Data and Partnerships Associate

About this role

ABOUT ASTERA

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward an abundant future for all. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to dramatically accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive scientific progress. We are searching for visionary leaders who are compelled by the challenge of driving transformative change in the way science is funded, conducted, and communicated. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming here https://astera.org/vision/.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Data and Partnerships Associate to work with new Astera partners and Astera scientists to provide oversight and expertise on the full lifecycle of research data for their scientific programs. In this capacity, you will work with researchers from many different fields of science, maintain high data quality standards, develop scalable data infrastructure, and champion open science and FAIR data principles. In this Washington, DC-based role, you will also help to establish and maintain partnerships with different parts of the federal scientific research ecosystem. The ideal candidate brings expertise in data management, experience working with federal partners, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to responsible, innovative data sharing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

External Partnerships

- Serve as a point of contact for Astera’s partnership https://astera.org/astera-partnering-with-the-national-science-foundation/ with the National Science Foundation’s Programmable Cloud Lab Test Bed Network, and provide expertise and oversight related to the data and open science needs of different nodes

- Consult with Astera’s Partners to understand the context and characteristics of their data, ensuring it is prepared and published to meet the highest standards of quality and reusability for both human researchers and AI systems.

- Work directly with partners to ensure data policies are followed, navigating both routine compliance and utilizing creative problem-solving for inevitable issues that arise, while knowing when to loop in leadership for guidance on particularly complex or sensitive data situations.

- Work to initiate and maintain partnerships with the federal government to help promote and promulgate open science across the federal landscape.

OPEN SCIENCE AND DATA STEWARDSHIP AT ASTERA

- Work closely with a small but growing team of Astera data stewards to create and maintain comprehensive living documentation for data repository interactions, establish best practices for data release timing and methods, metadata tools and standards, and ensure compliance with open science principles and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data standards.

- Provide training and guidance to new partners, and Astera researchers and residents on data management best practices, fostering a culture of early and effective data sharing that maximizes scientific impact.

- Collaborate across the organization, especially with software engineers, to identify and address technical gaps in data infrastructure, ensuring researchers have the tools and support needed to manage their data effectively.

GENERAL DATA AND OPEN SCIENCE RESPONSIBILITIES

- Support the integration of research data with open science knowledge graphs and ensure compatibility with emerging AI and machine learning ecosystems that rely on high-quality scientific data.

- Navigate the balance between Astera's commitment to radically open science and the practical realities of responsible data sharing, developing thoughtful approaches for situations where research sensitivity, privacy requirements, safety considerations, or dual-use risks demand more nuanced data release strategies, and knowing when to escalate particularly challenging cases to leadership while maintaining the organization's open science mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED:

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Science, Library Science, Data Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred.

- 5-7+ years of experience managing data in research organizations, academic institutions, or similar environments with complex data governance requirements.

- Deep understanding of data quality principles, data governance frameworks, and metadata standards, with demonstrated ability to implement these concepts in practice.

- Familiarity with scientific data formats, repositories, and standards.

- Experience with initiating and maintaining partnerships with outside organizations, especially federal government partners.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to translate between technical data requirements and researcher needs.

- Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple data projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards.

- High agency self-starter with the ability to work independently, identify opportunities for process improvement, and drive initiatives forward without constant oversight.

PREFERRED:

- Experience with data from automated instrumentation, especially data associated with cloud labs.

- 1-3+ years of experience working for or with the federal government.

- Experience assessing or developing federal government policy.

- Familiarity with the AI/ML data landscape and understanding of how to structure data for machine learning applications.

- Knowledge of open science initiatives and experience with open data publishing platforms.

- Experience with data integration, knowledge graphs, or semantic web technologies.

- Track record of developing data management policies, procedures, or training

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