Technical Advisor Data Management Services

Is it your second nature to communicate with colleagues, users of our services and other external relations? Do you quickly identify needs and can you translate these needs of scientists into ICT practice? Do you also want to support national and international scientists with a view to the future? Then we are looking for you!

Where you will work

SURF is the ICT cooperative for Dutch educational and research institutions. Together with them, we work on digital services and complex innovation challenges to enhance the quality of education and research. As a technical advisor, you make an important contribution by providing advice and developing solutions. In addition, you will support projects in the field of Research Data Management (RDM).

The team you will join

Our Data Management Services team is an energetic group specialising in RDM. We are a group with very different areas of expertise that complement each other. We develop services that help researchers securely store, analyse and share their research data according to FAIR principles. In doing so, we support Open Science.

Within the team, you will work with our iRODS-based services (including Yoda). You will also work closely with the data services of other teams within SURF. In addition, you will collaborate on European projects in the field of RDM in which you represent SURF. We work in an open atmosphere at SURF, where you can ask each other anything.

What you will do

You understand scientific research. It is your second nature to present to, discuss with and learn from colleagues, users of our services and other external relations in a professional and appealing way. In these discussions, you will identify needs. Then you come up with ideas to adapt services we already offer at SURF, or services we can develop. You constantly identify opportunities.

Other tasks you will handle

• You will help researchers make optimum use of SURF's services. You will translate and explain their needs to your fellow advisors and engineers. You will build and maintain relationships with research groups, ict departments of institutions and research support staff;
• You will build proofs of concept for requests from projects;
• You will stimulate effective communication between teams within SURF and beyond, both nationally and internationally. You will participate in national and international project meetings and conferences;
• You will provide training on: RDM (FAIR data, metadata), SURF's services and other technical solutions;
• You will keep your knowledge up to date, deepen it and develop your skills in the field of RDM, but also in other areas related to data processing.

Your skills and experience

Key qualities are:

• An academic level of thought and work, evidenced by one of these three:
  • You have an MSc/PhD in a field that is data-intensive or for computational wizards such as: computer science, mathematics, etc., or
  • You have equivalent work experience, or
  • You are technically savvy and have been professionally involved in RDM, such as a role in research IT or in a data support role.
• You have excellent communication skills. You speak and write fluently in English and preferably also in Dutch.
• You have development experience in Unix / Linux environments, preferably in Python, C/C++ or Java.
• You are familiar with scientific workflows and data structures.
• You have knowledge of cloud computing, data storage environments and technologies.

It is an advantage if you:

• have hands-on experience with RDM and tools such as iRODS and Yoda;
• have teaching or training experience;
• have knowledge of or experience with project management.

Prior to starting this job, a VOG must be presented.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.