Department

HUM Staff: Digital Studies Administration

About the Department

The Forum for Digital Culture in the Division of the Humanities is the center and meeting place for digital arts and humanities at the University of Chicago. Its staff are engaged in (1) teaching graduate and undergraduate students, (2) computational research support for faculty and student projects, and (3) public outreach and engagement. In the area of teaching, the Forum for Digital Culture administers and offers courses for a one-year M.A., a two-year research-intensive M.A., a joint B.A./M.A., an undergraduate minor, and a graduate certificate for Ph.D. students, as well as non-credit tutorials on digital tools and skills relevant to the arts and humanities. These programs are grouped under the heading Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History. In the area of computational research support, the staff of the Forum provide consultation, training, software, and data management for faculty and student projects and also administer and maintain an Online Publication Service for acquiring and publishing digital materials created by scholars in a peer-reviewed, open-access, and permanently accessible form. In the area of public engagement, the Forum for Digital Culture hosts lectures, conferences, exhibitions, and other events.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Technology, the Research Specialist provides computational research support for scholars and students via the OCHRE database platform and other software supported by the Forum for Digital Culture; teaches or assists teaching one or two Digital Studies (DIGS) courses per year; and performs other tasks as assigned by the Director of Technology.

Responsibilities

Provides computational research support for scholars and students via the OCHRE database platform and other software supported by the Forum for Digital Culture, both on campus and in remote fieldwork locations outside the U.S.Works closely with the staff of the Forum for Digital Culture and staff of other relevant units of the University to serve the computational needs of faculty and student research projects.Tests software and hardware and provides feedback to the Forum’s software engineers concerning bugs to be fixed and possible feature enhancements in the software.Consults with research project leaders and their project assistants concerning their data and project goals.Trains research project team members in the use of the OCHRE platform and other software.Cleans project data to remove errors and inconsistencies.Models project data taxonomically and conceptually and imports it into the OCHRE platform.Documents software usage procedures and project workflows.Teaches or assists teaching one or two Digital Studies (DIGS) courses per year and organizes and/or participates in workshops, conferences, and events that provide educational enrichment for students.May do their own research on campus or at fieldwork locations outside the U.S., attends academic conferences, authors or co-authors academic publications, and/or serves as a PI or co-PI on a funded project in collaboration with relevant UChicago faculty, subject to approval by the Faculty Director.May advise Digital Studies M.A. students on their thesis projects as needed.Uses subject matter and best practices knowledge to perform lab and/or research-related duties and tasks. Works independently to assist with project design.Solves complex problems relating to the administration of projects, including planning new procedures, adapting existing procedures to the needs of the project, and making significant contributions to methodology.Guides data collection, evaluation and analysis. Designs and manages databases. Writes reports, articles and manuscripts.Presents research findings at meetings and conferences, as well as to funding agencies. Conducts literature reviews. Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Master’s degree in the humanities, social sciences, or library science.

Experience:

Perform computational tasks for one or more humanities research projects.Manage and organize digital files such as images, maps, audio and video files.Research experience in a humanities or social sciences domain in one of the following fields: art history, archaeology, cinema and media studies, history, linguistics, literary studies, musicology, or similar.

Techical Skills or Knowledge:

Use standard productivity software (Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint; Adobe Photoshop).Effectively proficent with the OCHRE database platform.Proficient with specialized software employed in research in the humanities, such as GIS mapping software and photogrammetry software for 3D imaging.

Preferred Competencies

Juggle multiple and complex projects simultaneously to meet deadlines.Set and meet research project deadlines.

Application Documents

Resume/CV (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$75,000.00 - $85,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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