Coordinator, Species Pages Group, Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) The EOL, headquartered at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, is an unprecedented global initiative to develop an online reference source and database for all known plant, animal and microorganismal species. It is a collaborative effort headed by a steering committee of senior officers in academia, museums, libraries and foundations.
The Species Pages Group is at the heart of the project. The coordinator will assist its director in conferring with scientific societies, individual taxonomists, and other international projects to identify and implement strategies for preparing species pages and authenticating the information on them. The coordinator will also work with our Biodiversity Synthesis Center, Informatics, Education and Outreach, and Scanning and Digitization groups as they improve technology and foster use of EOL by diverse audiences. The successful applicant should have a Masters or PhD in a biological science relevant to biological diversity. The position requires excellent interpersonal skills and experience speaking at meetings. A good understanding of biodiversity informatics is required, and the individual must be fluent in written and spoken English, with working knowledge of another language a plus. The Species Pages Coordinator will be based at, and employed by, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. This is a one-year temporary position, with the distinct possibility of subsequent extensions. The position is supported by grant funding and is eligible for the Smithsonian's trust benefit program. For more information on EOL please go to www.eol.org. Questions about the EOL and the position can be addressed to Cynthia Sims Parr, Director of the EOL Species Pages Group, at [email protected]. To Apply: You are required to apply online. You will need to create an account and build a resume on www.usajobs.gov unless you have established these previously. You will also be asked to respond to assessment questions online. Please go to http://www.sihr.si.edu/ and see HOW TO APPLY. This position is announcement # 09A-MR-294781-TRF-NMNH. Closing date for this position is January 9, 2009. The Smithsonian is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications are encouraged from both US and non-US citizens.
