Senior Library Metadata Classification Specialist

Job Title: Senior Library Metadata Classification Specialist

Location:
United Arab Emirates (Remote) Employment Type: Full-Time Work Arrangement: 100% Remote — Work From Home Level: Senior

About the Role
The Senior Library Metadata Classification Specialist is responsible for developing, reviewing, and maintaining accurate bibliographic metadata and classification structures across physical and digital library collections. The role focuses on cataloguing standards, subject classification, authority control, metadata quality, digital resource description, and information retrieval optimization. Working fully remotely, the specialist collaborates with librarians, archivists, digital repository managers, academic institutions, publishers, and information management teams to improve catalogue consistency, enhance resource discoverability, and maintain reliable metadata governance.

Key Responsibilities

Review and manage bibliographic metadata for books, journals, electronic publications, archival materials, and digital resources. Apply established cataloguing and classification standards to ensure consistent resource description. Classify library materials using relevant systems, including Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and Library of Congress Classification (LCC). Review subject headings, descriptive cataloguing records, and controlled vocabulary assignments. Create, edit, and validate bibliographic records in accordance with applicable cataloguing rules and institutional requirements. Apply relevant metadata standards, including MARC 21, Dublin Core, RDA, and BIBFRAME where applicable. Perform authority control activities for personal names, corporate bodies, geographic names, series, and subject access points. Identify duplicate, incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrectly classified catalogue records. Review metadata mappings and crosswalks between library systems, digital repositories, and discovery platforms. Maintain classification consistency across multilingual, multidisciplinary, and specialized collections. Assess metadata quality using validation rules, completeness checks, and controlled vocabularies. Support metadata enrichment initiatives to improve search accuracy, resource discovery, and catalogue usability. Review metadata records for digital objects, institutional repository collections, research publications, and electronic resources. Coordinate metadata correction projects, retrospective cataloguing, and large-scale record enhancement activities. Develop classification guidelines, cataloguing procedures, metadata templates, and quality assurance checklists. Monitor changes to cataloguing standards, classification schedules, subject authority files, and metadata schemas. Support the integration and migration of bibliographic records between library management systems. Review automated classification and metadata extraction outputs for accuracy and consistency. Prepare metadata quality reports, classification audits, and collection-level analysis summaries. Collaborate with acquisition, reference, archival, and digital library teams to resolve cataloguing issues. Recommend improvements to metadata governance, classification workflows, and information retrieval processes.
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Library and Information Science, Information Management, Archival Studies, Knowledge Management, or a related discipline. A master's degree in Library and Information Science or a related field is an advantage. Significant experience in library cataloguing, metadata management, classification, or digital repository administration. Strong understanding of bibliographic description, subject analysis, and classification principles. Experience applying Dewey Decimal Classification, Library of Congress Classification, or other recognized classification systems. Knowledge of MARC 21, Resource Description and Access (RDA), Dublin Core, and other relevant metadata standards. Familiarity with Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and authority control practices. Experience working with integrated library systems (ILS), library services platforms, and digital repository software. Understanding of metadata interoperability, schema mapping, controlled vocabularies, and linked data principles. Experience identifying and resolving duplicate, inconsistent, and incomplete bibliographic records. Familiarity with catalogue migration, retrospective conversion, and metadata normalization projects. Knowledge of digital preservation metadata and institutional repository requirements is an advantage. Proficiency in spreadsheet tools and metadata validation or data-cleaning applications. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail when reviewing large bibliographic datasets. Excellent written communication, research, and technical documentation skills. Ability to work independently and coordinate effectively with international library and information management teams in a fully r