Project Leader of the Danish System of Scientific Collections (DaSSCo)

The Natural History Museum of Denmark (NHMD), Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen is leading a new project to digitize Danish natural history collections and is looking for a fixed-term Project Leader to manage the Project Team. The position is available from 1 October 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter and will run for 5 years.
 

ABOUT US

The Natural History Museum of Denmark is the national museum for nature, and contains more than 14 million objects of preserved animals, plants, fossils and minerals. Natural history museums have never been more important for monitoring the impact of climate change and the direct human threat to plant and animal life.

DaSSCo, Danish System of Scientific Collections is a five-year project financed by the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science. The Natural History Museum of Denmark is leading the project that also involves a series of other Danish institutions, e.g. the Herbarium (the Science Museums, Aarhus University), the Natural History Museum in Aarhus and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The aim of DaSSCo is to digitise the approximately 19 million natural history objects stored at the combined collections. Through digitisation of our collections, we will make information presently only accessible on site in natural history collections, available to everyone around the world, for researchers, educators, conservation programmes, nature management, businesses, the general public, and many others. Given the size of the collections, the task cannot be finished in five years and the project is expected to run for longer. The data produced by DaSSCo will be integrated in the Pan-European DiSSCo initiative (https://www.dissco.eu/) of which the Natural History Museum of Denmark is a founding member. DiSSCo involves 120 institutions in 21 countries, ultimately giving the public access to 1,500,000,000 records.

The Natural History Museum of Denmark offers a friendly and thriving international research and work environment. Copenhagen is one of the top-ten livable cities in the world, famous for its cultural life, green spaces, food, and sustainable ambitions (https://www.visitcopenhagen.com). Life for families is easy due to governmentally supported daycare and health care, dual career opportunities, maternity/parental leave and six weeks of annual vacation. International candidates may find information on living and working in Denmark at www.workindenmark.dk. Useful information is also available at The International Staff Mobility office (ISM) at the University of Copenhagen (https://ism.ku.dk). ISM offers a variety of services to international researchers coming to and working at the University of Copenhagen.
 

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Overall responsibility for the daily administration of the DaSSCo Project including designing a process for the mapping of digitisation projects across the involved institutions
   
• Day-to-day management of the DaSSCo Project Group, consisting of a Data Team Leader, a Technical Team leader and the 3 project managers from the 3 external institutions
   
• Coordinate the projects across the involved institutions (in collaboration with other members of the Project Group)
   
• Responsibility for the contact with and reporting to the Ministry of Higher Education and Science
   
• Management of digitisation programs to ensure effective delivery of a coordinated and balanced project on time, quality and budget
   
• Define the mass digitisation program plan and objectives, milestones, targets, scope, products and deliverables and ensure timely reporting against these within an effective governance framework
   
• Help with fundraising for widening the digitisation effort
   
• Clear communication about the digitisation project within the museum, outside stakeholders and the public (including events, public media etc.)
   
• Represent the DaSSCo project in relevant external programs, at both national and international level
   
• Managing workflows (for example, objects – collection managers – curators – digitisers – open access)
   
• Monitor deadlines and budgets

The project leader reports to the Section Head of a new digitisation section, which is part of the Research and Collections division (https://snm.ku.dk/english/organization/). The Research and Collections division consists of four research sections, a collection management section, a Botanical Garden and the new digitisation section. You will interact with colleagues across the museum, including curators, collection managers, public engagement and administrative staff.

 

ABOUT YOU

As a person, you have positive mindset, are open towards changes and understand that collaboration is a key to success. Your work capacity is high and you are able to balance strategic development with day-to-day business that requires hands-on action and delivery on time and to budget.
 

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

• Proven Project Leadership expertise through experience with project management preferably from museum environments or archives, or other relevant fields, not necessarily limited to natural history.
   
• Recognized program management accreditation and/or equivalent experience
   
• Documented experience of successfully managing complex projects and teams
   
• Documented experience of efficiently managing diverse stakeholders needs within a collaborative setting
   
• Ability to meet deadlines and to (re-)schedules with short timescales

 

TERMS OF SALARY AND EMPLOYMENT

The employment and salary is in accordance with the Circular on the Collective Agreement concerning academics in the state sector concluded between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

Employment will be as special consultant. The basic salary is DKK 41.747 per month + pension. Depending on the qualifications of the candidate negotiation for a salary supplement is possible. The working time is 37 hours per week on average.

 

HOW TO APPLY

The application must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW.
 

Please include: 

• Cover Letter, stating your motivation and background for applying
• CV 
• Diploma and transcripts of records

 
Deadline for applications is 16 September 2021, 23:59 GMT +2.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS

Any questions about the position may be directed to Kim Steenstrup Pedersen (kimstp@di.ku.dk) or Nikolaj Scharff (nscharff@snm.ku.dk).

The university wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.