Job opportunities in PacLII
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Job opportunities in PacLII |
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You are here: PacLII >> About PacLII >> Job opportunities |
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The Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute (PacLII) collects and publishes online for free legal materials from 20 Pacific Islands jurisdictions to support legal education; promote the rule of law and good governance and develop a Pacific jurisprudence. Currently the main site consists of over 109,000 documents collected in 187 separate databases. An integral part of providing and promoting free access to law is supporting and developing the skills of users in locating the information they need online. Documents published on PacLII are processed into html so that they may be hyperlinked to each other and subjected fully to the SINO search engine which permits users to search an individual database, their own selected number of databases or all databases simultaneously.
To take advantage of the research capabilities afforded by the website users need a range of training from basic computer skills to allow basic browsing to how to conduct advanced searches using the PacLII Sino search engine. This position is responsible for developing and implementing both external and internal training programs for PacLII. External training programs include but are not limited to basic computer training, basic internet use, legal research on the internet, legal research on PacLII and legal research using commercial legal databases for the purposes of assisting judges, law officers, academic staff and students of the University of the South Pacific and other law and justice sector participants in the Pacific region who are served by the Institute.
Given the volume of materials now hosted on the website and the ongoing development of new technologies, there is the potential to engage in projects to greatly enhance users accessibility to published materials. These include the development of subject based Libraries, an on-line case citatory and a portable off-line device. The post holder will work with regional bodies, PacLII IT and editorial staff and AustLII to enable PacLII to deliver these capabilities.
To enable adequate monitoring and evaluation of the publication and subsequent use of the databanks robust systems for data management and gathering of relevant statistical information need to be developed and managed. This will require a thorough examination of publication processes together with extrapolative analysis of statistical information.
An integral part of PacLII plans for future sustainability of online legal publication is to work closely with member jurisdictions to establish nationally based systems and processes enabling comprehensive and ongoing publication of their legal materials either through dedicated and ultimately automated pathways to PacLII or to national LIIs which may then be harvested to PacLII. This will require support to be afforded to member jurisdictions in the form of both organisational and technical advice delivered both in a practical 'hands-on' setting and through the development of manuals and guides.
This section is used to describe the context in which the incumbent is expected to operate describing te working relationships with both internal and external contacts. A description of the working environment and expected pressures the incumbent will encounter as well as types of competencies he/she must have to perform the responsibilities of the position successfully.
The jobholder must be able to assess legal research training needs for the 20 Pacific jurisdictions that PacLII serves and develop appropriate curriculum according to the needs assessments. This curriculum must be updated on a regular basis and adapted to each jurisdiction. The jobholder must also be able to organize their own travel and training sessions within these Pacific jurisdictions, including extending invitations to and cooperating with partner organizations in external jurisdictions, performing a training needs assessment at a distance, and organizing training venues, hotels and meals. After each training mission, the jobholder will draft a training report outlining the actions undertaken, giving a cross-section of the trainees and providing trainer and trainee feedback about the training session(s).
The jobholder must be able to work closely with a culturally diverse team and perform training needs assessments on a regular basis within the Institute. PacLII's work is based on an IT framework and the technology for staff to perform their work quickly and efficiently is in constant flux. As a result, the jobholder must be able to develop, organize and implement training sessions for members of the Institute on a tri-annual basis to respond to constant capacity building needs.
PacLII operates within an IT environment and as such the jobholder must be able to understand complex IT concepts including but not limited to database management, internet protocols, website development and network administration. The job holder will work closely with PacLII IT and Editorial teams providing a link for the application of technologies to the management of and access to the legal content on the website. S/he will also have responsibility for managing projects (i) with Regional bodies and USP School of Law teaching staff in the development of subject based Libraries incorporating the functionality of Virtual Database technology, (ii) the provision of an online case citatory and (iii) the development and distribution of a portable device to deliver the site with full search functionality offline.
PacLII's sister site, The Pacific Legal Gateway, provides links to a wide range of websites and online resources useful for pacific legal research. It also hosts web-pages for smaller law and law related agencies. The project to provide access for government law agencies to fee based legal publishers was also provided through the sister site until recently. The site requires regular maintenance and updating; the use of current internet protocols and programming languages to develop various portal web-pages and the expansion of that service.
The job holder must be able to draft formal letters to and converse with a range of legal professionals at a high level across the 20 member jurisdictions of PacLII (i.e. Members of the Judiciary, Court Personnel, Parliamentary staff, Attorney General Departments, other relevant Government Departments and legal professionals)
The job holder will also be required to assist USP students, academic staff, stakeholders and the general public with questions relating to the content and the accessing of materials on PacLII. The jobholder must also be able to draft conference papers and speak publicly in front of groups of varying size while representing the Institute at both regional and international conferences, meetings and workshops as assigned.
The job holder is also required to submit regular reports to the PacLII Director outlining all aspects of work during the period specified.
A degree in law or library studies or equivalent level of expertise gained from a combination of experience, training or professional accreditation.
The contract will extend a period of six months renewable by mutual agreement.
Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. July 9, 2010 (Vanuatu local time).
Applicants must submit their applications through USP's electronic application system, located at http://www.usprecruits.usp.ac.fj/. If you experience any difficulties whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact PacLII:
The Director
Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute (PacLII)
School of Law
PMB 9072
University of the South Pacific
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Telephone: (678) 24525
Fax: (678) 22274
Email: hamilton_l@vanuatu.usp.ac.fj