Herbarium Digitization Assistant

Missouri Botanical Garden•St. Louis, MO

38d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a multi-year position dependent on restricted funding and project duration that will image, database, and curate specimens in the Herbarium at the Missouri Botanical Garden. With nearly 8million specimens of preserved plants, the MBG Herbarium is one of the largest and most active research collections in the world and serves as a core resource for the Garden’s Science and Conservation Division. The successful candidate for this position will join a dedicated team of scientists and support staff in the Herbarium to produce high-quality specimen data to serve urgent global needs in research, conservation, land management, and policymaking. In addition, staff hired in this position will participate in a curatorial mentorship program, attending workshops held by other Garden staff on botanical taxonomy, nomenclature, specimen curation, and collection management to develop their Herbarium skills and knowledge. This role requires excellent time management and interpersonal skills, a thoughtful and collaborative approach to problem solving, and a deep passion for plants. Initial core duties include pulling, barcoding, and imaging specimens, label data capture, data quality assurance (QA), and specimen filing. As part of the curatorial mentorship program, duties will expand to include: becoming familiar with the taxonomic literature of one or more target plant families, updating scientific names on specimens according to recent taxonomic treatments, identifying specimens, and improving the accuracy of the physical collection and its associated digital records.

Requirements

One to three years related experience in general data entry, preferably in the context of herbaria or other research collections.
Excellent typing skills and data entry skills. Ability to read cursive writing.
Must be punctual, dependable, a self-starter, and possess the ability to effectively multi-task and work under minimal supervision.
Ability to read and comprehend instructions and information to effectively execute and achieve results.
A Bachelor’s degree, ideally in a field relevant to botany, is required.
An equivalent combination of education, skills and experience may be considered.
Ability to read and communicate effectively in English (oral/written)required.
Proficiency using Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, required
Solid Internet research skills.
Must possess basic understanding of computer operating systems in order to trouble shoot hardware and software issues, in consultation with IT staff.
Ability to sit or stand for long periods.
Ability to utilize computer keyboard (typing) and sit for extended periods of the work day.
Operates computer and photography rigs.
Must be able to lift and carry 20 pounds.
Requires clarity of vision at 20 inches or less with the ability to bring objects into sharp focus.
Requires clarity of vision to accurately clarify colors.

Nice To Haves

Basic knowledge of digital photography, including best practices in color standardization, metadata capture, and archival file storage, desired.
Basic knowledge of botanical terminology strongly desired.
Knowledge of additional languages, especially Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese, desired.
Knowledge of imaging software, including Capture One and Adobe Photoshop, highly desired.
May be required to perform tasks at varying heights (i.e., climb ladders, step stools, etc.)

Responsibilities

Pulls, barcodes, images, and refiles specimens in coordination with other Herbarium and research staff to ensure timely completion of grant deliverables with minimum interruption to other Herbarium activities.
Transcribes label data from specimen images using Tropicos®, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s global database of plant names, specimens, and publications.
Engages in careful and efficient quality control checks to ensure the highest standards in image and data quality.
Works with Herbarium Digitization Supervisors and Manager to develop and test workflows to optimize digitization efficiency and improve data quality.
Reviews label transcriptions from AI models and other sources for accuracy prior to their incorporation in Tropicos®.
Attends curatorial mentorship workshops, lectures, and other events to grow capacity n taxonomy and Herbarium curation.
Files specimens, updates scientific names, reads taxonomic literature, and identifies plant collections in one or more target families (developed over time as part of the curatorial mentorship program).
Ensures that all applicable safety standards are followed to reduce hazards.
Reports all accidents, injuries and near-miss accidents immediately.
Follows and adheres to established policies and procedures, including but not limited to Employee Handbook, Garden Safety Guidelines and Department Policies.
Behaves and communicates in a manner that promotes and fosters a culture of teamwork and cooperation, within our division and throughout the Garden, with co-workers, supervisors/managers, volunteers, visitors and employees.
Performs other duties as assigned.