at University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Visiting Senior Scientific Specialist, Geoscience Data PreservationIllinois State Geological Survey
Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) is a premier state geological survey serving the needs of the public, government, and industry with earth science information and research relevant to natural resources, environmental quality, economic vitality, and public safety. ISGS is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Learn more at https://prairie.illinois.edu/about/jobs/
ISGS is seeking to hire a Visiting Senior Specialist, Geoscience Data Preservation to assist and collaborate with the database manager to 1) develop an information management strategy for institutional geologic and engineering research data, 2) facilitate data preservation practices among an interdisciplinary project team, and 3) communicate and translate data to various technical and non-technical audiences. Position is based in Champaign, Illinois.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Analyze and develop information management strategies for geologic and engineering research data.
Investigate new and developing technologies for data preservation and communication.
Coordinate with staff to streamline data preservation from its source to its destination to reduce the time required to meet project objectives and maintain quality.
Assist in developing and improving workflows related to research data in a team environment where communication is critical, which includes developing standard operating procedures, defining data formats, naming conventions, and data archiving procedures.
Format and distribute data and documentation to staff or project sponsors.
Prepare and compile comprehensive and detailed metadata for data and documentation for data application, including description of their use in workflows.
Contribute to grant proposals for funding to support scientific information management including data preservation, maintenance, and enhancement including innovative methods and software.
Assist and consult with management, researchers, and staff on data preservation.
Train and mentor students
Scan and digitize data.
Use statistics, historical records, and other methods to perform quality control on datasets.
Research and acquire open-source data related to project needs.
Translate tabular databases into geospatial formats.
Respond to requests for information and provided technical expertise to PRI staff, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia, industry, and the public.
Attend, participate in, and contribute to meetings, conferences, and workshops.
Contribute to the areas of education, outreach, and/or other service to the Survey, PRI, the University of Illinois, and the state of Illinois.
Enhance the reputation of the Survey and PRI at the state, national, and international level.
Keep abreast of developments in this discipline.
Perform other duties as needed to further the mission and goals of PRI.
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in the sciences, such as geology, geographic information systems, computer science, data science, information science. Alternate degree fields will be considered/accepted depending on the nature and depth of the experience as it relates to this position. At least 2 years' related industry or research experience with a bachelor's degree. Valid driver's license. Preferred Qualifications: Master's degree in the sciences, such as geology, geographic information systems, computer science, data science, information science). Alternate degree fields will be considered/accepted depending on the nature and depth of the experience as it relates to this position. Experience with mixed-platform databases in a distributed computing environment supporting scientific computation, geographic information systems, and modeling in scientific applications.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Required: Knowledge of scientific literature and journal databases, the scientific research process, scientific research practices, and the research data lifecycle. Ability to follow written workflows. Ability to assist in providing detailed written documentation including program reports, standards-compliant metadata, software instructions, standards, and specifications in a clear, concise, and well-structured manner. Effective communication, personal relations, collaboration, organizational, teamwork, and leadership skills. Aptitude to perform effectively in a diverse and fast-paced work environment consisting of multiple and changing priorities with stringent deadlines, under minimal supervision. Attention to detail, sound judgment, and strong conflict resolution skills. Affinity for cooperative and interdisciplinary research with scientists at the Survey, professionals at other Surveys or other academic units, as well as governmental and other academic institutions. Proficiency in commonly employed software and databases (e.g., MS Excel and Access). Preferred: Knowledge or familiarity with geographic information systems (e.g., ArcGIS Pro, and/or ArcGIS Online), modern scripting/programming languages and software commonly used in analytical research (e.g., Python, R, Regular expressions, SQL, SPARQL, OpenRefine, Protégé, Mathematica, MATLAB). Familiarity with innovative methods (e.g., machine learning, AI, etc.) of data preservation and communication and their applications in applied research.
Work Environment: The work of this position takes place in an office setting.
Appointment Information: This is a full-time visiting academic professional appointment. Position may become a regular, non-visiting position at a later date depending on funding and programmatic need. The starting date is negotiable and the salary is commensurate with experience. The minimum starting salary is $65,000.
Benefits: The University of Illinois offers a wide variety of benefits https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/benefits, including paid leave https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/leave/university_leaves
Application Procedure and Deadline Information: Applications must be received by 6:00 p.m. Central on July 25, 2024. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after this date. To apply, please use the Apply Now button. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. Application materials must include a 1) a cover letter that clearly articulates how your qualifications and experience make you a viable candidate for this position and should address the qualifications listed above, 2) a CV or resume, and 3) the names and contact information including e-mail addresses of three professional (not personal) references. All requested information and documentation must be submitted for applications to be considered. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
For further information please contact Lori Walston-Vonderharr, Human Resources, Prairie Research Institute, at lwalston@illinois.edu or 217-244-2401. For questions regarding the application process, including technical issues, please contact 217-333-2137.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify .
Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal , or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu .
Requisition ID: 1025833
Job Category: Research
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu
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