[NHCOLL-L:4630] Posting for VertNet Project Coordinator position at University of California, Berkeley

[Carol Spencer]

Dear NH-Coll, Please post this position.

People can apply to this position via the UC Berkeley job website (Job ID
number 10296)
at: http://jobs.berkeley.edu/

VertNet is a new multi-institution, collaborative project that will combine
the online accessibility of four distributed data networks for vertebrates:
ORNIS (http://ornisnet.org), HerpNET (http:// herpnet.org), MaNIS (http://
manisnet.org/) and FishNet (www.fishnet2.net/). Together, these taxon-based
web portals now serve georeferenced data on vertebrates from approximately
90 museums, 48 of which are participating in multiple portals. The majority
of these institutions are in the United States, but their collections are
global in scope. These data portals make museum specimen data available
freely to the public and researchers, and serve information such as museum
catalog number, locality information, georeferenced coordinates, and other
specimen related data. The goal of these portals is to facilitate studies in
conservation, ecology, and evolution. We are seeking a person to fill the
position of VertNet Project Coordinator. This person will oversee
integration of ORNIS, HerpNET, MaNIS, and FishNet, research in biodiversity
information, and will pursue integration with other biodiversity information
sites such as Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) and AmphibiaWeb, and will promote
research and outreach in the field of biodiversity informatics. They must
have a background in biodiversity informatics and be aware of various
research (GIS, evolutionary biology, systematics) that takes advantage of
these data.

40% Conduct semi-independent research in the field of biodiversity
informatics, including applications of global biological collections’ data
for conservation and evolutionary biology. Analyze these data for
technological improvements to data portals, and, working closely with lead
programmers, ensure implementation compatibility with existing and
developing infrastructures. These investigations include surveying the
status of bioinformatic resources at global natural history collections.

20% Develop grant proposals (with steering committee) to various funding
agencies for the VertNET project and develop other biodiversity data portal
research materials in pursuit of funding opportunities.

15% Liaise with and provide support to the VertNet steering committee and
database programmers at various institutions by facilitating communications,
updates and other written, oral and e-mail contacts.

15% Coordinate and ensure communication across participating institutions,
and recruit new institutions to participate in the data portal. Train
participants in georeferencing, mapping using GIS (Geographic Information
Systems), and other research applications in evolutionary biology of these
data via workshops.

10% Assist with design and test development of VertNet data portal
technologies and website, such as development of phylogenetic tree
applications and more user-friendly mapping and data querying abilities.

Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in biology, information sciences,
bioinformatics, geography, environmental sciences or other relevant
discipline required. Fundamental computer skills in Microsoft Office, Google
Earth, and the Internet required. Must have experience with relational
databases (e.g., Microsoft Access). Ability to understand and follow
technical instructions required. Excellent organizational skills and
attention to detail required. Excellent communication (written and oral) and
interpersonal skills are necessary. Demonstrated expertise of biodiversity
informatics and its applications in evolutionary and conservation biology.
Ability to quickly learn new programs required.

Preferred Qualifications:
Familiarity and experience working with natural history museums and
biodiversity databases (i.e., HerpNET, ORNIS, MaNIS, FishNET, and/or GBIF)
and their data managers strongly recommended. Familiarity with
MaNIS/HerpNET/ORNIS georeferencing methods and GIS and mapping experience
strongly recommended. Familiarity with state and federal agencies,
especially granting agencies, useful. Experience with website design and
html scripting desirable but not required.

Salary Range:
Annual salary: $37,920 to $39,456

This position is funded through August 31, 2010, with extension subject to
renewed funding.

-- 
Carol L. Spencer
Staff Curator of Herpetology & Researcher
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
3101 Valley Life Sciences Building
University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 94720-3160
atrox10 at gmail.com
atrox at berkeley.edu
TEL: 510-643-5778 /FAX: 510-643-8238

http://www.herpnet.org
http://mvz.berkeley.edu/
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