Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support Program Operations Specialist

About this opportunity

Reporting to the Head, Open and Interdisciplinary Research Support, the position works closely with the Open Scholarship & Publishing and Arts & Humanities Department and the Libraries’ Information Technology Systems and Digital Strategies Department. The Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support Program Operations Specialist will manage hardware and software, presentation equipment, and viewing screens for the Open Scholarship Commons (OSC), supports the daily operations of and serves as the technical lead for the OSC Recording Studio, and will co-administer and offer base level support and training for Libraries’ supported digital scholarship creation and publishing tools. The Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support Program Operations Specialist will contribute to instructional support of the OIRS unit as it pertains to technology tools for both OIRS staff and for the wider University community. This position will work on-site with users of the OSC space and will work virtually with users via Zoom, email, and phone as needed.

The Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support Program Operations Specialist provides support to UW Libraries staff members in the Open Scholarship & Publishing and Arts & Humanities department through the management of large-scale programming and resources related to open scholarship and publishing. The position serves as the subject matter expert for research communication and new knowledge creation through supporting technology-rich spaces and collaborates closely with other members of the Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support (OIRS) unit to help direct and expand the Libraries’ approach to research communication and new knowledge creation and the design and development of innovative learning environments and experiences. The OIRS unit includes staff that provide services across the Open Scholarship Commons and Research Commons spaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Manages Libraries resources related open and interdisciplinary research support (40%)

• Leads technology support and training for UW Libraries users (40%)

• Serves as an active member of the Open Scholarship & Publishing and Arts & Humanities, the Libraries, and the broader University on behalf of the Libraries (15%)

• Assumes other responsibilities as assigned and performs other duties as required. (5%)

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in the arts, humanities, social sciences, or STEM or other relevant field and 3-4 years providing training or end user support around the use of digital tools and technology.

• Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

Additional Qualifications

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to serve as a subject matter expert for staff, faculty, and students.

• Experience supporting, managing, and troubleshooting hardware and software systems, including both Windows and macOS environments, in a complex organizational or academic setting.

• Demonstrated experience providing professional‑level programmatic direction or control, particularly for technology-rich audio/visual programs or digital scholarship programs consistent with Libraries operations.

• Experience applying specialized technical knowledge to make independent decisions, solve problems, assess technology needs, address digital accessibility standards and best practices, and respond to program-specific requests.

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate, organize, and execute workshops, events, or instructional programming in support of unit goals.

• Experience working collaboratively across departments or teams within and outside the UW Libraries with varying goals and levels of knowledge.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library and information science, digital humanities, communication, instructional design, or related field.

• Experience with digital scholarship tools and publishing platforms, such as Manifold, Reclaim Hosting, Humap, Omeka, or similar systems.

• Demonstrated background managing or administering technology-rich library spaces, including audio/video recording studios, media creation environments, or digital scholarship labs.

• Supervisory or lead experience, especially in directing the work of student employees or other staff.

• Experience developing and delivering training, instructional content, or consultations related to digital scholarship or open research tools.

• Familiarity with open scholarship practices, research communication workflows, scholarly publishing technologies, or emerging trends in academic research support.