Astera Institute · 1 month ago
Open Science Data Steward
Emeryville HQ
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$100K/yr - $140K/yr
3+ years expAstera is a private foundation focused on advancing science and technology for a better future. They are looking for an Open Science Data Steward to manage the lifecycle of research data, ensuring high data quality and compliance with open science principles while collaborating with researchers and developing scalable data solutions.
Business DevelopmentFinanceFinancial Services
Responsibilities
Partner with researchers across Astera Radial Science to understand the context and characteristics of their data, ensuring it is prepared and published to meet the highest standards of quality and reusability for both human researchers and AI systems
Serve as the organization’s data steward, overseeing the complete lifecycle of research data from creation through publication and archival, ensuring data integrity and accessibility throughout
Create and maintain comprehensive living documentation for data repository interactions, establish best practices for data release timing and methods, metadata tools and standards, and ensure compliance with open science principles and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data standards
Proactively identify patterns and emerging challenges in data management across research teams, collaborating with leadership to develop scalable solutions and infrastructure improvements that benefit the entire organization
Support the integration of research data with open science knowledge graphs and ensure compatibility with emerging AI and machine learning ecosystems that rely on high-quality scientific data
Provide training and guidance to new researchers and residents on data management best practices, fostering a culture of early and effective data sharing that maximizes scientific impact
Collaborate across the organization, especially with software engineers, to identify and address technical gaps in data infrastructure, ensuring researchers have the tools and support needed to manage their data effectively
Work directly with researchers and residents to ensure data policies are followed, being present on-site to navigate both routine compliance and the inevitable edge cases that require creative problem-solving, while knowing when to loop in leadership for guidance on particularly complex or sensitive data situations
Navigate the balance between Astera's commitment to radically open science and the practical realities of responsible data sharing, developing thoughtful approaches for situations where research sensitivity, privacy requirements, safety considerations, or dual-use risks demand more nuanced data release strategies, and knowing when to escalate particularly challenging cases to leadership while maintaining the organization's open science mission
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Science, Library Science, Data Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred
3-5+ years of experience managing data in research organizations, academic institutions, or similar environments with complex data governance requirements
Deep understanding of data quality principles, data governance frameworks, and metadata standards, with demonstrated ability to implement these concepts in practice
Familiarity with scientific data formats, repositories, and standards
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to translate between technical data requirements and researcher needs
Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple data projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards
High agency self-starter with the ability to work independently, identify opportunities for process improvement, and drive initiatives forward without constant oversight
Preferred
Experience with life sciences data (genomics, imaging, crystallography, or related fields) and understanding of domain-specific data challenges
Familiarity with the AI/ML data landscape and understanding of how to structure data for machine learning applications
Knowledge of open science initiatives and experience with open data publishing platforms
Experience with data integration, knowledge graphs, or semantic web technologies
Track record of developing data management policies, procedures, or training materials
Company
Astera Institute
Astera Institute is a non-profit that supports science and technology projects.
11-50 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Astera Institute has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
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2025 (9)
2024 (1)
2023 (1)
2022 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Jed McCaleb
Founder
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