What is the impact of our/my research on the scholarly community and on society? In which areas does the research produced at our schools or institutes excel? Do we have blind spots in our research collaborations or research topics? What are our peers elsewhere doing? Is our/my research socially relevant? What indicators can we use to measure our impact?

Questions like these drive the effort to measure or quantify the impact of research produced at Maastricht University. When used responsibly and placed into context, bibliometric answers can help make informed decisions and policy, shed light on the overall reputation of the work of a group or institution, support efforts to obtain funding and seek additional collaboration partners or invest in new talent. These answers help our research community to demonstrate their intellectual excellence and societal relevance.

The library works closely with the faculties’ academics and administrative staff, to provide adequate and concise evidence to support periodical assessments and question-driven evaluations.  In their work, the research intelligence team relies on a number of trusted data sources, including our Research Information System (Pure), and a range of bibliometric analysis tools such as InCites and VOSViewer. All quantitative measures of impact are used to support qualitative forms of evaluation.

The new colleague will support the research intelligence service provided by the library. She/he will expand the current range of analytical tools and datasets used in the library’s bibliometric research support and will play a part in presenting this library service within the university.  Key stakeholders include: research offices, academic affairs, head of research schools.

 Main responsibilities

• Combine various sources of research data (publications, metrics etc.) and filter this data in a responsible way based on the initial research questions.

• Provide research impact evaluations based on qualitative evidence for a wide range of end-users, such as researchers, research directors, university policymakers.

• Build research profiles and identify important patterns and trends within domains of interest.

• Advise on research impact analysis methods and methods of visualization.

• Build expertise on and implement evaluations in online dashboards or ad hoc reports.

• Acknowledge the importance of the societal impact of research and advise on alternative metrics if possible.

• Linking knowledge and expertise of our researchers to questions from other research groups in order to support interdisciplinary exchange.

• Explore possibilities where bibliometric analyses can support research publications.

• Work as a team player in the research intelligence team, prioritise together with the team and deliver on time.

Job competences

• A Master degree is preferred, however this can be counterbalanced by demonstrable research experience

• Experience on working with bibliometrics, quantitative analysis of scientific output, scientific impact, or scientific collaboration in a responsible way as proclaimed by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS).

• Knowledge of relational databases, SQL, web APIs and a scripting language like Powershell

• Excellent communication skills in word and writing, well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and build productive relationships

• Research oriented, interdisciplinary and internationally minded

Fixed-term contract: It is an initial temporary appointment for 2 years.

The vacancy is open for at least 0,80 fte. It has an initial temporary appointment for 2 years. The position profile is the UFO profile Specialist Scientific Information. Your salary amounts to a maximum of € 4.274,- gross per month according to scale 10. On top of this, there is an 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance. The aim is to start in the position on the 1st of October 2019.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 18,000 students and 4,300 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

In August 2016, the strategic program 2017-2021 Community at the CORE was launched. On this basis, the University Library has determined the strategic agenda for the coming years. As a solid partner for the broad UM community in facilitating knowledge development and dissemination, the University Library works on the themes content & access, skills & support, digital scholarship & intelligence and engagement & community. The University Library is one of the initiators of FAIR@UM.

The University Library is responsible for acquiring and making available of the (to a large extent digital) scientific information sources (journals, books, data files, videos), the digital and physical learning environment of the UM, information skills training and e-learning advice, research impact analyses, research data management (RDM) and other research support. The University Library supports several research related information systems. In this field, Open Science and FAIR principles are leading. Working at the University Library is open, collegial and customer-oriented.