Metadata Services Coordinator, University of Houston Libraries, Houston, TX

Posted September 7, 2021

Description:

Reporting to the Head of Metadata and Digitization Services, the Metadata Services Coordinator provides leadership and expertise in developing creative, collaborative, and sustainable solutions for metadata creation and management for UH Libraries digital collections. Responsibilities also include: providing support and consultation for both UH Libraries and UH campus repository metadata needs, such as the creation and maintenance of descriptive, technical, and preservation metadata; identifying and promoting opportunities for collaborative metadata projects with internal and external constituents; reviewing, developing, and implementing metadata application protocols, policies, and procedures; contributing to research data management and geospatial data initiatives; and tracking trends, innovations, and best practices affecting metadata and digital collections. This position supervises a team of two full-time metadata specialists, part-time metadata staff, and student workers.
The Metadata Services Coordinator will have opportunities to work in a team-based environment and collaborate across the libraries to set priorities and ensure alignment with UH Libraries and university goals. The successful candidate will be encouraged and supported to develop skills in the areas of leadership, supervision, project management, and programming languages to support the work of the unit.

We welcome candidates whose experience in libraries, research, or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to excellence in equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Librarians hold rank pursuant to the University of Houston Librarians’ Bylaws Document. They are required to develop a record of service, scholarship, and professional involvement. The UH Libraries support the ongoing professional development of librarians, and our goal is to recruit librarians committed to continuous learning.

Qualifications

Required:
Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library programExperience with descriptive and preservation metadata standards, such as Dublin Core, DACS, MODS, VRA Core, METS, or PREMISWorking knowledge of resource description practices and an understanding of controlled vocabularies, taxonomies, and ontologiesExperience with digital asset management systems, such as Samvera, CONTENTdm, or DSpaceExperience with the creation and management of digital objects in various text, audio, and visual formatsFamiliarity with linked data, wikidata, and semantic web conceptsAbility to work effectively in a collaborative environment

Preferred:
Metadata consultation experience for academic research supportKnowledge of, or experience with, XML and RDF processing technologies and programming languagesKnowledge of geospatial metadata standardsFamiliarity with archival finding aids description and practiceSupervisory, leadership, or project management experience

Salary: $68,000 to $70,000 expected hiring range, depending on qualifications. Comprehensive benefits package; choice of retirement programs including TIAA; tax-deferred annuity program available; release time to take a class up to 3 hours/week; no state or local income tax.

General Information: The University of Houston campus comprises 14 colleges offering close to 80 degree programs, with an enrollment of more than 45,000 students, 7,200 of whom are enrolled in graduate studies.
Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, offers all the cultural and recreational opportunities of a great city and is within easy reach of the Gulf of Mexico. It enjoys a reasonable cost of living. For additional information, including information about Houston’s flourishing arts scene and entertainment offerings, please see: http://www.visithoustontexas.com/. For information about housing and living in Houston see: http://www.houston.org/living/index.html.

Appointment to this position is contingent on the results of a completed criminal history records investigation.

How to apply:

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be submitted at https://uhs.taleo.net/careersection/ex2_uhf/jobdetail.ftl?job=LIB000050

Visit the UH Libraries Employment page for more information: http://libraries.uh.edu/about/employment/. Potential applicants seeking further information should contact Christina Gola, Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development, at 713-743-9761 or [email protected].

Library Information: UH Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, HathiTrust, the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Digital Library Federation, and the Texas Digital Library. The campus libraries provide access to over 3.1 million volumes. The University Libraries’ total staff is 160 FTE, including 62 professionals. Additional information about UH Libraries is available at: http://libraries.uh.edu.
UH Libraries is in the process of developing a new strategic plan in alignment with the University’s ambitious new plan: https://uh.edu/strategic-plan/. We seek to recruit librarians who can relate the directions of the university to, and understand their role in, advancing these strategic imperatives.

University of Houston Libraries respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity. Our organization serves one of the most diverse campuses in the nation and seeks to recruit and retain a similar community of library professionals.