Background 

MIT Libraries Center for Research on Equitable and Open Scholarship (CREOS) and Incentivizing Collaborative and Open Research (ICOR) are preparing to launch a program that will support Fellows and Leaders in the emerging fields of Open and Equitable Scholarship, with a goal to provide funding to conduct analyses on the many implementations of open scholarship already underway and design strategies for future studies.

The purpose of the Fellows and Leaders in Open and Equitable Scholarship (FLOES) is to establish a mechanism to engage a diverse set of scholars in the pursuit of answers to current and future questions on how to build an open and equitable world of research. 

MIT and ICOR have received an initial grant to develop the plan for FLOES. We are seeking a part time research and development associate to take the lead on building an environmental scan of work in open and equitable research and conduct community and stakeholder engagement. The grant period is for one year starting on September 1st 2023, but we will be seeking further funding for ongoing work and full time positions to make the FLOES program operational. 

Project Work

1. Partnering with the co-PI, conduct an Environmental Scan of Opportunities for FLOES research: This scan of existing publications, research, programs, and projects will identify opportunities for embedded interventions into open-science initiatives and characterize associated barriers. The scan should be global and not just focus on North America.
2. Gather intelligence from the broader community through stakeholder engagement: Conduct a listening tour by developing relevant research questions and conducting one-on-one interviews with diverse stakeholders to identify a programmatic approach to measuring equity and participation in open science initiatives.
3. Assist in developing the Fellowship Program strategy: Through a review of relevant existing fellowship programs, we will develop a structure and strategy for the FLOES fellowship program based on best practices; with a particular focus on strategies for attracting and supporting a diverse and global cohort of fellows.
4. Assist in developing guidance and practices for reporting on studies of equitable open scholarship to build a cumulative knowledge and support a community of practice: These practices will build on existing standardized reporting practices and inform the design of future research by FLOES and the meta-research community.
5. The successful applicant for this position will work under the guidance of the project team and partner successfully with the team as collaborators.

Required Qualifications 

1. General understanding of open scholarship policies, practices, and measures of impact
2. Prior experience working in or towards diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations in or related to academia or research
3. Ability to work on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research projects. 
4. Proven success in working in a dynamic and team environment.
5. Clear and effective written and verbal communication, including presentation skills; preparation, creation and presentation of the published work.
6. Excellent writing, speaking, and listening skills
7. Undergraduate degree plus a minimum 3 years of experience working in a collaborative research and writing project or equivalent are required

Preferred Qualifications

1. Some qualitative and quantitative research expertise
2. Advanced degree in science or social science or equivalent preferred but not required
3. Knowledge of research project administration or support
4. Ability to travel to at least one in-person meeting at MIT preferred but not required

We expect the candidate to be stronger in some qualifications listed above than others; we are committed to helping our future colleague expand their skills, as well as learning from their areas of strength.

Salary 

$30,000-$50,000 USD for approximately 50% FTE. This is a contract, non-benefited position. Salary will be based on experience and can be negotiated.

Hiring Process

ICOR is collecting expressions of interest with a resume or CV at [email protected] Application period will end on October 25th 2023, with the goal of filling the position by November 15th. 

The project is designed to achieve direct broader impact through engaging a diverse set of scholars. As such, MIT and ICOR will follow best practices to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process to fill this role.  

Team Information

This role will report to Kristen Ratan, CoFounder of ICOR and work with the MIT Libraries team. 

The MIT Libraries launched CREOS in late 2018 in response to a need for credible research to inform efforts for a more equitable and open scholarly ecosystem — a complex set of institutions, actors, and infrastructures that contribute to the creation, distribution, and use of scholarship, including universities, publishers, libraries, scholarly societies, funders, and technologies. 

ICOR was started in 2020 by Kristen Ratan (Strategies for Open Science) and Sarah Greene (Rapid Science) to identify policies, tools and practices that, when implemented in concert, will challenge the status quo of closed research by (1) producing evidence of the benefits of open and collaborative research with real-world implementations, (2) addressing issues of non-reproducibility and paucity of innovation, and (3) de-emphasizing high-impact publication as the primary means of career advancement.

Feature image by Dan Nelson on Unsplash