[Taxacom] Biodiversity Informatics position - Field Museum of Natural History

[Margaret K. Thayer]

Dear colleagues:

The Field Museum of Natural History recently 
posted the IT-based position described below. 
This is a permanent position that would be a 
great opportunity for someone with a strong 
background in both biodiversity science and 
related information technology.  It involves 
working with a diversity of curators and 
collection management staff in support of the 
informatics and other computing aspects of a wide 
variety of initiatives in collections and 
research within the departments of Zoology, 
Botany, Geology, and Anthropology (see 
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/research_collections/default.htm).

Note that applications should be submitted online 
through the museum's job ad site; see the URL at 
the end of the ad.  Please feel free to pass this 
along to any potentially interested people.

The Field Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer 
and encourages applications from women and minorities.

Margaret Thayer, Ph.D.
Associate Curator, Zoology and Head, Division of Insects
Field Museum of Natural History
1400 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago IL 60605-2496, USA

=============================================
=============================================
Position:           IT Project Leader – 
Biodiversity Informatics (full time, 35 hours/week)
Reports to:        Senior Manager of Information Technology

Summary of Position:
Manages projects and provides technical 
application/functional support for the 
Scientific/Academic systems and databases at the Museum.

Approximate Breakdown of Responsibilities:
Project Management (50%), Academic Application 
and Database support (20%), Reporting (15%), 
Vendor Management (5%), Scientific/Academic Support (5%)

Key components of this position:
+ Position is an IT staff member dedicated to 
supporting the Museum’s academic and scientific 
community.  The Museum’s academic operations 
revolve around scientific collections and 
research in evolution, biodiversity, and 
conservation.  Position is responsible for 
understanding the needs of the academic and 
scientific community and working with IT and 
Museum management to support those needs with 
technical solutions.  Individual needs to be able 
to work with a diverse array of people with varying IT proficiencies.
+ Position manages technology projects for the 
scientific and academic areas of the 
Museum.  Position also supports the various 
scientific and academic applications and databases.

Job Description:
Performs the following duties and responsibilities
Project Management: Academic Systems and Databases
+ Manages process analysis, system selection, 
system implementation for Academic
         systems and ensures projects are 
successfully completed on time and within budget
+ Communicates project status to stakeholders and 
management on a regular basis
+ Leads and directs project team and project 
team’s effort to ensure project success
+ Develops and manages project tasks, resources, and deadlines
+ Performs formal requirements definition, system 
test, documentation, contingency
         planning, and conference room pilot, or 
other suitable and appropriate plan for each project
+ Writes, develops and implements policies and 
procedures related to projects and systems
Academic Application and Database support
+ Supports various software applications used by 
the academic and scientific community
+ Becomes knowledgeable in the applications and 
trains users or develops a method for training users
+ Learns and understands application capabilities and limitations
+ Writes specifications for application 
programming changes and performs testing
+ Reviews and corrects detailed documentation for manuals and other documents
         related to applications
+ Analyzes specific database problems and 
determines causes and offers solutions
+ Assists users as they implement, modify, and 
manage their data within the systems
Reporting
+ Designs, develops, implements, supports 
enterprise reports using Crystal Reports,
         FileMaker Pro, MS Access, or other tools
+ Manages large scale reporting projects and solves reporting problems
Vendor Management
+ Manages the IT relationship with certain vendors; negotiates and maintains
         contracts and annual support
+ Ensures that invoices are paid on time, 
purchases are tracked, and proper budgeting
         is performed internally
+ Manages the quality of vendor work
Scientific/Academic Support
+ As requested, provides operational and 
scientific support and consulting services to the Museum
+ Analyzes processes and systems to make sure they complement each other,
         recommends improvements
Other Duties as assigned

Requirements:
+ This position requires a strong leader and an 
individual with a team oriented approach
+ College degree in IT or 3 years minimum work 
experience in the field of project management
         and/or application support
+ At least 1 year of experience as a lead/primary 
project manager for technology projects
         and strong working knowledge of one or 
more project management methodologies and tools
+ Experience with two or more of the following OS 
environments: Mac, Windows, *nix
+ Experience with any or all of the following 
database applications: FileMaker Pro, mySql,
         Sql Server, cBase, MS Access
+ Ability to effectively interact with and 
communicate to diverse groups of people of varying IT
         proficiencies
+ Self-motivated with ability to learn new applications and technologies
+ Ability to handle multiple issues of varying 
priority effectively; capable of meeting tight deadlines
+ Excellent organizational skills and strong 
attention to detail; ability to work unsupervised
+ Scientific background and/or interest, 
especially in an academic environment, and/or
         bioinformatics a plus
+ Experience with any or all of the following 
software applications a plus: Crystal Reports,
         KE EMu collections management system, 
ExLibris applications, GIS, phylogenetics
         (evolutionary biology), image management software
+ Interest and experience in open source 
applications and the open source community a plus
  To apply, please go to the following web site:
  <http://www.bfound.net/detail.aspx?jobId=58237&CoId=45&rq=2>http://www.bfound.net/detail.aspx?jobId=58237&CoId=45&rq=2