Job Description

Purpose of the call: Applications are invited for a Research Support Specialist Technician position on a contract linked to the duration of the project "Literary reading, public libraries, youth, and inclusive democracies (OPENLIB)", pursuant to the Fifth Additional Provision of Royal Decree-Law 32/2021, of December 28th, on urgent measures for labor reform, guaranteeing employment stability, and transforming the labor market.

Project or research line: Project "Literary reading, public libraries, youth, and inclusive democracies” (OPENLIB), funded by the European Research Council (ERC) (Grant Agreement / Reference No. 101231953).

Job duties and responsibilities: OPENLIB is led by Dr. Macarena García-González at the Department of Communication of Universitat Pompeu Fabra. The project examines the hypothesis that literary reading can foster more inclusive democracies, focusing on the changing relationships between young people, cultural materials and public libraries. The project combines perspectives from children's literature, media, childhood and library studies, and is organized around four interconnected work packages across four European cities.

The position is co-supervised by Paul Gooding, Professor of Library Studies and Digital Scholarship at the University of Glasgow, and includes a 6-month research stay at the University of Glasgow. The selected candidate will have access to training in digital humanities methods and other research approaches at both institutions.

Specifically, the tasks associated with this position are:

• Clean, structure, and document datasets on the most borrowed and requested materials by children across the participating library networks.
• Compile and enrich metadata on books, authors, library cataloging practices, and borrowing patterns.
• Support the collection and preparation of complementary social media data linked to the most borrowed materials.
• Produce reusable datasets aligned with the project’s open science strategy.
• Develop visualizations and analytical materials showing patterns of popularity, circulation, and comparisons across cities and time periods.
• Support the preparation of outputs and materials, including seminars, presentations, and publications.
• Support the organization of focus groups with children in the four cities and assist in preparing, organizing, and systematizing the gathered materials.
• Work collaboratively with the research team at UPF and the University of Glasgow, as well as with international collaborators in the field of children's literature research.

Category: Research Support Specialist Technician (Group 3 + Level U)

Working hours: 35 hours per week

Contract remuneration: 29,979.98€ gross per year

Aproximate duration: The contract has an estimated end date of July 31st, 2029, given the planned completion of the tasks that are the object of this contract. This date is determined by the project schedule phases. The expected start date is January 1st, 2027.

Qualifications

Candidate Requirements:

• High school/FP2.
• English language skills (C1-CEFR, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).
• Hold Spanish nationality or be a national of a Member State of the European Union. In the case of non-EU nationals, the signing of the contract will be subject to obtaining a work permit in accordance with Organic Law 4/2000, of January 11st, on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain and their social integration, and applicable regulatory provisions.
• Possess the functional capacity required to perform the duties that are the object of the contract.
• Not to have been dismissed from the service of any public administration by means of a disciplinary procedure, nor to be disqualified by a final judgment from holding public office. In the case of nationals of another State, not to be disqualified or in an equivalent situation, nor to have been subjected to a disciplinary sanction or equivalent that prevents access to public employment under the same terms in their State.

Requirements must be met on the closing date for the submission of applications and must continue to be met through the date of contract signing. All requirements must be reliably proven upon request at any point in the selection process.

Application Instructions

Applications: Interested candidates must submit the following documentation via the Interfolio platform, using the link that will be published on the Universitat Pompeu Fabra website once the call is officially released:

1) Complete Curriculum Vitae (“CV_Surname, Name.pdf”)

2) Cover letter / Letter of motivation (“Letter_Surname, Name.pdf”)

3) Two letters of recommendation (“RefLetter1_Surname, Name.pdf”, “RefLetter2_Surname, Name.pdf”)

4) Copy of DNI/NIE/Passport ("DNI/NIE/Passport_Surname, Name.pdf")

5) Copy of High school diploma/FP2 degree or higher qualification ("Qualification_Surname, Name.pdf")

6) Copy of English language certificate (C1-CEFR) (“English_Surname, Name.pdf”)

Selection criteria: Candidate selection will be carried out through curriculum evaluation and, if applicable, a practical test and/or interview. The evaluation grid is as follows:

• Academic Background: 0–30 points.
• Professional Experience / Suitability for the proposed profile: 0–60 points.
• Other merits: 0–10 points.

Particular consideration will be given to:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as Digital Humanities, Information Science, Library and Information Science, Media and Communication, Cultural Studies, Sociology, Data Studies, Literary Studies, or a related field. Applicants who are in the final stage of their Master’s degree at the time of application may also apply, provided it is completed by the start date.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work meticulously with complex datasets and research materials.
• Demonstrated ability to use digital tools for data cleaning, documentation, and analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel.
• Participation in research projects.
• Experience in the field of children’s reading, public libraries, cultural participation, or social media cultures.
• Experience in Digital Humanities research, working with metadata, or creating datasets.
• Familiarity with data visualization and the preparation of reusable datasets.
• Experience supporting qualitative research activities, such as focus groups or interview-based projects.
• Experience with library management/cataloging systems such as Aleph or Symphony.
• Experience in qualitative research involving children, such as focus groups or interviews.
• Knowledge of another language relevant to the field-work contexts (such as Polish, German, or Danish) will be considered an asset.

The selection process will consist of evaluating the documentation submitted by candidates based on the aforementioned selection criteria, with the possibility, where appropriate, of conducting an interview.

Application deadline: The deadline for submitting applications is 15 calendar days starting the day after the publication of this call on the Department of Communication website (https://www.upf.edu/web/comunicacio/convocatoria).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

UPF promotes a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation.