Skip to main content
 State Universities Civil Service System 

Employment Opportunities
Job Details


Metadata Specialist

University/Agency Illinois State University
Civil Service Classification Senior Library Specialist
View Class Spec Details
Posting Duration 8/19/2025 - 9/8/2025
Probationary Period 6 months

Job Description

The primary purpose of this position is to incorporate new content into the digital collections repository, enabling discovery and accessibility of those materials. This includes subject analysis of digitized items and the creation, enhancement, and maintenance of descriptive metadata for a range of digital media types such as images, books, manuscripts and diaries, oral histories, audio files, moving images, maps, broadsides, and three-dimensional objects in the library’s digital collections. This also includes participating in resource description initiatives supporting the advancement of the discoverability of the digital collections working with a broad range of standardized vocabularies, schema, and other knowledge systems. This position is also responsible for increasing discoverability and accessibility of materials by creating, maintaining, and editing linked data for materials. All activities are directed toward collaborative solutions for improved metadata for optimizing discoverability, access, and the accurate representation of the library's digital collections for use by library patrons including students, staff, faculty, the community, and those beyond.

Additional Information
University Benefit Highlights:

- Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
- Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
- Paid benefit time

Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/


Qualifications

Required Qualifications
1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Any combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the following categories:
a. work experience in a library or equivalent setting.
b. college course work in any field as measured by the following conversion table:
- 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
- Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
- 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
- Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)
3. A total of two (2) years (24 months) work experience in a library or equivalent setting performing progressively more responsible work consistent with the next lower level of this series.

Preferred Qualifications
1. Experience using CONTENTdm or an equivalent Digital Assets Management (DAM) system.
2. Experience creating metadata for digital objects using established schemas and controlled vocabularies.
3. Knowledge of linked data principles.
4. Ability to conduct research to aid in metadata creation.
5. Awareness of current metadata generation practices.
6. Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.


Salary

$20.94 - $21.59 per hour


Links

ISU Jobs Website


Contact Information


University/Agency Illinois State University
Department/College Human Resources
Contact Mackenzie Chapman
Phone Number 309-438-8311
Address
Comments Please fully complete the entire application including, but not limited to, the education and work history portions. Be specific on your work history, including employment dates (if part-time you must list the number of work hours) and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Please do not put "see resume" in the duties and responsibilities section of the work history. This will be considered an incomplete application and incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you are using college or university coursework to qualify for this position, then college or university transcripts (may be unofficial) must be submitted prior to the application deadline to receive full consideration.

To be eligible for Veteran's Preference points on the exam, appropriate military service documentation such as a DD-214 must be submitted prior to the application deadline.

Transcripts and/or military service documentation may be faxed or mailed to Human Resources by the application deadline:

Fax: 309.438.0011, Attn: Mackenzie Chapman
Address: Illinois State University
Human Resources
Campus Box 1300
Normal, IL 61790-1300

The Civil Service examination for this classification is based on your application materials and responses to the supplemental questions. No participation other than submission of applicant materials is required from applicants that qualify to take the exam. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score calculated based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register by exam score. After the application deadline, the names within the top three scores will be referred to the department for interview.

Illinois State University is authorized to do business within the State of Illinois. All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois. If hired, out-of-state candidates must establish Illinois residency within 180 calendar days from the start date for this position. Illinois residency requires proof of a valid Illinois driver’s license or a valid State of Illinois ID card. Failure to produce the required documentation within 180 calendar days will result in immediate termination of employment.

This position is represented by AFSCME Local 3236-Clericals.

Applicants for this position must be authorized to work in the U.S. without ISU sponsorship. Sponsorship for work authorization will not be considered for this position.