The BioFAIR project is establishing a Research and Technical Advisory Group (RTAG).
RTAG will play a key role in supporting the delivery of BioFAIR’s mission to assemble and operate a federated world-class digital research infrastructure for the UK life sciences research community.
Closing date
- 10th January 2025, 23:59 GMT
Number of positions
- Maximum number of 10
Length of term
- Initial appointments will be for one year, renewable for an additional two years. A further term of three years would be considered based on mutual agreement. All appointments and renewals will be subject to approval by the BioFAIR Project Board.
Remuneration
- Travel and subsistence for in-person meetings
Time commitment
- 3-4 meetings per year, which might include one in-person meeting. Including preparation this is likely to be a commitment of approximately 4 days per year.
Interview date
- No interviews required. Selection will be through an expression of interest application form.
Outcomes communicated
- No later than the 31st January 2025.
The objectives of the BioFAIR project are
Culture change: To drive adoption of FAIR principles and open data across the UK life sciences to provide high quality FAIR datasets ready for uptake and reuse.
Defragmentation: To increase the coordination, collaboration and cohesiveness of the UK’s life science related data landscape, enhancing its effectiveness and efficiency.
Access: To enable democratised access to data and data methods within UK life sciences via a national capability.
Skills: To attract, develop and retain excellent research data management skills and capacity for UK life sciences.
Data reuse: To improve the efficiency of research and enabling new research by increased re-use of data in the life sciences.
The group will provide expert input and advice that will:
- help to shape and develop our strategy, policies and ideas
- provide assurance, monitoring and benchmarking on our architectural and delivery decisions
- ensure that our strategy and delivery are supported by expert knowledge and insight from members with broad experience across the community
As a member of the RTAG, you will play a key role in delivering our mission by:
- providing independent strategic, scientific and technical advice to the Director and the Delivery Team, and when requested to the Project Board
- supporting the project to meet its requirements to serve research communities across the life sciences.
- providing assurance to the Director that the project represents best technical practice and is meeting technical requirements across of research communities across the life sciences.
- providing independent advice and feedback to the Director and Delivery team on monitoring and evaluation activities.
- to be active in representing BioFAIR aims and activity in community and stakeholder engagement, to include external community guidance and messages in the advice provided to the Project Board.
- supporting horizon scanning of both project and external landscape; providing active recommendations to Delivery Team to ensure the engagement, access and membership of the advisory board maintains optimal coverage of prospective stakeholders
We encourage you to apply if you have expertise in any of the following areas:
- life sciences research
- data stewardship
- development and/or operations of digital research infrastructure or research computing services, especially involving federated approaches
- delivery of tools and services to support research data management
- delivery of complementary projects in other disciplines or internationally
- researcher and research technical professional development
We will be seeking to ensure a diversity of membership including:
- coverage across the UK
- a range of disciplinary perspectives
- members from both within and beyond academia
- members from complementary international initiatives
We would like to encourage research technical professionals and early career researchers to consider applying for these roles. We would also encourage applications from groups that are under-represented in the academic community to apply.
The group will be made up of eight to ten members, supplemented as appropriate with additional invited experts according to need.
Researchers at all career stages need cutting-edge skills, tools and services to push forward the frontiers of life sciences research across the UK and to excel in an increasingly interconnected, digitised, data-rich environment.
The group will play a key role in delivering BioFAIR’s objectives and ensuring that there is sustainable impact on the delivery of UK life science research.
The application form contains the following sections:
- personal information (name, organisation and contact details)
- skills, knowledge and experience
- diversity information
The skills, knowledge and experience section includes free text sections for:
- personal statement: why you wish to join RTAG and what you think you can bring to the role (maximum 200 words)
- detail on your involvement: in any relevant advisory, strategic, policy, assessment or similar groups, panels, board or committees (maximum 300 words)
- experience: describe how your experience and career path to date means that you could meet the essential and desirable criteria to be a RTAG member (maximum 300 words)
If you have any queries, would like to arrange an informal discussion or have additional needs to enable you to complete the application form please email: [email protected].
We will make appointments based on individual knowledge and experience in line with the criteria listed.
We will also be considering the need for expertise in particular research and technical areas, along with the coverage of panel membership overall in relation to the expertise requirements of RTAG.
The types of evidence that you may provide will depend on your background, but may include:
- participation on committees, boards or panels
- experience as a life science researcher or as a research technical professional/data steward
- experience of developing, delivering and operating services and tools for the life science community
- evidence for the delivery of digital research infrastructures or research computing services
- experience of working internationally, particularly in the context of global challenges
- experience of the development of research outputs into real world value, for example in the form of people, policy, infrastructure, data management, standards
- evidence of involvement in monitoring and evaluation
Essential criteria
These include:
- professional expertise relevant to the remit of RTAG
- awareness and knowledge of the infrastructures, facilities, resources and services necessary for the life science research community to carry out ground-breaking research and support its translation into economic and societal impact
- understanding of the interface between academia, industry and other relevant BioFAIR stakeholders
- awareness and understanding of societal, ethical or legal considerations related to the life sciences or research more widely
- commitment to the FAIR principles and to the objectives of the BioFAIR project
- ability to work collaboratively and productively with other RTAG members
Desirable criteria
These include:
- knowledge and understanding of the life science research landscape in the UK and/or internationally.
- awareness and knowledge of the infrastructures, facilities, resources and services necessary for the life science research community to carry out ground-breaking research and support its translation into economic and societal impact
- expertise in multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary working across fields of the life sciences and more widely, including the formation of collaborations and partnerships and facilitation of knowledge exchange
- knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion activities being undertaken in research and innovation across the UK and internationally, and a demonstrated commitment to making progress on equality, diversity and inclusion issues, with experience of improving outcomes
- previous experience of working on a similar advisory board is desirable but not essential
We expect you to be able to commit the necessary time and attention to your appointment and to have the full support or the necessary permission of your employer.
We will assess expressions of interest against the criteria set out in the role description.
In addition to reviewing applications against the criteria for appointment, we will consider diversity and institutional and geographic balance as part of the decision-making process.
We recognise that diverse ideas, experiences, backgrounds and perspectives are fundamental to successful research and technical development.
We are committed to ensuring that our committees, panels and boards are inclusive, diverse and representative of the UK Life Science Research community.
We are committed to the principle of providing equal opportunities for all.
In this application process We collect information about your age, gender (including previous gender identity if applicable), disability, ethnic origin and sexual orientation as part of our equality monitoring procedures. Non-sensitive data collected from your application form is used to assess your suitability for the role and, as appropriate, make arrangements for appointment. Sensitive data collected as part of our equality monitoring procedures is used to provide anonymised data and reports to ensure We maintain and promote equality of opportunity across our recruitment practices. As appropriate, it may also be used to ensure reasonable adjustments are made to recruitment processes in relation to any disability, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Our full privacy statement can be found here https://biofair.uk/biofair-rtag-recruitment-privacy-notice/