Research Integrity and Data Specialist

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the world’s leading research Institutes at a crucial time in its evolution, and play a definitive role in shaping it for the future.

The Information Technology Office (ITO) team within the Francis Crick Institute is responsible for the design, implementation and operation of all IT applications which manage the running of the institute, along with the publication and library services provided to scientists.

The LIS team at the Crick have the following roles:

• deliver user-centred scientific information services to Crick researchers

• support the delivery of the Crick open access policy

• promote open research

• manage key research metadata about publications and researchers

This is a new position which will have responsibility for managing and curating all data, code, figures and any other artefacts associated with research publications. This will involve working with researchers to embed tools and practices to ensure the integrity of research as it is produced and working with the Data team within the ITO to build technology solutions where needed to automate processes across the Crick’s data systems.

• Ensuring that data and all artefacts associated with publication and Crick research are stored in line with retention policies and published openly

• Promoting good research data management, and compliance with FAIR principles and Open Access

• Working with researchers, funding bodies and other stakeholders to understand the evolving landscape and identify where new solutions and processes are needed to keep pace with a rapidly changing policy landscape

• Working with the Data team to extend existing data management solutions to meet evolving needs, and helping to define new solutions

The Crick already engages in many activities that promote research integrity. However, further areas of development are required to make us fully compliant with core funders’ requirements and external standards to which we are signatories, e.g., the Concordat to Support Research Integrity.

Key responsibilities

These include but are not limited to:

• Overseeing and implementing an archiving system for data underlying Crick publications and research

• Promoting open research and FAIR data

• Supporting the research integrity training programme for all Crick staff, including new PhD students, postdocs, laboratory research scientists and Group Leaders (including responsible authorship, avoiding plagiarism, experimental design, reproducibility, data management, appropriate use of statistical tests, record keeping, and responsible image processing)

• Writing & updating research integrity policies and the annual research integrity statement

• Advising on good research practice

• Liaising and collaborating with other research integrity and data management staff

• Engaging the sector and organising external events

Key experience and competencies

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, imaginative, open, dynamic and collegial, in addition to the following:

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competencies

• Scientific background or experience supporting scientific research

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant STEM or information management field, or substantial experience gained within a professional context

• Excellent domain knowledge of research integrity, academic publication and policies relating to open research

• Experience of using knowledge management systems and tracking actions using spreadsheets/databases

• Good oral and written communication skills within teams and with stakeholders

• Good time management, prioritisation of workloads and ability to follow standard operating procedures without supervision

Desirable

Qualifications, experience and competencies

• Experience in working on research integrity, research data management or open research activities

• Experience of developing and providing training

• Knowledge of the organisational culture of a research institute and/or HEI