Dryad is seeking passionate, experienced individuals to join our Board of Directors. Can you help advance our mission to realize the potential for Open Science through open data? 

The opportunity

Dryad is a nonprofit, community-led organization committed to the open availability and routine reuse of research data. We exist to promote an environment where research data are openly available, managed, preserved, and routinely reused to create knowledge. We operate on a cost-recovery, not a profit-maximizing, basis.  Since 2008, Dryad has been a leader in open data publishing across disciplines, providing researchers with:

• A robust, user-friendly platform for publishing research data 
• Expert curation services ensuring data meets FAIR principles 
• Permanent archiving with citable DOIs 
• Integration with publisher workflows 
• Support for all fields of research and data formats 
• Researcher-facing resources and training

As a board member, you’ll have the opportunity to: 

• Shape the future of research data sharing and preservation
• Guide a respected nonprofit that has been a leader in open data for 18 years 
• Connect with leaders across the scholarly communication ecosystem 
• Help solve challenging problems in research infrastructure 
• Contribute to making science more open, accessible, and reusable 

What we’re looking for 

We’re seeking board members who are passionate about Dryad’s mission and bring valuable skills to help guide our organization forward. The ideal candidate will have enthusiasm for Open Science, experience with research data management systems, and skills in strategic areas.  

Enthusiasm for Open Science 

First and foremost, we need board members who deeply believe in the importance of Open Science and data sharing. You should be passionate about creating an ecosystem where research data is openly available and routinely reused. 

Experience with research data systems 

We’re looking for individuals with practical experience in research data management, data repositories, or infrastructure supporting the research data lifecycle. This might include: 

• Working with data repositories or other scholarly infrastructure
• Implementing data management and sharing policies 
• Building or supporting data research systems 
• Understanding of technical challenges in data preservation and access 

Skills in key strategic areas 

As Dryad evolves as an organization, we’re particularly focused on reaching new communities, diversifying our revenue profile, and continuing to build long-term financial success. Our board competency assessment indicates we especially need expertise in: 

• Finance & development  – especially with prior nonprofit leadership experience, to support continued organizational growth and cost management 
  • Marketing & fundraising – to contribute to identifying business areas needing stronger representation, increasing visibility, and supporting fundraising 
  • Legal & compliance – To help ensure Dryad is prepared for today’s regulatory environment 
  • Business & product strategy – Thinking strategically about Dryad’s future as a product and service, and providing high-level framing of competencies that support sustainability 

We are also interested in:

•  Expanding the international representation on our board. As a global organization serving researchers worldwide, we believe that diverse geographic perspectives are essential to our mission and governance. We actively seek board members from all regions to ensure our policies and strategies reflect the global research data ecosystem. 
• Engaging early-career professionals. Early career-stage colleagues bring fresh perspectives, high engagement, and innovative approaches that are invaluable to Dryad. We’re inspired by the success other organizations have had in including early career voices in leadership positions. 

How to apply

Board members serve a three-year term beginning October 2025. To apply, please complete our online form before the deadline of July 7 2025.