Engaged by software enhanced research? A job opportunity as a community specialist
Engaged by software enhanced research? A job opportunity as a community specialist
By Shoaib Sufi.
The research software community is huge and has massive potential. The Institute has a particular interest in major and interesting research areas, the software that is being or could be used to support them, and the researchers, developers and others working to enhance research with software.
The Institute is looking to recruit a Research Software Community Specialist in Manchester. Although the role is described in the job advert, this blog contains additional context.
The Institute has conducted community activities since its start in 2010. The recruit will be working closely with the Institute’s Community Manager (i.e. me) to help understand, support and promote the research software community.
So what's it all about?
Managing a network of early career Institute Fellows, organising workshops, engaging with the doctoral training centres, writing up case studies, promoting the research software needs inside and outside the Institute, and doing research into the research software community itself. More specific details and skill requirements are in the job advert.
The recruit won’t be an island. The Institute has a distributed team set across four different universities (Edinburgh, Southampton, Oxford and Manchester) and a lot of the work will overlap with the other strategic areas of the Institute: Training, Consultancy and Policy & Outreach. Thus energy, creativity and input will be required to influence the direction of the Institute, working effectively with those leading the other areas and making efficient use of the resources available to the Institute.
The recruit will be based in the myGrid team at the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester. The myGrid team is a microcosm of the research software community (coders, scientists, manager, investigators). Thus there will be interesting people to talk to, which can be a great sounding board for ideas.
So what makes a good candidate?
The role would suit someone who understands how scientific research is conducted and wants to work to make it better, someone who is a power listener, enjoys facilitation, has high emotional intelligence, excellent writing skills, relishes working in interdisciplinary teams and can act on the belief that better software should improve research outcomes.
If you are a researcher who has used computing methods and are now interested in working more within science communications and want to gain some people management experience than this could be the ideal role for you.
Do you want to know more?
If you are interested in joining our team, then check out the job advert which provides a description of the role, how to apply and contact details for any questions.
The closing date is Wednesday 2nd January 2013.