Research project

3D scholarship has reached a tipping point. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic research team and collaborate with diverse stakeholders in the Netherlands and beyond to develop the first ever infrastructure for 3D scholarship.

Three-dimensional modelling and reconstructions have been used in the last thirty years across many fields in the humanities and social sciences, however, we still lack the necessary infrastructure to support this form of knowledge production. PURE3D will fill this gap through four key deliverables: 1) the development of an access infrastructure for viewing interactive 3D models (from single objects to virtual worlds) within the context of a scholarly publication format (3D Scholarly Editions); 2) a preservation repository to deposit raw files, which, due to their size, format, lack of standards etc., are typically inaccessible to researchers beyond the original creators; 3) a conceptual and methodological framework for valorising and evaluating 3D scholarship; and, 4) a centre of excellence for researchers embarking on 3D scholarship. The infrastructure will address the challenges of long-term preservation and access by archiving models and making the associated data FAIR (in collaboration with DANS) and by developing the infrastructure based on the existing CLARIAH infrastructure. Six pilot projects will be used as test beds:

●   Vlooienburg Jewish neighbourhood, Amsterdam (4D research Lab/UvA)

●   Rembrandt’s Birthplace, Leiden (Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken)

●   Maastricht 1748 (Gemeente Maastricht)

●   Battle of Mount Street Bridge, Ireland (UM)

●   Collection of mining lamps (Nederlands Mijnmuseum)

●   Collection of modern art (Museum van Bommel van Dam)

To read more about the project visit: https://pure3d.eu/

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic research team and collaborate with diverse stakeholders in the Netherlands and beyond to develop a Virtual Research Environment (an infrastructure) for 3D scholarship. You will be working together with the UM Staff (PIs, research software engineer, research assistant) and the project partners to lead the technical development of the 3D infrastructure. You will work in consultation with CLARIAH and DANS as a team to design, develop, and deploy the portal that will provide access to interactive 3D scholarship, ensuring that shared project goals are met and that building blocks developed interoperate with existing infrastructures and standards. For this reason, you may also spend time with the CLARIAH team and will receive from them the necessary support and supervision. For this, it is also expected that you may need to travel to and stay in Amsterdam for the time they will be working with CLARIAH.

You are expected to define, together with other stakeholders and the project team, requirements, specifications, and standards for the 3D infrastructure; design, develop, and implement prototypes of the infrastructure, lead its implementation and rigorous testing, and validate its various elements based on user requirements and the pilot projects. The work of the rest of the team (wireframes, mock-ups, user requirements etc.) will also feed into the technical development of the infrastructure. You will also have the opportunity to get involved in conference presentations, authoring research papers etc.

You will have:

Essential:

• An MA/PhD degree in computer science, information science, and/or relevant experience;

• Good analytical and communication skills;

• You are a team player;

• Experience with defining software specifications by utilising user feedback and the state-of-the-art;

• Experience with both creating greenfield systems and maintaining legacy systems;

• Full stack experience: i.e.

  ○ Docker and Kubernetes;

  ○ Languages such as Java, JavaScript, PHP, HTML, CSS;

  ○ Git, Bash;

• Good debugging skills;

• Familiarity with handling metadata schemas (eg. Dublin Core)

•  An interest in working with standardization groups in achieving interoperability across information systems;

• Prior experience with 3D modelling software (e.g. Blender) and 3D web engines (e.g. Three.js, Babylon.js, etc.), or a willingness to learn the basics of 3D modelling;

• Excellent organizational skills, plus an open and effective working style;

Excellent written and spoken command of English (Cambridge English Proficiency, level C2, oral and written), as preferably demonstrated by academic publications and presentations at national/international conferences;

Recommendation:

• Experience of doing research that addresses the theoretical and methodological challenges of 3D scholarship;

• Experience with semantic web technologies (e.g. LDP, RDF, SPARQL, SKOS)

• Experience with archival systems and related standards (e.g. FAIR data principles, OAI-PMH, SWORD);

• Experience in working with a diverse and inter/multi - disciplinary teams and stakeholders from different fields;

• Skills and experience in User Interface design;

• Experience with social science and/or humanities data is a plus.

Fixed-term contract: 28 months.

We offer a dynamic and challenging job in an internationally-oriented organisation where young people receive an advanced education and scholars conduct exciting research. You will have the unique opportunity to carry out research within one or more of the four themes within the Arts, Media & Culture research programme. You will be part of an international network of top universities and renowned scholars within the field.

We offer a 1.0fte appointment as research software engineer / postdoctoral researcher for 28 months. The first year will be a probation period, after a positive assessment the position will be extended for the remaining 16 months.

Remuneration will be according to standard salary levels (UFO-profile researcher 4 / researcher 3), depending on education and relevant work experience. This implies a minimum of € 2.790,-- and a maximum of about € 4.402,-- gross per month for a full-time appointment of 38 hours per week (salary scale 10/11, Dutch Universities Conditions of Employment).

Each year the standard salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

You have to be willing to move to (the vicinity of) Maastricht. If you do not already live in Maastricht (or its direct surroundings) you will be eligible for an allowance for moving costs. If you do not already live in Maastricht (or its direct surroundings) you might be eligible for an allowance for alternative housing. Please note that FASoS will in principle respond positively to a motivated request for exemption from the obligation to move, albeit under certain conditions.

Other secondary conditions include e.g. a pension scheme and partially paid parental leave.

You will be provided with shared office space and a PC.

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.

Starting date: 1 September 2021

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 20,000 students and 4,700 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.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) has about 250 staff members, and about 1,730 students. More than 77% of the students are non-Dutch (65 different nationalities). All programmes are offered in English and some are also offered in Dutch. FASoS offers four 3-year bachelor’s programmes: Arts and Culture, European Studies, Digital Society and Global Studies. It also offers eight different 1-year Master’s programmes and two 2-year research master’s programmes.

Research is organised around four programmes: Politics and Culture in Europe; Science, Technology and Society Studies; Arts, Media and Culture; and Globalisation, Transnationalism and Development. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is housed in the historic city centre of Maastricht.