Data Management and Systems Librarian/Archivist (term position)

Description

Simon Fraser University Library invites applications for a 1-year Data Management and Systems Librarian position. Reporting to the Associate Dean of Libraries, Digital Strategy, the incumbent will join the Library’s Research Data Management (RDM) team and provide support to the SFU Archives and Records Management department in digital preservation. This position is .4 FTE (2 days/week) ending in December 2021. SFU’s W.A.C. Bennett Library and the SFU Archives are located in Burnaby, BC, but arrangements to work remotely may be considered.

SETTING

We acknowledge the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) peoples, on whose traditional territories Simon Fraser University's three campuses stand. By recognizing the Unceded Traditional Coast Salish territories, we aspire to create space for reconciliation through dialogue and decolonizing practices.

Ranked by respected national surveys as one of Canada’s top three comprehensive universities for the past 20 years, Simon Fraser University has also been consistently named one of British Columbia’s Top Employers in recent years, as well as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers, and one of Canada's top family-friendly employers. SFU offers more than 100 undergraduate major and joint major programs and more than 45 graduate offerings, spanning many disciplines in eight faculties, and has an international reputation for its innovative interdisciplinary and professional programs. The main, WAC Bennett Library is located on the Burnaby campus, while the Samuel and Frances Belzberg Library is on the Vancouver campus, and Fraser Library is at SFU Surrey.

The SFU Library is known for the development and implementation of innovative technology, leadership in Open Access, and excellent in-person and online user services. We serve an ethnically diverse student population, most of whom live off-campus and work part-time while attending university. SFU Library collaborates broadly with other institutions through membership in the Canadian Association of Research Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, and regional consortia. For more information, see our web site at https://www.lib.sfu.ca.

The SFU Library commits to a continuous process of transformation to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion and to serve the cause of social justice. The Library’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion provides more information.

ASSIGNMENT

Within the SFU Library, under the direction of the Associate Dean of Libraries, Digital Strategy:

• In collaboration with members of the Data Services team, provide support for SFU faculty and students who are attempting to create, discover, use, and preserve research data
• Provide outreach, being available for consultations, and contributing to the day-to-day operations of the SFU Library RDM team by responding to inquiries;
• Apply technical solutions via off-the-shelf software applications and custom scripts to preparing researchers’ data for deposit into research data repositories;
• Assist in the development of institutional policies and procedures related to research data management;
• Work with users to devise and implement strategies for long-term data curation;
• Advance the values and goals outlined in the Library’s Strategic Plan.

Within the SFU Archives, and under the direction of the University Archivist and Coordinator of Information and Privacy:

• Support command line, web, and desktop tools for enabling preservation workflows;
• Contribute to best practices locally around digitization and retention of audiovisual media;
• Perform web archiving at various levels; create WARCs, screen-scrape content;
• Image, migrate, and emulate legacy media from Macintosh and non-Macintosh disks;
• Advise on preferred file formats to support digital preservation, especially with regards to audio-visual objects;

Advance the values and goals outlined in the Library’s Strategic Plan and the Archives’ Mission, vision, and values.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Master's degree in Library or Information Studies from an ALA accredited program, or its equivalent; or a Master's degree in Archival Studies from a recognized university archival education program, or its equivalent.
• Practical knowledge of digital curation and preservation techniques, technologies, and standards, including sustainable file formats, preservation friendly packaging formats such as BagIt, and preservation metadata;
• Practical knowledge of techniques and technologies for rescuing data from a wide variety of physical media, including floppy disks, hard drives, and other media of various ages and conditions;
• Experience using scripting languages such as Python to automate digital curation and preservation tasks;
• Ability to recognize, respect and work effectively with individuals and groups with diverse perspectives and backgrounds;
• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, both orally and written.

Desired:

• Experience with the research and publishing workflows and lifecycles;
• Experience working with Archivematica;
• Experience with platforms used to manage research data, e.g. FRDR, Dataverse, Islandora;

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

This is a part time term Librarian position, beginning as soon as the successful candidate is available.

Librarians are members of the SFU Faculty Association. Terms, conditions and benefits of employment are outlined in the Collective Agreement: http://www.sfu.ca/content/dam/sfu/faculty-relations/home/CA.pdf

The successful applicant will be appointed at a Librarian/Archivist 1, 2, or 3 salary level commensurate with their experience and qualifications. Current salary scales are available from:

https://www.sfu.ca/faculty-relations/salary.html

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Simon Fraser University is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from qualified candidates of all genders, visible minorities, persons of First Nations, Inuit, or Métis heritage, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2SIA+ identified persons.

Under the authority of the University Act, personal information that is required by the University for academic appointment competitions will be collected. For further details see: http://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/faculty_openings/Collection_Notice.html

Information about what to expect when you apply for a librarian position at SFU is available here: https://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/overview/employment/what-expect-librarian-position

TO APPLY

To be given assured consideration applications must be submitted by email in one consolidated PDF document with cover letter and curriculum vitae by November 29, 2020 to:

Susie Smith                                                         Phone: 778-782-4658
Library Management Office                        Fax: 778-782-3023
W.A.C. Bennett Library                                  Email: library@sfu.ca
Simon Fraser University