Data Curation Specialist

Residing in Silicon Valley, the heart of innovation, Stanford GSB has built a global reputation based on its immersive and innovative management programs. We provide students a transformative leadership experience, push the boundaries of knowledge with faculty research, and offer a portfolio of entrepreneurial and non-degree programs that deliver global impact like no other. We strive to change lives, change organizations, and change the world.

The Stanford Graduate School of Business Library invites applications and nominations for the position of Data Curation Specialist. 

The Data Curation Specialist will support the creation and development of a standards-based research data ecosystem and work closely with librarians, data scientists, faculty, and doctoral students who acquire and analyze research data. The successful candidate will work with librarians and data specialists who will help re-envision the Library’s role within the research data lifecycle and who can respond to and support new research methods being used by Stanford’s research community. The Data Curation Specialist will help to ensure that GSB Library’s acquired collections of qualitative data, quantitative data, and text corpora are properly evaluated, structured, described, and accessioned, and that these collections are appropriately secured and accessible for researchers at the University. This position will add value to existing research data services by tying together in a holistic way the GSB Research Hub’s strengths in supporting faculty research grounded in a data lifecycle perspective. 

Reporting to the Director of Collections, the Data Curation Specialist will evaluate, support, and make recommendations on research data resources. This position supports research and collaborates on collections management and development. The position will work closely on projects with the Research Hub Data Coordination Committee that include members of the GSB Library and the Data, Analytics, and Research Computing unit, particularly on assessment of research and research data management services. 

Job-Specific Responsibilities

• Serve as a resource to faculty, staff, and students on issues of data curation, data management, and research dissemination and preservation, assuming an active role in learning about emerging trends and practices at Stanford GSB and the wider scholarly community.
• Working closely with the Research Hub Data Coordination Committee, the collections contract team, the data engineering team and Library subject specialists, implement the strategic plan for a social science research data management (RDM) program at the GSB, inclusive of data onboarding/offboarding, training, and data management plan consultation with researchers. RDM will focus on supporting the lifecycle of data from acquisition and/or creation of data through dissemination and preservation.
• Support Research Hub data services and initiatives; progressing and assessing established initiatives and establishing recommendations on new services and resources through close collaboration with staff across the RH, Stanford Libraries, and the broader Stanford community. 
• Evaluate data and research resources with Subject Librarians, Data Scientists, and the Collections Director, assisting with collection development strategy and budget to support various models of data acquisition
• Deliver high quality, user-centered research services.

Your primary responsibilities include:

• Help to develop a sustainable program for social science research data acquisition and curation, including policies and workflows to manage sensitive and restricted data.
• Work in conjunction with subject specialists, faculty, bibliographers, and research librarians to curate research data acquisitions.
• Assist faculty, students, and researchers with identifying and locating appropriate sources of information. 
• Collaborate with other Library and Research Hub units to make sure research data assets are appropriately discoverable and accessible to library users.
• Build and maintain data management and curation documentation and guides.
• Participate and track developments in the data curation, data management, and research data tools communities (e.g. DDI Alliance, Digital Curation Centre) in order to ensure workflows and processes are aligned and develop with community standards.
• Engage in outreach efforts within the Research Hub and with academic departments to assist with adoption of new data management and curation tools and services.
• In coordination with colleagues, organize training and workshops in areas related to research data lifecycle management, including data curation, analysis, and publication.
• Provide data management consultations and referrals to campus data creators in support of the research mission of the university.
• Participate in digital collections planning for archival and other materials.
• Be flexible to completing any other additional assigned duties.

To be successful in this position, you will bring:

• Advanced Degree in Library or Information Science or a relevant academic discipline with demonstrated understanding of academic libraries and two or more years of relevant experience in a relevant library setting or a combination of education and relevant experience.

• A post-graduate degree in a related discipline may be substituted for a master’s degree in information science. In addition, preference may be given to a candidate with a second Masters or PhD.

In addition, our preferred requirements include:

• Masters or Ph.D. in information science, data science, or a related disciplinary field such as Economics or Business
• Demonstrated knowledge of issues and technical challenges related to data curation, including privacy and de-identification, format migration, preservation, metadata, discovery, provenance, and data access (including Open Access).
• Demonstrated familiarity with relevant standards for research metadata (e.g., DDI, SDMX, Schema.org, TEI, MODS, etc.) and data management practices and requirements.
• Experience with tools for data science and digital scholarship, such as SPSS/SAS/STATA, R/RStudio, Python, NLP, Jupyter Notebooks, Javascript (and associated libraries for data analysis and visualization).
• Experience with relevant aspects of library operations including understanding of contemporary library practices, trends and emerging technologies.
• Demonstrated understanding of the broad scope of data management operations with ability to understand how their role interacts with the University research community.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and negotiate issues with people from different parts of the organization.
• Ability to identify challenges and opportunities, engage others in their resolution and recommend appropriate courses of action.
• Ability to evaluate data resources in terms of content quality, functionality and user experience.
• Ability to independently perform complex job functions.
• Consistent display of strong verbal and written communication skills.

Other Relevant Knowledge, Skills and Abilities May Include:

• Demonstrated understanding of the research process as demonstrated by academic or work experience.
• Experience supporting faculty and researchers with Data Management Planning.
• Experience organizing public events and conducting training sessions and workshops.
• Demonstrated initiative in fostering new ideas and implementing change.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with researchers and support staff across campus units.
• Experience working on projects that support data-intensive research and ensure high functionality, discoverability, and preservability of digital research.
• Excellent problem-solving and organizational skills; flexibility.
• Evidence of engagement in relevant professional or academic communities.
• Demonstrated experience managing, analyzing, and otherwise working with research datasets using analytic tools and/or statistical software packages.

*Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.

Environment:

The Stanford Graduate School of Business Library is a highly valued partner in teaching, research, and learning at a globally renowned school within a great research university. The Library provides significant collaborative opportunities in support of faculty and students in several graduate degree programs.

The Stanford campus sits on over 8000 acres in the heart of California’s Bay Area, one of the most intellectually dynamic and culturally diverse areas of the nation. Palo Alto has a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly town center with an abundance of shopping and dining options, while the urban centers of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland are all within a 50 mile radius. Outdoor enthusiasts will find a year-round temperate climate with local hiking trails, redwoods, mountains, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific coast all competing for their attention.

Benefits: Our comprehensive benefits package includes health insurance, life insurance, university retirement contributions, childcare and adoption assistance, and child tuition reimbursement. Professional travel funding is available to support research. More information regarding Stanford’s generous benefits can be found at this link.

Why Stanford is for You

Stanford’s dedicated 16,000 staff come from diverse educational and career backgrounds. We are a collaborative environment that thrives on innovation and continuous improvement. At Stanford, we seek talent committed to excellence, driven to impact the future of our legacy, and improve lives on a global sphere. We provide competitive salaries, excellent health care and retirement plans, and a generous vacation policy, including additional time off during our winter closure. Our generous perks align with what matters to you:

•  Freedom to grow. Take advantage of career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or audit a course. Join a Ted Talk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or leader discuss global issues.
• A caring culture. We understand the importance of your personal and family time and provide you access to wellness programs, child-care resources, parent education and consultation, elder care and caregiving support.
• A healthier you. We make wellness a priority by providing access to world-class exercise facilities. Climb our rock wall, or participate in one of hundreds of health or fitness classes.
• Discovery and fun. Visit campus gardens, trails, and museums.
• Enviable resources. We offer free commuter programs and ridesharing incentives. Enjoy discounts for computers, cell phones, recreation, travel, entertainment, and more! 

We pride ourselves in being a culture that encourages and empowers you.

How to Apply

We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and résumé along with your online application.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.