Work for Nature, Go to SciFoo
A final reminder (from me, anyway) that entries for the Nature Network Blogging Challenge close on Monday, 5th January 2009. The winners get an all-expenses-paid trip to Science Foo Camp in summer 2009. For background reading, here's a pair of Times Higher Ed articles: one to explain why you should go to SciFoo and another to size up the competition.
Of course, for some of us, just being able to work at Nature feels like something of a win. ;) If you're the same, and if you're a metadata/ontology/text-mining kind of person then you might be interested in a post that we currently have open (yup, some organisations are still hiring). Further details below.
Nature is very busy organising its metadata and now seeks an XML Content Manager / Taxonomist. The person in this new position will lead the strategic creation of metadata for NPG's content, and help to define and map taxonomies for it. They will also have responsibility for the review and update of these taxonomies. Working with a team of subject matter experts, they will identify and create appropriate classification schemas. They will also work closely with NPG's technology and editorial teams to create the right tools, and to integrate content enrichment into our publishing workflows and onto our websites.Responsibilities will include:
- Primary metadata advisor for the company. Create and maintain NPG's taxonomy and classification systems, including subject analyses and identification of metadata.
- Identify current and future metadata needs to support the overall company data strategy; help ensure that metadata management is properly represented in the overall data strategy.
- Control the metadata lifecycle, promoting metadata through creation, development, and QA stages, enforcing quality standards at each step.
- Provide subject matter expertise on metadata management tools.
- Coordinate a team of subject matter experts.
- Cross-link related metadata artifacts across the entire enterprise, creating descriptions of end-to-end data flows.
- Manage supporting documentation for both internal and external users.
Experience: 5 or more years data management experience (proven ability to design, organize, and manage taxonomies and metadata, data classification, metrics, etc). Strong understanding of the STM field. Good understanding of data modeling concepts and XML . Proven data expertise.
Personal attributes: Proven communicator; team player; innovator; facilitator; pragmatic. Education: Bachelors degree or formal training in a related field.
If you're interested, please contact Amanda Ward (a DOT ward AT nature DOT com).
Comments
RE: "for some of us, just being able to work at Nature feels like something of a win. ;) If you're the same, and if you're a metadata/ontology/text-mining kind of person then you might be interested in a post that we currently have"
What if those conflict? As interest in knowledge management and scientific data may lead to the conclusion that NPG should release all materials though open publishing and sharing methods, would it be possible to implement?
Nature has stood out for its rigor and relevance, efforts like this can continue to expand that success in the age of digital publishing.
Posted by: Mike Chelen | December 15, 2008 04:50 PM
Mike, if you're asking "Does NPG promote openness in science?" then the answer is yes. There are lots of ways in which we do this, ranging from the editorial to the technical, but to see some of the ones that I've been involved in look at our database, podcast, video and social-software projects.
If you're asking "Can NPG provide services for free without considering how they could be economically sustained in the long term?" then the answer is obviously no. But that goes for everyone, or ought to.
Posted by: Timo Hannay | December 15, 2008 05:25 PM
Did anyone submit anything at all for the challenge? I didn't see anyone start a new blog. I personally wasn't in a position to bug anyone (too close to graduating and needing other favours) AND didn't really know anyone to ask to start a blog in the first place, but I would have figured that others would have been tempted by the prize and actually knew someone to ask...
Posted by: Eva | December 15, 2008 06:32 PM
Eva, yes, we've had some entries.
Posted by: Timo Hannay | December 16, 2008 01:58 AM