Associate Data/ Metadata Analyst
About the role
At OCLC, we build technology with a purpose: to connect libraries and make knowledge accessible worldwide, because we believe that what is known must be shared. The Associate Data Analyst/Metadata Specialist manages the lifecycle of bibliographic and holdings data, ensuring accuracy and integrity through evaluation, transformation, and maintenance. This entry-level role combines metadata expertise with developing technical skills in scripting, automation, and AI-assisted workflows. Working under regular supervision, the Associate will transition from executing well-defined tasks to taking ownership of complex data projects. This is an opportunity to develop expertise at the intersection of library data, modern data engineering, and emerging AI — in a team that invests in the growth of its people.
Responsibilities
- Data Operations & Quality
- Data Lifecycle Management: Perform data ingest, normalization, enrichment, and matching according to established standards (e.g., MARC, KBART).
- Quality Assessment: Profile incoming data to identify and resolve structural issues, encoding errors, and tagging discrepancies.
- Troubleshooting: Investigate and resolve data quality issues, escalating complex problems to senior staff as needed.
- Vendor Communication: Coordinate with external data providers and partner institutions regarding routine data specifications and quality issues.
- Technical Solutions & Automation
- Pipeline Support: Apply existing scripts and automated workflows to process data; identify inefficiencies and suggest process improvements.
- Data Visualization: Use and interpret dashboards (e.g., Power BI) to monitor data quality trends and communicate findings.
- AI Integration: Utilize AI-assisted tools for record matching and field mapping; contribute structured feedback that helps improve AI model accuracy over time.
- Collaboration & Documentation
- Knowledge Management: Document data source profiles, processing decisions, and technical workflows to ensure team-wide knowledge sharing.
- Team Support: Execute foundational tasks to support senior analysts and participate in platform improvement projects.
Requirements
- Minimum Required Knowledge, Skills And Experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, statistics, or related field and internship experience with data analysis or creation of library data.
- Entry-level analytical and communication skills, with attention to data quality while working under regular supervision.
- Preferred Knowledge, Skills And Experience
- Metadata Standards: Foundational knowledge of MARC, Dublin Core, KBART, or BIBFRAME.
- Technical Tools: Exposure to scripting languages (Python, SQL, or XSLT) and data transfer protocols (SFTP, APIs, or AWS S3).
- Data Platforms: Conceptual familiarity with cloud data stores (e.g., Snowflake) and visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Streamlit).
- Emerging Tech: Interest in applying AI and linked data concepts (e.g., Schema.org) to library data challenges.
Benefits
OCLC is consistently recognized as a best place to work by several independent programs. We recognize and reward people and results with a comprehensive Total Rewards package, including:
- Competitive compensation that reflects your unique contributions—performance, experience, and skills
- Best-in-class health coverage, retirement plans with generous company contributions, and a commitment to your overall well-being
- Hybrid work environment: For many roles, three days a week on-site, with occasional additional days based on business needs
- Free use of our on-site fitness center, gym sports, group exercise classes, and game room
- Onsite catering and cafeteria subsidized by OCLC
- Health and wellness events
- Work environments with individual and team spaces and the latest technology tools
- Paid parental leave and adoption assistance
- Tuition reimbursement and Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
- Company-subsidized pricing on local tickets and memberships