University of Minnesota
NOTE: All postdoctoral fellowship positions are contingent upon funding. Applications are accepted via CLIR's online application system. Review of applications is already underway, but applications will be accepted until all positions are filled.
University of Minnesota Libraries Digital Humanities Specialist
The University of Minnesota Libraries offer a two-year CLIR Postdoctoral Fellowship in Academic Libraries supporting digital arts and digital humanities scholarship and investigating current and emerging collaborative research practices. To this end, the University Libraries seek an energetic, creative, and service-oriented post-doctoral fellow who will demonstrate innovative thinking and a proactive approach to supporting teaching, learning, and scholarship in the digital humanities. We seek an individual who will be an active participant in collaborative projects and an enthusiastic leader for programs that will shape the future of digital humanities and academic library services. The post-doctoral fellow will report to the Director of Arts and Humanities in the Libraries’ Research and Learning Division. This position will also work closely with the Research Support Services Librarian.
The Digital Humanities Specialist has an opportunity to help build a community around digital humanities scholarship at the University of Minnesota at a time when practice is emerging on campus. The post-doctoral fellow will work closely with scholars—faculty and students—and those in support units across multiple disciplines in order to accomplish this. This individual will play a key role in translating ideas and concepts between diverse audiences to enable the creation of new knowledge and lay the groundwork for future reuse and development. In addition, the Digital Humanities Specialist will seek ways to leverage and contribute to shared resources in support of the development of a shared humanities research infrastructure.
In addition to proactive development of digital humanities scholarship, the post-doctoral fellow will play a lead role in the development and implementation of a study of the research behaviors of faculty and graduate students, with a particular emphasis on the ways in which collaborative research arrangements are changing practice and indicate new service requirements. This study will build on earlier work of the University Libraries, including the 2006 Mellon-funded project, “A Multi-Dimensional Framework for Academic Support,” and the 2008 study, “Implementing Cyberinfrastructure for 21st Century Research.”
The University Libraries are an integral part of campus life and contribute significant resources and programs to the state, region, and broader profession. The University Libraries provide a supportive and highly collaborative environment. Expanded opportunities for innovation and impact emerge through the Libraries’ membership in the Association of Research Libraries, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Center for Library Initiatives, the Center for Research Libraries, the Digital Library Federation, and the Coalition for Networked Information. The University of Minnesota is a charter partner of HathiTrust and has been involved in multiple HathiTrust grant and development projects (e.g., IMLS Quality, IMLS Copyright Verification, LSTA MDL-HathiTrust Image Ingest). The Libraries are noted for innovative programs of process improvement, new models for research support, and deep commitment to supporting the full life cycle of knowledge. Recent examples include the University Libraries’ involvement in the U-Spatial grant project, the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary, the Digital Public Library of America, and EthicShare.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist with defining roles for the University of Minnesota Libraries in developing and sustaining support for the digital arts and digital humanities, including the exploration of roles related to support of content creation and publishing.
- Assist campus scholars with integrating digital resources and methodologies with traditional resources and approaches in the areas of research, teaching, and learning through education, referrals, consultations, and other programmatic efforts.
- Conduct an investigation of the research behaviors of faculty and graduate students, with a particular emphasis on 21st century collaborative research practices.
- Teach and inspire those on the University of Minnesota campus, including in the University Libraries, about digital humanities.
- Conduct proactive outreach to scholars, students and faculty, in digital arts and digital humanities.
- Cultivate relationships on campus, regionally, and nationally/internationally to build and sustain robust support systems.
- Provide access to research corpora through development planning, negotiation, and recommendations for licensing conditions.
Required Qualifications:
- PhD in a humanities or social sciences discipline
- Proficiency/fluency with one or more technologies commonly used in digital
humanities projects, such as database design and development, XML-encoding,
GIS - Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work with colleagues in a collaborative and distributed service environment
- Demonstrated creativity, initiative, self-direction, and innovative thinking
- Strong service orientation
Preferred:
- Experience deploying digital humanities tools/methodologies in his or her own research
- Experience with academic project planning or consultative services
- Experience with teaching/instruction in higher education
- Demonstrated involvement in professional activities, including presentations and publications
The University of Minnesota is a forward-looking and diverse institution located in the center of the vibrant Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Twin Cities are known for their cultural amenities, such as the Guthrie Theater and Walker Art Center, and for their extensive park and recreational systems. (http://www1.umn.edu/wishyouwerehere/)