Senior Research Scientist
About The Position
The Senior Research Scientist serves as the Curator of the national United States Rock Repository (USPRR) at The Ohio State University's Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. The USPRR offers immediate online access to terrestrial rock sample metadata and actively encourages sample loan requests from investigators worldwide, as well as from museums and schools. The curator's primary role involves overseeing the repository's overall management and growth. This includes the continuous development, organization, and implementation of both in-house and online databases and website development. The curator is responsible for acquiring and entering metadata for cataloged samples, actively seeking donations of new collections, and developing educational and community outreach initiatives. Additionally, the role involves managing governance-related issues, serving as a liaison with the National Science Foundation, and overseeing daily operations such as sample cataloging and digital imaging. The curator also handles sample distribution, including requests, decisions, and loans, supervises student assistants, and develops new proposals to ensure the repository's continuation and support other scientific research. Educational outreach to the community is also a key component, involving local school interactions and online activities via the USPRR website.
Requirements
- A doctoral degree in Earth Sciences
- Demonstrated ability to manage and grow a scientific rock repository, including overseeing daily operations
- Demonstrated ability in cataloging and digital imaging of samples
- Demonstrated ability in maintaining databases and websites
- Demonstrated ability in managing sample requests and loans
- Demonstrated ability in serving as a liaison with funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation
- Demonstrated ability in developing successful research and infrastructure proposals to support continued repository operations
Nice To Haves
- Experience building educational and community outreach programs
- Expanding collections through donations
- Providing broad access to scientific collections for researchers, museums, schools, and the public through both in‑person engagement and online platforms
Responsibilities
- Oversee the management and growth of the repository
- Continued development, organization and implementation of the existing database (both in-house, on-line) and website development
- Acquiring and entering metadata related to the cataloged samples
- Actively seeking donations of new collections
- Development of educational and community outreach initiatives
- Governance related issues and liaison with the National Science Foundation
- Oversee the daily operations of the repository, including cataloging of samples and digital imaging
- Oversee sample distribution issues such as sample requests, sample decisions, loans etc.
- Oversee student assistants and assigning of job tasks
- Develop new proposals for the continuation of the rock repository and for other scientific research
- Develop educational outreach to the community via local interaction with schools and through educational activities on the USPRR website
Benefits
- Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost
- Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays
- State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
