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Digital Humanities Research Facilitator (Assistant, Associate, or Full Specialist) in the Library

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Position description

Digital Humanities Research Facilitator (Assistant, Associate, or Full Specialist) in the Library

The University of California, Santa Barbara is one of ten campuses that comprise the University of California system and is a member of the Association of American Universities. In addition, the University Library at UC Santa Barbara is a member of the Association of Research Libraries.

The UC Santa Barbara Library is responding to recent and exciting changes in scholarship that include the increasing use of digital data and computational methods; expanding and novel cross-disciplinary data reuse; new emphases on transparency and reproducibility; concern for preservation and long-term usability; and the rise of new forms of scholarly communication including data publication and open access publishing. The UC Santa Barbara Library seeks a collaborative, dynamic scholar to foster excellence in data curation.

The expected effective date of the position is April 1, 2021 or later. The initial appointment is at 100% for 1 year, with the position eligible for renewal.

Reporting to the Director of Research Data Services, the Digital Humanities Research Facilitator is responsible for the planning and implementation of scholarly initiatives in support of data-intensive research and digital scholarship in the humanities on campus with the goal of ensuring the high functionality, discoverability, and preservability of digital research data throughout its lifecycle. As part of a growing team of research facilitators, at UCSB and across the University of California, the candidate will make substantial contributions to his/her primary area of responsibility as well as collaborate with other team members in addressing curation of data from other disciplines.

The successful candidate will join a team that is re-envisioning the Library’s role within the research data lifecycle and who can respond to and support new research methods being used by researchers as well as lead the adoption of new methods. Research Data Services is also actively engaged with using, and informing development of, the digital asset platforms that are increasingly a core component of the toolset of the modern research university. In collaboration with data curators, humanities subject librarians, and the staff of the Interdisciplinary Research Collaboratory (IRC), the Digital Humanities Research Facilitator will create and implement the Library’s support plan for humanities researchers.

The candidate will:
Provide data management consultations and referrals to campus data creators in support of the research mission of the university.

Provide consultation on the use of high-performance computing and other computational resources available to UCSB researchers.

Build and contribute expertise in information trends and research methods in the humanities and related disciplines.

Be embedded into or otherwise participate in campus research projects; outreach to faculty and assist with adoption of new data management and curation tools and services in support of faculty research within data science.

Build and maintain online data management aids and other documentation.

In coordination with the IRC, organize public events and lead trainings and workshops in the areas of digital humanities tool use and humanities data analysis, publication, management, and curation.

The Digital Humanities Research Facilitator will contribute to local, regional, and national discussions and initiatives in data curation and digital scholarship, including the UCSB Digital Arts & Humanities Commons. Additionally, as a member of the greater University of California scholarly community, the candidate will participate in systemwide working groups and efforts, and work with the University of California Curation Center (UC3) at the California Digital Library to help develop and promulgate new systemwide services.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Basic:
At time of application, at least a master's degree in a humanities field, information science, or data science; and

At time of application, at least 2 years’ experience working with digital humanities projects.

Preferred:

PhD in a humanities field;

Demonstrated understanding of computational methods of analysis used in the digital humanities, for example, text mining, natural language processing, topic modeling, social network analysis, data mining, mapping, and visualization;

Demonstrated working knowledge of issues and technical challenges related to data curation, including preservation, metadata, discovery, provenance, and data access (including open access);

Demonstrated experience managing, analyzing, and otherwise working with humanities data;

Demonstrated familiarity with one or more platforms or tools used by humanities researchers, such as Python, R, Jupyter, NVivo, or OpenRefine;

Demonstrated familiarity with relevant standards for research metadata and XML-based markup languages such as TEI;

Experience organizing and leading trainings and workshops;

Familiarity with grant writing and data management requirements of federal agencies;

Working knowledge of intellectual property issues (including Creative Commons licensing);

Experience working in a university or library environment;

Ability to work independently and collaboratively;

Excellent organizational skills, proven problem solving ability, and flexibility;

Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills; and

Demonstrated commitment to achieving equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the community.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Salary information can be found at https://ap.ucsb.edu/compensation.and.benefits/ucsb.salary.scales/24B.pdf. Appointees to the Specialist series at the University of California, Santa Barbara are professional academic employees 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 excellent retirement plans and a selection of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. Benefits information can be found at https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html.

Appointees to the Specialist series are represented by the United Auto Workers 5810. Additional information can be found at https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/ra/index.html.

TO APPLY:
Apply by January 31, 2021 for primary consideration, thereafter this position will remain open until filled. Only completed applications, including a CV, a cover letter, names and contact information for two references, and an optional but encouraged statement of contributions to diversity, will be considered.

Statements of contribution to diversity, if submitted, will be reviewed for evidence of teaching, research, professional and/or public service contributions that promote diversity and equal opportunity, such as effective strategies used for the educational advancement of students in various under-represented groups; demonstrated contributions to the advancement of equitable access and diversity in education; and contributions furthering diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through participation in such activities as recruitment, retention, and mentoring of scholars and students.

Applications will be accepted online through UC Recruit: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF01796

Help for UC Recruit is available at https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/help/applicants

For additional assistance, contact Ryan George in Library Human Resources at (805) 893-3841 or ryan.george@ucsb.edu

Appointment and/or continued employment is contingent on successful completion of a background check.

The Library is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching, and service.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service.
    (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 2-3 required (contact information only)

Job location

Santa Barbara, CA