Job ID
75637
Job Title
RESEARCH COORDINATOR (IV) - Metadata & Curation Lead (SSCAN)
Regular/Temporary
Temporary
Location
Central Campus
Open Date
2026/04/24
Job Type
Limited Term (>12 months)
Close Date
2026/05/28
Employee Group
Unifor Unit 1, Staff
Favorite Job
Department
Research Data Centre Network
Full/Part Time
Full-Time
Salary Grade/Band
Grade 11
Salary Range
$36.54 - $57.23 (hourly)
Job Code
JD0441
Existing Vacancy
Yes - Newly Created Position
Contract Duration
24 Months
Target Number of Openings
1
Hours per Week
35
Posting Details
Schedule
35 hours per week; Hyrbid; Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
Education Level
Master's degree in a relevant field of study.
Career Level
Requires 6 years of relevant experience, including 1 year of full supervision.
Job Description Number
JD0441
Anticipated Start Date
June 2026
Employment Type
Limited Term Employee
Duration
24 Month Appointment
Job Description
Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.
Unit Description:
Established in 2000, the Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN) is a national research infrastructure for leading edge research and training in the quantitative social and population health sciences, creating social, economic, health and environmental benefits for Canadians. The Network supports a partnership between Canadian universities and Statistics Canada. Its mission is to enable quantitative researchers to address vital questions; train the next generation of highly qualified personnel in social and population health sciences; and contribute to evidence-based policy and decision-making by facilitating access to confidential microdata supported by state-of-the-art computing facilities. There are four key strategic pillars set out in the current CRDCN Strategic Plan (2024-29): data; community and capabilities; evidence-informed decision-making; and research ecosystem.
This national facility is run by a central management team based at McMaster University as the host institution. It is led by the Executive Director who reports to a national Board and at McMaster to the Vice President Research, who also serves on the Board. CRDCN is a distributed network, currently comprising 33 physical Research Data Centres (RDCs) based in Collaborating Institutions, each led by an Academic Director, whose roles and responsibilities are overseen by CRDCN. The CRDCN currently serves over 2,000 researchers and trainees in all 10 provinces.
CRDCN is primarily funded by federal and provincial government agencies—namely Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ)—as well as Statistics Canada and 33 Collaborating Institutions. The total budget from these and other funding sources in the current funding term is $80M (2023-2029). CRDCN is one of only 17 CFI Major Science Initiatives. CRDCN also manages additional CFI funding ($10M) to build an advanced research computing platform, which will centralize physical and remote data access to all RDCs via two Compute Canada data centres located at the University of Waterloo and Simon Fraser University. CRDCN’s central management team will take on new responsibilities to operate and maintain this advanced research computing platform upon completion of its build.
This position is funded by a grant from the Digital Research Alliance of Canada under the National Data Spaces Pilot. The CRDCN project involves developing a SSCAN (Social Sciences CANada Data Space) to support a wide range of data needs for researchers in Canada working with sensitive social sciences data.
Job Summary:
Responsible for managing the daily operations of multiple research projects ensuring that all aspects of project protocol are adhered to. Applies specialized knowledge to initiate, design, develop, coordinate, and manage major research projects across multiple sites. Develops collaborations and partnerships with research user groups.
Purpose and Key Functions:
Supervision:
- Supervise and direct the activities of up to 4 continuing employees.
- Ongoing responsibility for hiring and supervising 10 or more casual employees at any one time.
- Provide orientation and show procedures to others.
Requirements:
- Master's degree in a relevant field of study.
- Requires 6 years of relevant experience, including 1 year for full supervision.
Assets:
This specific role seeks the following requirements:
- Master of Library Information Science, graduate degree from an iSchool or equivalent training/experience
- 2-5 years' experience working with metadata, data modelling, digital curation or data stewardship
- Thorough understanding of metadata, standards, vocabularies and the broad concepts of digital archiving
- Skills to create, transform and move records to/from digital systems
- Ability to clearly communicate concepts to stakeholders from a variety of sectors and familiarity with data systems
- Ability to develop training/documentation for a variety of audiences
Additional Information
Key focus of this position:
The "Metadata and Curation Lead'' is a key role in CRDCN’s execution of its Alliance-funded National Data Spaces Pilot, SSCAN (Social Sciences CANada Data Space). SSCAN will explore the requirements of researchers and potential data depositors as part of developing a national data space for sensitive social science data. Working closely and coordinating with the Data & Policy Lead and the Lead Architect, this role will:
Liaise with the research and data librarian communities to understand the current state of metadata standards, file formats and deposit/stewardship arrangements across the social sciences research community, with a particular focus on data about education across Canada (education data provides a preliminary focal point, but all SS data will be eventually considered).
Organize and hold meetings and/or events to expand the community and progress consensus on suitable standards/vocabularies
Develop and deliver training on digital asset preparation, documentation, and other relevant areas as the needs of the community are understood.
Research best practice nationally in research data stewardship and access as well as best practice internationally in the management of sensitive social sciences data and the repositories / data spaces / digital archives that support that management.
Explore models for curation and archiving, assist with writing relevant policy frameworks, and chart a path for the project to meet Core Trust Seal requirements.
Develop a plan to ensure discoverability and FAIRness of the data space, and to ensure alignment with relevant Digital Research Alliance of Canada initiatives, such as the integration of persistent identifiers, DMPs etc.
How To Apply
To apply for this job, please submit your application online.
Employment Equity Statement
McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.
The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.
The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.
As part of McMaster’s commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.
Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact:
- Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247), or
- Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or
- School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679
to communicate accommodation needs.
Hybrid Work Language
To ensure an ongoing and vibrant University community that meets the needs of our students, staff and faculty and supports the University mission, ability to work on-site continues to be a requirement for most University positions. The University is supportive of exploring flexible work arrangements that effectively balance operational needs and employee interests.
Interview Experience
At McMaster University, we believe in a comprehensive and inclusive interview process. Our interview methods encompass a variety of approaches that allow our hiring teams to provide a flexible and accessible experience for engaging with our candidates. Throughout your recruitment process at McMaster, you may be requested to participate in a variety of formats, that may include in-person, virtual or recorded interviews. If you have any questions as you move through the hiring process, please reach out to talent@mcmaster.ca or the HR contact associated with your position of interest.
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