What are the responsibilities and job description for the Collections Database Administrator position at Newfields?
Opportunity Title: Collections Database Administrator
Salary or Hourly: Temporary Salary
Salary Range: $45,000-$55,000/yearly
Reporting to the Director of Registration, the Collections Database Administrator serves an integral role in maintaining KE-EMu, the museum's collection management database, and providing user support for staff across the museum. Further, the Collections Database Administrator serves as the lead liaison with multiple stakeholders, including Curatorial, Conservation, Registration, Collection Support, Design, Interpretation, Rights and Reproductions, Newfields staff, advocating for the establishment of workflows that will improve both access to and the quality of data, e.g. completeness, accuracy, inclusivity, etc., and underscore KE-EMu as the central repository for the most current information.
Working with the rest of the Registration department, the Collections Database Administrator is the point person on database functionality, standards, and protocols; as well as assisting with coordinating logistics of larger KE-EMu-related projects such as database upgrades, collection inventories, and interdepartmental workflows. They are also the primary contact with the Newfields Lab and IT staff for intersystem projects involving KE-EMu.
Responsibilities include administering and troubleshooting day-to-day KE-EMu functionality. Maintaining user accounts, security groups, data hierarchies and standards. Oversees auditing of the database. Writes/updates training materials and implements best practices. Creates and modifies Crystal Reports, XSLT Reports, and custom data views. Provides support in planning and executing upgrades, plugins, data cleanup and data migration projects. Writes in-depth analytical reports on collection data for research and interdepartmental projects. Provides advanced database training and guidance for KE-EMu power users as well as general user support. Supports the integration and transfer of data between KE-EMu and Newfields Collections Online platform. Participates in the planning of collection-related projects throughout the Museum, including creating workflow, designing custom views/fields, and writing reports. Performs other duties or special projects as assigned.
Primary Responsibilities
• Support and maintain the KE-EMu collections database
• Work with IT and Newfields Lab to support and maintain the Museum’s online collections database and to ensure database integrity
• Maintain database integrity and function, working with vendors when necessary to troubleshoot database problems and perform upgrades
• Maintain and update in-house KE-EMu standards documentation and users’ manual
• Configure fields and user permissions
• Create new user accounts and helping to train and support database users
• Use Crystal Reports to modify existing reports and develop new reports
• Work with Collections staff to maintain data quality
• Assist with migration of information to/between KE-EMu and Piction (such as Digital Asset Management and Document Management)
• Learn new Axiell products and keep up with emerging technology
• Research, propose and lead implementation and transfer to next generation database(s)
Other duties may be assigned. To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required Skills
• Must have experience working in a museum setting and knowledge of museum operations, policies, and standards.
• Must be an excellent team member and possess great communication skills,
• Have customer service experience and be able to work independently and with a variety of people with different skill sets and from different disciplines.
• Must be self-motivated, open-minded, and a fast learner.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks and work under stress while providing quality work and meeting deadlines.
Educations and/or Experience
• Hold an Associate’s degree (Bachelor’s degree preferred) in Computer Science, Information Systems, or Management of Information Systems (with a focus on database administration or database systems preferred), Museum Studies, and/or a related field in combination with 3-4 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working with KE-EMu and Crystal Reports is strongly preferred. Proven ability in managing other major museum collections management systems and report writing skills may also be considered.
• Working knowledge of data architectures, metadata standards, imaging, digital asset management, and computer hardware and software is required.
• Experience providing user support and training in a team environment is required.
• Knowledge of published vocabularies, standards, and linked data tools such as the AAT (Art & Architecture Thesaurus), TGN (Thesaurus of Geographic Names), ULAN (Union List of Artist Names), LCNAF (Library of Congress Name Authority File), and Wikidata Experience with digital asset management, project management, and agile methodology is preferred.
Physical Demands of Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of that that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this hob, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/ or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color, vision peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the position. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Salary : $45,000 - $55,000
