As many sciences move to be more data-intensive, some science librarians are offering more research data services and perform research data management roles. Job analyses provide insight and context to the tasks employees actually do versus what their job descriptions depict or employers assume. Two separate job analyses studies investigated the roles and responsibilities of data services librarians and research integrity officers among the top 10 private and top 10 public higher education institutions. The focus of these interviews was research data management support roles. Comparing these two groups’ responses indicates that the role-based responsibilities for research data services are not always clear within institutions and are predominantly placed on individual researchers or research teams, but science librarians may provide some solutions to address this gap. This paper presents a model for the potential roles of science librarians in research data management.

This study’s purpose is to capture the skills of Earth science data managers and librarians through interviews with current job holders. Job analysis interviews were conducted of fourteen participants –six librarians and eight data managers—to assess the types and frequencies of job tasks. Participants identified tasks related to communication, including collaboration, teaching, and project management activities. Data specific tasks included data discovery, processing, and curation, which require an understanding of the data, technology, and information infrastructures to support data use, re-use, and preservation. Most respondents had formal science education and six had a master’s degree in Library and Information Sciences. Most of the knowledge, skills, and abilities for these workers were acquired through on-the-job experience, but future professionals in these careers may benefit from tailored education informed through job analyses.

The expansion of research data availability and production has highlighted the need for proper training in data stewardship. Recent years have seen both incentivized and mandated research data management plans enacted by institutions and funding agencies as a way of supporting more open and integrated data-intensive research. Despite the advancement of data management as a practice and profession, those charged with maintaining and curating research data remain understudied. By investigating what and how data management is realized and who is involved, a discussion on the current educational needs, the trajectory of professions, and an assessment of potential educational needs of those entering the workforce can progress. A job analysis survey was developed to validate the tasks identified from two prior interview studies of Earth Science data managers. This survey was distributed to the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners membership and responses validate prior job analyses work as well as provide other educational consideration related to tools and necessary skills to conduct frequent job tasks. The most frequent activities and necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities of current data managers will inform future avenues of inquiry, provide context for current research, and direct research data management education.