Curation Officer

The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (DRAC) serves Canadian researchers, with the objective of advancing Canada’s position as a leader in the knowledge economy on the international stage. By integrating, championing and funding the infrastructure and activities required for advanced research computing (ARC), research data management (RDM) and research software (RS), we provide the platform for the research community to access tools and services faster than ever before.

The Curation Officer will work as part of the data curation team, which provides ongoing curation support for new dataset submissions to the Federated Research Data Repository (FRDR), a general-purpose repository for Canadian research data in a wide range of disciplines. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to user services and support, as well as the flexibility and persistence necessary to work with new file types, new technologies and installing/using new software as needed to successfully complete tasks.

The individual in this position will serve as an advocate for effective data management and will be comfortable providing guidance to researchers while promoting current recommended practices. The successful candidate will also support national data curation services associated with FRDR, and will contribute to a developing Active Data Management Service (ADMS), providing guidance and hands‑on support to researchers throughout the active phase of the research data lifecycle.

The Curation Officer works with researchers, institutional partners, and other national service teams to improve data quality, documentation, metadata, and stewardship practices, helping ensure research data are well‑managed, reusable, and prepared for sharing, publication, and preservation.

Responsibilities:

• Active Data Management Consulting and Researcher Support: Support researchers in organizing, documenting, and managing research data within the Active Data Management Service (ADMS), ensuring datasets are well‑described, understandable, and prepared for collaboration, sharing, publication, and preservation workflows.
• Data Curation and Quality Assurance: Review and enhance metadata, documentation, file organization, and associated research outputs; perform data quality checks and apply established curation standards, procedures, and workflows to improve the usability, discoverability, and reusability of research data.
• Service Development and Workflow Improvement: Contribute to the development, testing, and continuous improvement of ADMS workflows, procedures, user documentation, training resources, and support materials to enhance the researcher experience and service effectiveness.
• FRDR Services and Stakeholder Engagement: Provide ongoing support to FRDR depositors and end users, and work with the larger FRDR team to develop effective services and resources to meet researcher needs.
• Training, Knowledge Sharing, and Community Engagement: Work with other members of the Research Data Management team and the broader RDM community to design, coordinate and deliver open and engaging activities, such as webinars, training, community calls, or workshops in areas related to data curation, active data management and disciplinary data topics.

Requirements:

• Experience with and understanding of research and data life cycles and a working knowledge of data management best practices.
• Aptitude for complex, analytical work with attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
• Highly developed oral and written skills, particularly the ability to explain complex concepts to a wide variety of users.
• Excellent organizational, time management, collaborative, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in French and English.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters‑level degree in information management, library and information studies, computer science or related field; or advanced degree in a subject discipline with a research data emphasis.
• Demonstrated experience working with researchers to curate research data, preferably in a range of disciplines.
• Professional experience in an academic, special, or research library, or equivalent relevant experience.

DRAC is strongly committed to equity and inclusion within the community and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, members of racialized groups, people of colour, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+identified people.