JISC

Data science has become a topic of international attention, with today's vast amounts of data increasingly stored in virtual rather than physical ways. The future of data science should be organised and developed at international as well as institutional and discipline levels, according to a new JISC-commissioned report: Skills, Role and Career Structure of Data Scientists and Curators - Assessment of Current Practice and Future Needs.

Identifying and examining the needs of specific roles within the data industry, the report finds no defined career structure, development or consistency for data scientists and librarians. This has lead to some staff feeling undervalued as they feel their role is not viewed as a professional one with set progression criteria.

On a positive note, the survey suggests that researchers in general are becoming more aware of the issues that data-based research raises. Some, ‘native data scientists’, are already skilled in managing data, and even those less experienced are keen to learn more.

To help institutional data management, two new data auditing methodologies have just been launched by the JISC-funded Digital Curation Centre (DCC). These methodologies (the Data Auditing Framework and DRAMBORA) will help an institution monitor its data holdings, assess risks, implement robust data policies and add value to data through improved access and reuse. This in turn will help define the role of the data scientist, contributing to the career being viewed as a professional one.  

Researchers in general are becoming more aware of the issues that data-based research raises.

The report calls for a ‘repositioning’ of the role of the library in data-intensive research. The authors of the report Alma Swan and Sheridan Brown write: ‘We see three main potential roles for the library...Increasing data-awareness amongst researchers; providing archiving and data preservation services through institutional repositories; and developing a new professional strand of practice in the form of data librarianship.’

Summary of the report’s principal recommendations

• Research funding bodies and institutes should define and formalise the role of the data scientist to encourage its professionalisation and help develop a curriculum.
• New studies should clarify the role and contribution of the data scientist, what a data science career is and good practice models for the future.
• HEFCE and the research councils could establish and fund a network of trainers to deliver postgraduate courses on the fundamentals of data management.
• Research funders could build the requirement for a data scientist into grant application procedures, requiring individuals to attend a relevant short course.
• Research libraries, universities and institutes should formalise the role of the data librarian, developing a curriculum to ensure a suitable supply of skilled staff.
• Exploit the synergies of existing national and international players in the field in respect of data skills training.     

Read more about the report and its findings.

Download the full report (PDF) 'Skills, Role and Career Structure of Data Scientists and Curators - Assessment of Current Practice and Future Needs.'
   

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