Postdoctoral Scholar - Data Services for Indigenous Scholarship and Sovereignty
Application Deadline: N/A
The University of Washington Information School invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar position with the Data Services for Indigenous Scholarship and Sovereignty (DSISS) initiative. DSISS is supporting responsible stewardship of Indigenous research data in libraries and repositories. The DSISS team of information science researchers, Indigenous scholars, and data repository professionals works collaboratively to develop guidance for application of the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance in practice.
Launched in 2021 with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, DSISS began a new phase of translational work in 2025 to advance practical and technical solutions for integrating CARE into professional practice and infrastructure, with a focus on enriched metadata and documentation, controls for sensitive data, and building trust between institutions and Indigenous communities. The post-doctoral scholar will join the team in developing a collaborative curation approach that centers Indigenous research methods and data sovereignty and a repository testbed grounded in the values and priorities of scholars of Indigenous culture and language and Indigenous communities. They will also contribute to a new line of inquiry exploring how CARE can be applied to enhance stewardship of established Indigenous digital collections in libraries and archives.
The position is a 12-month appointment with a start date no later than January 15, 2027. The post-doctoral scholar will be affiliated with the Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA) at the UW Information School. We seek applicants who bring a research agenda aligned with DSISS and are interested in pursuing their own line of research in tandem with collaborative DSISS research and engagement.
Qualifications
PhD awarded by the start date in a relevant field, such as library and information science, information studies, Indigenous studies, science and technology studies, or related disciplines
Strong qualitative research skills
Ability to work in a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary, and engaged research environment with diverse team members and partners
Excellent communication skills
Understanding of Indigenous data sovereignty
Understanding of professional data stewardship in libraries, archives, and/or repositories
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with case study and content analysis methods
Experience working or engaging with Indigenous communities
Experience in research data services, data curation, data archiving
Scholarly publication record commensurate with PhD field norms
Academic or professional background in one or more related areas, including data ethics, Indigenous research methods, Indigenous data sovereignty, metadata for research data, research cyberinfrastructure
The ability and willingness to work on site at UW Seattle as needed is strongly preferred. A partially remote work arrangement may be possible.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested candidates can contact Carole Palmer (clpalmer@uw.edu) or Sandy Littletree (sandy505@uw.edu) with questions.
Comments