RDM Catalogue and Curation Lead

The Climate-Smart Data Collaboration Centre (CS-DCC) is seeking an RDM Catalogue and Curation Lead to join a collaborative research and development team at the University of Guelph. This position is well-suited to individuals interested in gaining practical experience in research data management (RDM), metadata, and research infrastructure, while working closely with software developers and academic researchers. This is a 2-year contract position in a hybrid working environment.

The Climate-Smart Data Collaboration Centre (CS-DCC) serves as the national data hub for Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems (CSAFS) initiative. Its mission is to deliver interoperable infrastructure, tools, and governance frameworks that enable FAIR-compliant data sharing, while respecting data sovereignty.

By connecting Genome Centres, Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICTs), and external partners, the CS-DCC fosters collaboration, transparency, and inclusive engagement across Canada’s agri-food research ecosystem. Our work focuses on (meta)data governance and harmonization, research data management, data analytics, and data-sharing policy, supporting omics-driven innovation in climate-smart agriculture and food systems research.

In this role, you will contribute to the creation and ongoing development of an active research data catalogue, support the design of tools and workflows for RO-Crate metadata, and assist in preparing for the future implementation of RAiD metadata.

You will create catalogue-level and project-level metadata aligned with current best practices in the research data management community, ensuring that research inputs and outputs are well described, discoverable, interoperable, and reusable.

You will also coordinate and support metadata creators across the pan-Canadian CSAFS portfolio, including student contributors, by providing guidance on metadata standards and workflows. This includes reviewing metadata for quality and consistency, supporting contributors in applying shared practices, and contributing to a collaborative learning environment aligned with approaches commonly used in academic libraries and digital scholarship services.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a growing area of research support, with mentorship and opportunities to build both technical and professional skills.

• Recently completed (or near completion of) a graduate degree in Library and Information Science, Data Science, Digital Humanities, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Foundational understanding of research data management concepts gained through coursework, capstone projects, internships, or early professional experience
• Introductory experience with metadata creation or management through academic work, thesis research, or practical placements
• Interest in FAIR principles, research data standards, and emerging metadata approaches such as RO-Crate and RAiD
• Ability to create clear, accurate, and consistent metadata at both project and catalogue levels, with familiarity with standards such as Dublin Core and DCAT
• Comfort working collaboratively with researchers, developers, students, and interdisciplinary teams
• Strong written communication skills and attention to detail
• Motivation to learn new tools, technologies, and standards in a rapidly evolving RDM landscape