The data steward is the first point of contact in the faculty for any research related question with regard to data management, privacy and research ethics. He/she is part of the Faculty Office and works also in cooperation with other research support staff within the faculty.

The data steward is also part of a VU-wide network of data stewards and research data management (RDM) experts coordinated by the University Library and a VU privacy champions community coordinated by VU privacy officers. Through these networks the data steward will be kept abreast of new national and international developments in the field of RDM and privacy, get access to training and to expertise and support from the library and other relevant central services.

Your duties

• provide advice and support to researchers on all aspects of RDM throughout the entire research lifecycle, including guidance on writing Data Management Plans and paragraphs and FAIR Data, and documenting before, during and after the period of the project
• support the implementation of the Faculty’s RDM policy by engaging researchers in effective RDM, raising awareness of the policy and its requirements, and helping translate policy requirements into solutions researchers can implement in their daily research practice
• provide advice to the Faculty Board and research support staff on RDM policy development, implementation monitoring and review
• be an active member of the Data Steward Network coordinated by the Library and collaborate with other Data Stewards and research support staff in other departments and services
• work with or act as privacy champion for research related questions within the faculty and provide support to researchers with specific questions regarding personal and sensitive data
• inform and assist teachers and students with respect to the use of data within courses
• acts as a secretary of the faculties Academic Research Committee and support the review processes of incoming proposals

candidates have:

• a (Research) Master degree in a relevant research area within humanities or a degree in computer sciences together with a strong affinity with humanities
• experience and/or a strong interest and enthusiasm for RDM 
• experience with ethics and privacy would be a plus, a willingness and ability to develop this expertise in the short term would be needed
• excellent communication skills in English, oral and written and a willingness to learn Dutch (if applicable)
• a strong service-oriented, proactive, results-oriented attitude

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,790 and a maximum €4,402 (scale 10), depending on your education and experience. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 0.8 FTE.
The initial employment contract will affect a period of 1 year, with the possibility of extension.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP),
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 26,000 students. We employ over 4,600 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Humanities
The Faculty of Humanities links a number of fields of study: Language, Literature and Communication, Art & Culture, History, Antiquities and Philosophy. Our teaching and research focus on current societal and scientific themes: from artificial intelligence to visual culture, from urbanization to the history of slavery, from ‘fake news’ in journalism to communication in organizations. We strive to ensure small group sizes. Innovative education and interdisciplinary research are our hallmarks.

Working at the Faculty of Humanities means making a real contribution to the quality of leading education and research in an inspiring and personal work and study climate. We employ more than 250 staff members, and we are home to around 1,300 students.