Application Review Date
September 7, 2022
Departmental Overview
The University and Jepson Herbaria are separately budgeted units within the Vice Chancellor of Research Office and are a member of the Berkeley Natural History Museums Consortium. They are located within the Valley Life Sciences Building. Both units are closely associated with the Department of Integrative Biology and, to a lesser extent the Department of Plant Biology and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. The collections of the Herbaria are used by the campus, the international scientific community, and the general public for research, teaching, and public service.
Under the supervision and general direction of the Herbarium Director, this position will assist in the overall management of the collections comprising over 2.2 million preserved plant specimens with an established replacement value of well over $30 million (although the specimens are in fact irreplaceable). The incumbent also assists with specimen digitizing activities.
This role will apply intermediate knowledge of:
- Curatorial protocols and techniques to facilitate effective management of the collections of the University and Jepson Herbaria.
- Herbarium networks, to facilitate research at UC Berkeley and beyond, benefiting from and contributing to the pool of knowledge of plant science and curatorial practice.
- Plant systematic principles and procedures, including some familiarity with fungi, lichens, bryophytes, and algae and their classification.
Responsibilities
The scope of this position includes a broad range of considerations towards the fulfillment of the internal objectives and goals of the unit, i.e. the effective management and conservation of a major natural history collection, and extends to relations with a diverse user constituency, including a worldwide scientific research community, government agencies (local, State, national, and international), the University community of researchers and students, and the general community, including individuals, volunteers ,and botanical and conservation organizations.
This position impacts the various missions of the herbaria. The collection becomes ever more valuable by new accessions, and the incumbent is involved with necessary technical activities involved in new accessions. The position also plays an important role in curating existing collections.
The initial focus will be on algae, but will include curation of all the groups covered in the Herbaria in the future, as needs change.
Curation and transactions
- Assists in basic curation of different collection types, especially bryophytes. lichens, and algae. This includes mounting, label creation, and filing specimens.
- Keeps up to date with changing nomenclature and taxonomies of major groups. Implements changes where possible to be reflected in filing system.
- Assist with loan requests, including processing exchanges and gifts.
- Assists other staff, curators, visiting scientists, consultants, graduate students and affiliated researchers with access to collections and research materials.
- Provides herbaria orientation for scientists and students.
Digitizing
- Enters, and assists students to enter, complex collection information and images into relational database that includes detailed information on collectors, annotation history, localities, loans and nomenclature.
- Assures accuracy of records particularly with regards to correcting errors arising from incomplete data entry, amendments to annotation history, locality discrepancies, nomenclatural changes.
- Works closely with our curators as well as the Biodiversity Informatics Manager to maintain updated and accurate on-line specimen data.
Required Qualifications
- Background knowledge in botany.
- Knowledge of curatorial protocols and techniques, herbarium networks, and plant systematic principles and procedures.
- Basic computer skills, with use of herbarium databases.
- Excellent organizational aptitude, memory, and ability to multi-task.
- Strong sense of initiative and commitment to the core missions of the herbarium.
- Demonstrated personal strengths of patience, perseverance, friendliness, and respectfulness in relations with a wide range of herbarium users and staff, work-study student assistants, and volunteers.
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.
Education
- A Bachelor’s or equivalent international degree and/or equivalent training or experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Work experience at an institution of higher education.
- Knowledge of plant systematic principles and procedures.
- Familiarity with lichens, bryophytes, and/or algae and their classification.
- Training in herbarium collections management techniques, including specimen preparation and collecting strategies, pest control procedures, loan protocols and proper packaging of fragile specimens for shipping.
Salary & Benefits
- This is a full-time (40 hours/week), career position, and eligible for full UC benefits.
- This position is a non-exempt, bi-weekly paid position. Hourly pay for this role is commensurate with experience within the range of $27.09 – $28.16 (Step 1.0 – 3.0).
- For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html
Details and to apply: https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucb/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=21&JobOpeningId=41129&PostingSeq=1