Perma.cc Legal Digital Scholarship Project Manager

The Library Innovation Lab (LIL) seeks an information professional to serve as the Perma.cc Legal Digital Scholarship Project Manager. Located at the Harvard Law Library, LIL is a fun and collaborative lab with a broad mission focused on re-envisioning how knowledge is created, preserved, and accessed. Please visit our website at to get a sense of our current projects and activities.

This one-year position will focus on building and launching a system for preserving and sharing legal scholarship using Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) within the service.

Perma.cc has provided web citation preservation to the legal community for over a decade. The adoption of DOI—standard elsewhere in scholarly publishing—is increasingly critical in law, with Bluebook requirements on the horizon. The project will design a plan for incorporating DOI into the ecosystem, coordinate the planning and rollout of DOI minting, and document sustainable operational models for the future.

As the Perma.cc Legal Digital Scholarship Project Manager, your responsibilities will include:

Analysis, Requirements Gathering & Standards Tracking

• Review current practices at HLSL and Perma.cc and identify requirements for DOI assignment to legal scholarship and web materials.
• Track developments in legal citation standards related to DOI and ensure project alignment.

Evaluation & System/Workflow Design

• Evaluate options for DOI minting (such as CrossRef membership or other registration methods) and make recommendations.
• Develop and document criteria and workflows for DOI assignment, in line with existing standards in other fields.

Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach

• Lead outreach to law journals, faculty, clinics, and other stakeholders to establish procedures for DOI registration.
• Serve as primary liaison to DOI registration agencies to arrange necessary permissions and clarify technical needs.

Technical Collaboration & Implementation

• Collaborate with technical teams at Perma.cc and HLSL to design and pilot the integration of DOI processes into existing systems.

Documentation, Policy Development & Reporting

• Prepare clear documentation and policy recommendations for the ongoing management of DOIs at HLSL and Perma.cc.
• Prepare interim and final reports summarizing actions taken, challenges, and recommendations for future service management.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of five years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

We are looking for people who have:

• Experience with scholarly communication, metadata, or digital preservation.
• Familiarity with DOI and other persistent identifier systems.
• Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills.
• Experience in law libraries, legal publishing, or digital repository management.

Appointment End Date: This is a one-year term appointment subject to funding and departmental need.

Standard Hours/Schedule: Part-time. 25 hours per week, M-F.

Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position

Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education.

Other Information:

This position is open to either remote applicants, or in-person applicants with a hybrid schedule. Remote work is permitted for applicants living more than 50 miles from Harvard campus, based on business needs and manager approval. All remote work must be performed within a state in which Harvard is registered to do business (CA, CT, GA, IL, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VA, VT and WA).

Finalists should expect to interview in person at our Cambridge, Massachusetts campus.

Travel may be required for this position as needed, including for quarterly on-site meetings, conferences, and events.

All offers are made by HLS Human Resources.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that the duties and responsibilities can effectively be performed fully remotely at a non-Harvard location. Employees in fully remote positions must work all scheduled hours in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. At the discretion of the department, fully remote employees may occasionally be required on site at a Harvard location. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 058. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard Law School?

Join a community that combines excellence in legal education and scholarship with a deep commitment to justice. Here at Harvard Law School (HLS), you’ll find an environment that values who you are and encourages you to grow, inspire others, and make a meaningful impact. Wherever you are in your career journey, HLS is a place where you can thrive, contribute, and be part of something bigger.

Originally posted on Himalayas