Postdoctoral Research Associate I

The Udall Center for Public Policy at the University of Arizona is in search of a Postdoctoral Research Associate. The Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) movement focuses on the protection of Indigenous rights and interests in the control and governance of Indigenous data. Because Indigenous Peoples' data are largely held by non-Indigenous entities across fields and sectors, targeted mechanisms and tools are needed to reveal inherent biases in data collection, storage, and circulation, and intervene with solutions to advance science in service to communities. The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance (IDGov) are a vital tool for asserting sovereignty at multiple scales, from community-led to external funders for data actors engaging with Indigenous data.

The postdoc will join the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance (Collaboratory), co-leading and contributing to projects and publications related to IDSov and IDGov with a diverse international network. The Collaboratory seeks to foster responsible and respectful knowledge exchange, training, and connections globally for researchers who collect, use, and store Indigenous data. The postdoctoral researcher will also join the team for a new National Science Foundation funded Network-of-Networks (NoN), a collaboration of Indigenous and allied scholars, community leaders, and practitioners spanning IDSov, law, policy, information management, data governance, genome sciences, and the environment. The postdoc will collaborate with experts from University of Arizona, New York University, and University of California Los Angeles, and in partnership with the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA) and eleven other IDSov/IDGov related networks to co-create and conduct trainings, resources, and processes for IDGov that are attentive to critical questions informing mainstream research data norms and practices.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Position Highlights:

This position is with the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance, a research network that develops research, policy, and practice innovations for Indigenous Data Sovereignty. The Collaboratory's research, teaching, and engagement seek to transform institutional governance and ethics for Indigenous control of Indigenous data, particularly within open science, open data, and big data contexts. Administered out of the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and its Native Nations Institute (NNI) and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, this position with the Collaboratory is located within the Udall Center and NNI.

Specific tasks may include:

• Co-lead virtual workshops to develop IDGov guidelines with publishers, university administrations, data repositories, and funding entities.
• Contribute to development of content for the open access, global Indigenous DataSET (Sovereignty and Ethics Training) Hub.
• Design teaching curriculum on IDSov, IDGov, Artificial Intelligence, and more.
• Participate in weekly meetings with Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance.
• Host project calls with working groups and collaborators.
• Maintain and extend relationships with colleagues, communities, and networks.
• Manage project evaluations and assessments.
• Develop data infrastructure or tools for the governance of data
• Contribute to the development of IDGov guidelines for diverse data actors and institutions.
• Participate in UArizona Postdoctoral Affairs for training on: how to apply for a faculty position, career paths outside of academia, tips for negotiating salary and start-up funds, and how to plan an independent research agenda.
• Attend regular training events in grantsmanship offered by the UArizona Research Development Office.
• Draft reports and updates for the Udall Center, UArizona, and the National Science Foundation updates, progress, and outputs.
• Prepare manuscripts and policy briefs.
• Present project process and outcomes at professional conferences.
• Develop a professional development plan and meet regularly with mentors.
• Additional duties may be assigned.

Knowledge, skills & abilities:

• Knowledge and understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively,
• Ability to adapt to rapidly shifting priorities and manage research projects from start to publication.
• Excellent written, communication, and interpersonal skills for peer-reviewed publications and for interactions with other researchers and the public.
• Understanding of Native American histories, cultures, and Indigenous data sovereignty.
• Understanding of data cycles and repositories.

• Candidates must hold an M.D., J.D., Ph.D., or a doctoral degree relevant to the candidate's field, e.g., in anthropology, sociology, STS, history, law, religion, philosophy, human genetics, biology, public health, or a related field in the biological, social, or human sciences by the time of hire.
• Candidates should demonstrate potential for or evidence of scholarly impact through publications, excellence in teaching, public speaking, and ability to obtain external funding, consistent with career stage.

• 3+ years related work experience
• Experience working in a virtual team environment
• Background in fields such as: medicine, public health, law, genomics, earth sciences, data science, and/or the social sciences
• Experience with Indigenous Data Sovereignty, the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, and Local Contexts
• Experience working with a diverse group of institutions such as Indigenous Peoples/Tribal Nations, universities, data repositories, and other governments
• Robust experience with data systems, ethics standards, policy, and governance structures.