American University of Kuwait (AUK) -
Company: American University of Kuwait (AUK) –
WebSite: Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Job Description:**Job Title: Research Output and Preservation Lead**
**Purpose:**
The Research Output and Preservation Lead holds a pivotal role in expanding the University Library’s research output and preservation services. This position provides strategic and operational direction, formulating recommendations for the University Library’s management. Responsibilities encompass the oversight of key initiatives, including the institutional repository, university archives, research data management services, systems integrations, and reporting mechanisms. Collaboration with diverse Library teams and University entities, such as Researchers, Core Labs, Central IT, and the Office of Sponsored Research, is integral to this role. The Research Output and Preservation Lead serves as the primary point of contact for consultation and training related to Research Output Services, reporting directly to the Library Manager.
**Key Responsibilities:**
* Collaborate closely with the Library Manager to identify strategic areas for growth, change, and refinement of the Library’s preservation and curation services.
* Oversee all operations and activities pertaining to the University Archive, Institutional Repository, Systems Integrations, and Reporting functions.
* Provide strategic and operational recommendations to enhance the University Library’s expanding portfolio of research output services.
* Develop services that facilitate the discovery, management, analysis, sharing, and reusability of research output.
* Coordinate and lead strategic planning discussions with the Library Manager regarding the Library’s curation and preservation services, offering technical insight and expert opinions on available options and future direction.
* Provide leadership, management, and coordination for library teams engaged in existing and proposed research output services, including the institutional repository, preservation efforts, and digital collections platforms.
* Coordinate activities between vendors and library management to ensure that research support-related library contracts remain current, competitive, and relevant, including negotiating contract terms and technology and service enhancements with service hosting providers.
* Work closely with members of the KAUST research community and KAUST administration to promote existing preservation and curation services and to identify opportunities for growth and innovation.
* Collaborate with the University Archivist to develop a comprehensive preservation strategy and roadmap for the University.
* Provide domain expertise to Library units for the development of research output-related policies and procedures.
* Represent the Library’s interests in University meetings and events, as directed by the Library’s management team.
* Attend relevant regional and international conferences, representing the Library through networking and topical presentations.
* Organize and coordinate regional events to promote KAUST’s preservation and curation services, including the annual Open Access Week event, repository workshops, and seminars focusing on collaborative opportunities for libraries and scholarly communication.
* Perform other duties as assigned.
**Required Competencies:**
* Demonstrated expertise in a library or academic environment, providing preservation and repository services, with proficiency in at least one major institutional repository application platform (e.g., DSpace, Fedora, EPrints).
* Demonstrated proficiency in and understanding of curation and preservation principles, including archives standards, preservation fundamentals, and best practices.
* Demonstrated proficiency and familiarity with current issues and themes in scholarly communications, intellectual property laws (including copyright and patent domains), and academic research evaluation practices and trends.
* Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, set and meet deadlines, and adapt to new and changing situations, priorities, and technologies.
* Demonstrated customer service skills and experience interacting with a diverse academic population, including faculty, researchers, graduate students, staff, and vendors.
* Ability to work independently and as part of a team to produce results, solve problems, and initiate ideas and projects.
* Excellent communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
**Desired Competencies:**
* Interest in and exposure to evolving technologies in academic libraries, such as linked data and next-generation research data management and discovery tools.
* Familiarity with library- and research-oriented metadata standards and protocols, such as Dublin Core, Darwin Core, CSDGM, ABCD Schema, OAI-PMH, SWORD.
* Knowledge of emerging technologies and trends in library information services and the broader information technology field.
**Qualifications:**
* Required: A Bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer science or a related field.
* Preferred: A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) or a related field.
**Experience:**
* A minimum of 5 years of experience in Repository and Preservation Management within an Academic or Research Library setting.
Skills: