A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. Your cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.  (Applications without cover letters will not be considered.)

The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) is part of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan. The consortium maintains the world's largest archive of social scientific data, with 20,000+ studies relating to education, aging, criminal justice, substance abuse, terrorism, and more. A global leader in data science, ICPSR also supports continuing education in research design, statistics, and data analysis. ICPSR employs 15 research faculty, 140 professional staff, and has an annual operating revenue of more than $25 million. 

ICPSR's Metadata and Preservation unit is seeking an Information Resources Technical Specialist to create, enhance, or update data documentation, including variable descriptions and conceptual comparison modules, using Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) specifications. 

DDI is an international metadata standard for describing data produced by surveys and other observational methods in the social, behavioral, economic, and health sciences.  The position combines both the technical and the intellectual aspects of creating state-of-the art metadata to facilitate data discovery and reuse. The ideal candidate presents an inquisitive mind and a creative approach to solving problems. An understanding of quantitative data management and statistical formats and procedures, basic XML knowledge, as well as text processing and Excel skills are desirable. Training will be provided. 

Resource Evaluation and Project Planning

• Examine social science datasets to establish whether they are comparable at the variable level with respect to the research area (such as cognition and health indicators) or the concepts being investigated.
• Review data documentation provided in a variety of physical formats (data files, Excel tables, PDF or Word documents, etc.) and determine the best methods and tools for converting the materials to structured, DDI-compliant metadata. 
• Assist in creating a plan that outlines the most effective approach to DDI conversion for a defined set of social science datasets

DDI Study and Variable Descriptions 

• Acquire an in-depth knowledge of XML as a metadata encoding language, and of the different development lines of the DDI standard and their recommended usage. 
• Creatively combine the use of XML or DDI dedicated tools, text processing techniques, and Excel functions to apply the DDI metadata standard to pre-existing, unstructured or semi-structured documentation.
• Produce structured data documentation compliant with the DDI metadata standard.
• Assist in preparing and presenting content for academic conferences, virtual or in-person, as needed depending on project priorities. 

DDI Variable Comparison Metadata 

• Review individual variables within data and documentation files for conceptual matching across datasets. 
• Include comparable items in cross-study or cross-series concordances. 
• Assist in assigning concepts to each set of comparable variables and suggest degree of comparability. The variable crosswalks are typically drafted in Excel and then converted to DDI using metadata transformation tools.

• Bachelor's degree in the social sciences, information/library science, or the humanities.
• Intermediate Excel skills
• Power-text editing using macros and regular expressions
• A good grasp of numeric data and accompanying metadata: understand what a dataset is, how the variables are documented and why
• Experience performing accurate data entry
• Creativity and initiative in problem solving
• Highly focused, organized, and detail-oriented approach to repeated tasks
• Excellent communication skills
• Conscientious and responsible
• Works well in a team and independently

• Master's Degree in the social sciences, information/library science or relevant field
• Basic understanding of statistical procedures
• Familiarity with XML or DDI

This is a permanent, full-time 12-month appointment and is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

The Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the diverse people of Michigan, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to ground our research in varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning. For more about ISR's commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, please click here.

Benefits

The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous time off (24 vacation days per year and 15 sick days per year
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Professional development opportunities
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Life insurance, long-term disability coverage, and more
• TIAA and Fidelity Investments

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

This job opening will be posted for a minimum of fourteen calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the fifteenth day after posting.  This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.