Metadata Integration Specialist

The J. Paul Getty Trust; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

403(b) with Getty match

Getty 6% to 401(a) retirement

Educational assistance and development

Paid vacation, sick, and personal days

12 paid holidays

Bi-weekly off-Fridays (select roles)

On-site fitness center

Community service opportunities

Job summary

The J. Paul Getty Trust's Getty Research Institute seeks a collaborative Metadata Integration Specialist to help shape a Linked Open Data environment.

You will lead semantic workflows to produce open, structured data in Arches and support data interoperability across cultural heritage collections. As the Arches expert, you will drive metadata creation, curation, mapping, and ingestion, applying CIDOC-CRM, JSON-LD, SPARQL, and Python to enable open access to provenance data and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library and information science, digital humanities, cultural heritage or related field
• 2+ years professional experience in art/cultural heritage setting preferred
• Familiarity with linked data models, data management workflows, Arches, or graph databases a plus

Responsibilities

• Collaborate to research, create, and curate metadata for art provenance and humanities research
• Develop new workflows and adopt new technologies and skills
• Apply knowledge of semantic data standards and best practices
• Perform data cleaning, transformations, and analysis using OpenRefine and SPARQL
• Ensure metadata crosswalks, mapping, and semantic data integration into Arches
• Create scripts (e.g., Python) to automate workflows and data pipelines
• Test and analyze new technologies, Arches features, and data models
• Document standards, produce data-driven analyses and reports
• Coordinate with Arches Product Manager to update data models and system configurations
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to foster metadata reuse and enrichment

Skills

Metadata workflows

Linked data

CIDOC-CRM

SPARQL

Python

OpenRefine

Git/Github

Education

Master's degree in LIS / digital humanities / cultural heritage

Tools

Arches

Graph databases

OpenRefine

Python

JSON-LD

SPARQL

CSV/XML/JSON

Git

Job description

Metadata Integration Specialist

Job Family : Information Technology

Type : Regular Full-Time

Position Status : Getty Center

Workplace Type : Hybrid/Partially Remote

Salaried/Hourly : Salaried

Hiring Pay Scale : $72,381 - $95,895 Annually

Salary : Commensurate with experience and internal equity

Program/Department : Research Institute - 0454-Getty Provenance Index

Requisition Number : 2026-4840

Company Culture

Getty is committed to creating a welcoming workplace that reflects the various backgrounds of the communities we serve. We value differences in the pursuit of inquiry and knowledge, mutual understanding, respect, trust, transparency, and cooperation. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

Job Summary

The Getty Provenance Index (GPI) department at the Getty Research Institute (GRI) seeks a collaborative and innovative Metadata Integration Specialist to contribute to the team's new Linked Open Data (LOD) environment. The candidate will play a key role in the development and implementation of semantic data workflows to produce and maintain open, structured, and linkable evidence-based data in the GPI's instance of Arches, an open-source software platform for managing cultural heritage data.

A pioneering digital resource for art provenance, collecting, and art markets research, the GPI provides open access to data about ownership of artworks from primary sources dating as far back as the 16th century. As the Arches expert user in the department, the candidate will lead in the development, documentation and execution of workflows and practices for metadata creation, curation, mapping, and ingestion into Arches. The candidate will also apply knowledge of international semantic data standards and computational methods for linked data analysis, manipulation, and enrichment that support data interoperability and reuse. Additionally, this position provides an opportunity to shape continued efforts across the GRI to create and leverage metadata to enhance integrated discovery and access to collections and related digital content as well as to play a critical role in the larger LOD and Arches community at Getty.

Major Job Responsibilities

• Works with a team to research, create, and curate metadata of advanced complexity to support art provenance and humanities research
• Leverages expertise to develop new workflows and facilitate the team's adoption of new technologies and skills
• Applies advanced knowledge of established semantic data standards and best practices
• Facilitates and/or completes data cleaning and transformations, as well as data analysis and reporting using tools such as OpenRefine and SPARQL
• Ensures the technical requirements for metadata crosswalks, mapping, and semantic data integration into Arches
• Creates, maintains, and/or contributes to scripting processes for automating departmental workflows or tasks (e.g. using Python), related to both Arches and legacy workflows and systems
• Initiates and/or participates in the testing and analysis of proposed new technologies, Arches functionalities, procedures, projects, and external data contributions
• Contributes to documentation of standards and procedures; produces data-driven analysis and reports
• In conjunction with the Arches Product Manager in Getty Digital, tests and requests updates to Arches related to data models and system configurations; communicates new development requirements, and collaborates with other GRI units using the platform
• Works in partnership with the Arches Product Manager in Getty Digital and the Research Engagement and Outreach Specialist in the GRI to develop links between the Arches community and the GPI
• Collaborates within and outside the department to identify cross-functional and/or cross-entity partnerships to facilitate metadata reuse and enrichment
• Contributes to departmental outreach activities by researching, writing, presenting, and publishing about work activities and data collections

Qualifications

• Master's degree in library and information science, digital humanities, cultural heritage field, or related discipline
• 2+ years related professional experience, preferably in an art-related or cultural heritage organization
• Preferred familiarity with technical documentation of linked data models, systems, and data management workflows; familiarity with the Arches platform or graph databases is a plus
• Technical expertise in computational methods and demonstrated experience with tools for data analysis and data management workflows.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to thrive in and contribute to team-based and collaborative environments
• An interest in the intersections of art history, digital technologies, and data-driven research practices
• Knowledge of metadata standards, tools, frameworks, and best practices
• Technical expertise in working with large bodies of complex data and fundamentals of data interoperability; familiarity with CSV, XML, JSON, OpenRefine, Python, Git, and Github; readiness to develop expertise with these tools and lead in their adoption within the team
• Experience with techniques for metadata creation and reconciliation highly desirable; familiarity with technical report writing
• Basic understanding of linked data and the semantic web; will require developing expertise with CIDOC-CRM and Linked.Art, JSON-LD and SPARQL
• Will require developing expertise in working in Arches, which is used and maintained by a robust international community of users
• Knowledge of new developments in the linked data community
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to conceptualize work within broader GRI goals and objectives
• Demonstrated ability to interact with a wide variety of audiences, both specialized and general

Benefits and Perks

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee investment retirement plan - with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick, and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly off-Fridays
• On-site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.