Position ID: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Digital Humanities-PA [#18308] |
Position Title: | Postdoctoral Associate |
Position Type: | Postdoctoral |
Position Location: | Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States [map] |
Subject Areas: | Social Sciences / Disability Studies Library Science Digital Humanities |
Appl Deadline: | 2021/04/09 11:59PM finished (2021/03/15, finished 2021/05/20, listed until 2021/09/15) |
Position Description: |
Postdoctoral Associate: Advancing Equity and Accessibility in Archives and Special Collections Postdoctoral Research Program, Center for Research on Equitable and Open Scholarship (CREOS) Two-Year Term - Visa Sponsorship Available Position: Responsibilities: Conduct original research in the areas of open and equitable scholarship under the guidance of the
Principal Investigator Stephanie Ann Frampton (Associate Professor of Literature and Director of the MIT
Programs in Digital Humanities) and in close collaboration with library and faculty mentors, research
scientists, and fellow postdoctoral associates. The outcomes from this research will be used to inform
future research, implementations, or adoptable resources for MIT Libraries and the broader library
community. This position will focus on research related to identifying, assessing, developing, and promulgating best
practices for advancing equity and accessibility in archives and special collections, with a particular
focus on accessibility of digital collections for persons with disabilities. The postdoctoral associate’s
research will focus on identifying and analyzing current barriers to accessing digital collections within
archives and special collections. The associate will also be expected to critically assess existing and
potential technology solutions for closing the accessibility divide. We are particularly interested in
exploring how remote access to digital archives and special collections might redress and/or
exacerbate challenges of disability and equity. The first year of the associateship will focus on identifying, describing, and analyzing existing
accessibility practices and interventions to digital archives and special collections access, while the
second year will focus on designing prototypes and evaluating interventions within MIT Libraries’ own
Distinctive Collections. The participant selected for this position will join the vibrant community of researchers in the
humanities, arts, and social sciences who are part of MIT Programs in Digital Humanities. They will
have the opportunity to contribute to established research questions in CREOS as well as to develop
their own ideas for research in the areas of open and equitable research: specifically, the barriers,
impacts, and/or economic models therein. MinimumQualifications:
We expect the candidate to be stronger in some qualifications listed above than others; we are
committed to helping our future colleague expand their skills, as well as learning from their areas of
strength. Salary and Benefits: $65,000 USD/year. MIT offers excellent benefits including a choice of health
and retirement plans, a dental plan, tuition assistance, and fully subsidized MBTA passes for local bus
and subway service. Flexible work arrangements, including flex-time and telecommuting, are considered
for positions that meet established criteria. The MIT Libraries is a collegial and supportive working
environment and fosters professional growth of staff with management training and travel funding for
professional meetings Application Process: Apply online at: https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_mit/external/jobDetails/jobDetail.html?jobPostId=19968&localeCode=en-us (MIT Careers Job Number: 19373). Priority will be given to
applications received by April 9th, 2021; position open until filled. Applications must include the
following:
*Please send the writing sample and letters of recommendation to creos@mit.edu The Environment: The MIT Libraries are an engine for creating, sharing, and safeguarding knowledge at the Institute and
beyond. The Libraries work to improve the world’s collective knowledge by equipping current and
future scholars with the best content and the skills to use it, whether examining medieval manuscripts or
flying drones to collect data. We make MIT research—from the LIGO detection of gravitational waves,
to the design of humanoid robots, to advances in drug delivery—openly accessible to the world. Our
March 2021
new research initiative CREOS tackles the big challenges in scholarly communication, ranging from
accessibility and inclusion in library systems to economic models for equitable and open scholarship. Through this work, we are building a library of the future, reimagining and reinvigorating the use of
libraries from simply quiet places to study into a global network of partnerships that can build “a more
inclusive, equitable, trustworthy, and sustainable scholarly knowledge ecosystem.” MIT is strongly and actively committed to diversity within its community and particularly welcomes
applications from qualified women and minority candidates. The Libraries seek professionals who
enthusiastically embrace the empathy, courage, self-reflection and respect of a multi-cultural, diverse,
and inclusive workplace, and who strive to incorporate those values in their work and interactions. MIT Programs in Digital Humanities: Founded in 2018 with a $1.3 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the MIT Programs
in Digital Humanities aim to advance computational methods and digital approaches to humanistic
inquiry through code, communication, and community. Taking advantage of MIT’s rich STEM expertise and seeking to enhance humanities education among
engineering and computer science students, the lab is centered on a diverse group of undergraduate
research associates (over 70% female and 35% underrepresented minorities) who work closely with pre- and postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, staff, and SHASS faculty on groundbreaking research and
teaching projects in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. Equal Employment Opportunity: MIT has a publicly posted Nondiscrimination Policy with a commitment to equal opportunity. The
Institute prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity, pregnancy, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or national or
ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies,
scholarship and loan programs, and other Institute administered programs and activities.
MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin. MIT’s full policy on Nondiscrimination can be found here. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check, including verifying any finding of misconduct (or pending investigation) from prior employers. |