming, and normalizing the data as needed to fit Folger standards; continuously establishing relationships between data in ingested files and existing records as part of ongoing data and metadata refinement; collaborating with external partners to ensure a clean ingestion of shared data into the platform; and creating documentation for tasks and processes. Additionally, the DTA will contribute to evaluating the accessibility of digital collections.

Applicants for this position are required to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience and a minimum of two years’ demonstrated experience with data management, preferably in a library or academic environment. Preference given to applicants who hold an M.L.S., have experience with Python or Perl, and have experience with library metadata (including MARC and EAD). Applicants must have working knowledge of XML encoding, preferably Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) XML, and custom metadata schemes on a professional or paraprofessional level. Experience translating data between structured formats and working with standard office products and database systems is required. Applicants must have the ability to work in a team environment with frequent consultation, flexibility, creativity, and collaboration, in addition to excellent interpersonal, analytical, communication, and organizational skills.

This position is full time with a generous benefits package for 18 months. Thorough background checks are required. Interested individuals should submit their cover letter and resume. Applications without a cover letter will be automatically rejected. No phone calls please. The Folger is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ABOUT THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION
Founded in 1969, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies by supporting exemplary institutions of higher education and culture as they renew and provide access to an invaluable heritage of ambitious, path-breaking work. Additional information is available at mellon.org.