Library - General Librarian, 2-year term (Research Data Management)

Queen’s University Library invites applications for a special appointment position, (two-year term with possibility of renewal) at the rank of General Librarian in the appointment of Research Data Management (RDM) Librarian, with a preferred starting date of early 2025.

Qualifications

Required

• ALA accredited MLS/MLIS degree or equivalent with a strong academic background
• Experience providing outreach, consultation, and instruction to a range of researchers (faculty, students, staff)
• Experience with web technologies, content management systems, and digital research repositories
• Strong understanding of the research data lifecycle and research processes
• Familiarity with metadata standards and formats used in research (e.g., Dublin Core, DDI, ORCID, DOI)
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills, including experience carrying out technology related projects
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in both team-based and self-directed environments
• Strong service philosophy and a commitment to effective user experiences
• Demonstrated ability to work collegially and cooperatively within and across organizations with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, oral, and written communication skills

Preferred

• Experience with research processes used in one or more academic disciplines, with particular focus on the research lifecycle of data and the associated issues, technical challenges and best practices associated with it
• Knowledge of emerging technologies and an awareness of the opportunities and challenges they present to the academic, research, and library environments
• Technical abilities and knowledge of current applications, databases and utility tools for managing and transferring data between different systems (e.g., APIs)
• Understanding of issues related to digital preservation
• Familiarity with applications that support data management
• Demonstrated familiarity with institutional, data, or subject repository systems
• Previous experience in an academic environment
• Experience in supervisory roles and/or leadership with coordinating projects

Vaccination Requirements
Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.

Description
Located at Queen’s University Library (QUL) in Kingston and reporting to the Head, Digital Initiatives and Open Scholarship (DIOS), the RDM Librarian is a special appointment that is funded fifty (50) percent from sources external to Queen’s from the University of Toronto. The position’s responsibilities are shared between QUL and Borealis, the Canadian Dataverse Repository, a shared national service provided in partnership with academic library consortia, institutions, research organizations and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, with technical infrastructure hosted by the University of Toronto Libraries.

Supporting Queen’s University strategic priority of increasing research impact and the university’s research data management strategy, the RDM Librarian participates at QUL in the development and delivery of RDM services to support Queen’s researchers in relation to all stages of the research data lifecycle. As part of the RDM and Data services team, the RDM librarian participates in providing consultations and training for Queen’s researchers on data discovery, data management planning, active data management, and data deposit and preservation. The RDM librarian works collaboratively with colleagues within DIOS, across the library, and the university.

As a member of the Borealis team, supported by staff at Scholars Portal (located at the University of Toronto Libraries and the technical support service of the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL)), the RDM Librarian participates in the ongoing management and development of the national repository Borealis, including technical enhancements and upgrades, support for end-users and institutional administrators, and development of promotion and training materials and documentation.

Representing both QUL and Borealis, the RDM Librarian will participate as part of the national network of experts for the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, and foster opportunities for collaboration with other consortia in the library, IT and academic sectors to build national infrastructure and services and develop a strong community of practice for RDM in Canada.

Institution
Queen’s University has a long history of scholarship, discovery, and innovation that shapes our collective knowledge and helps address some of the world’s most pressing concerns. Home to more than 25,000 students, Queen’s offers a comprehensive research-intensive environment. Diverse perspectives and a wealth of experience enrich our students and faculty while a core part of our mission is to engage in international learning and research.

In 2023, for the third year in a row, Queen’s University has ranked in top 10 globally Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, securing the position of third worldwide and first in North America. The rankings measured over 1,700 post-secondary institutions on their work to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

From Nobel Prize-winning research exploring the building blocks of the universe to cancer care and treatment to sustainable technologies, our university is tackling humanity’s most pressing challenges.

A member of the U15 group of Canadian research universities, Queen’s is home to a vibrant research community that includes 33 Canada Research Chairs and over 20 research institutes who work in partnership with communities, governments, and industry to advance research and innovation, making a measured impact on Canada and the world.

Faculty and their dependents are eligible for an extensive benefits package including prescription drug coverage, vision care, dental care, long term disability insurance, life insurance and access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program. Employees also participate in a pension plan. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying employees, their spouses and dependent children.  Queen’s values families and is pleased to provide a ‘top up’ to government parental leave benefits for eligible employees on maternity/parental leave.  In addition, Queen’s provides partial reimbursement for eligible daycare expenses for employees with dependent children in daycare. Details are set out in the Queen’s-QUFA Collective Agreement. For more information on employee benefits, see Queen’s Human Resources.

The City
The University is situated on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, in historic Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario. Queen’s is an integral part of the Kingston community, with the campus nestled in the core of the city, only a 10-minute walk to downtown. Kingston’s residents enjoy an outstanding quality of life with a wide range of cultural and creative opportunities, with access to many natural areas and proximity to vibrant First Nations Communities including Tyendinaga and Akwesasne. Kingston is a unique Canadian city of 125,000 with a distinct blend of history, recreation, industry, and learning. Kingston offers unique waterfront living with many recreational opportunities. It is within a two-and-a-half hour drive (two-hour train ride) to the commercial, industrial and political hubs of Toronto, Montreal, and the nation’s capital, Ottawa, and a thirty minute drive from the international bridge linking Ontario and upstate New York. The city is also the origin of the historic Rideau Canal system – a UNESCO International Heritage site, and is close to Frontenac Provincial Park, the Thousand Islands National Park, and the Frontenac Arch UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The Queen’s University Biological Station, north of the city, encompasses 34 km2 of diverse lands, affording premier learning and research opportunities. Visit Inclusive Queen’s for information on equity, diversity and inclusion resources and initiatives.

How to Apply
The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized/visible minority and Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority, including any qualified individuals who have a valid legal work status in Canada. Please indicate in your application if you have a valid legal work status in Canada. Applications from all qualified candidates will be considered in the applicant pool.

In addition, the impact of certain circumstances that may legitimately affect a nominee’s record of research achievement will be given careful consideration when assessing the nominee’s research productivity. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Human Resources at [email protected].

Those interested in this position should submit a complete application package, including the following documents:

• a cover letter, indicating whether or not you have a valid legal work status in Canada
• a current Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications)
• The names and contact information of three references

The deadline for applications is December 22, 2024.

Applicants are encouraged to send all documents in their application packages electronically as one PDF to [email protected].

Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted at http://queensu.ca/facultyrelations/faculty-librarians-and-archivists/collective-agreement and at http://www.qufa.ca.