Dryad is once again opening our doors to new leadership. We are seeking up to three new members to join our Board of Directors and help guide the next chapter for open data publishing. Submit your application by July 10, 2026

The opportunity

Dryad is a nonprofit, community-led organization committed to the open availability and routine reuse of research data. Since 2008, we have been a leader in open data publishing across disciplines, providing researchers with a robust platform, expert curation, permanent archiving with citable DOIs, and integration with publisher workflows.

We hold annual elections to our board, and this is one of our most effective ways of staying close to our community. We are looking for three new voices to step in. 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 being a board member involves

Serving on the Dryad Board is a meaningful commitment to our mission and our community. Directors are responsible for:

• Strategic oversight — ensuring Dryad operates responsibly, both legally and fiscally, and is making measurable progress toward our vision through our strategy and business model
• Governance and accountability — instantiating community participation in Dryad’s governance and ensuring we operate in the community interest
• Service delivery — channeling community interests in sound fiscal management, transparent governance, and effective execution of strategy on behalf of publishers, institutions, and the wider research community
• Fiduciary duty — discharging responsibilities in good faith, with the care an ordinarily prudent person would exercise, and in the best interests of the Corporation and its members
• Committee participation — most directors also serve on a board committee or advisory group, where much of the detailed work happens

Directors serve a three-year term, with the option to stand for one additional consecutive term. The board meets quarterly throughout the year.

What we’re looking for this year

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about open science and open data. Following our most recent board skills and gap analysis, we are particularly interested in candidates with backgrounds in three areas:

1. Hands-on experience with data publishing or research integrity

We’re keen to hear from people close to the realities of service delivery — for example, those with managing editor experience, or deep familiarity with what data publishing means in day-to-day practice. This perspective helps the board stay grounded in the operational realities of our work.

2. Research data management

Practitioners who support researchers to publish and manage data — especially those embedded in institutional research data services.

3. Health and biomedical sciences research

Senior researchers or others with experience from fields such as neuroscience, epidemiology, human genetics, or related biomedical sciences. This expertise will help us deepen engagement with biomedical funders and communities, and support our work on sensitive and controlled-access data, as well as keeping us aligned with specialist repositories. 

How to apply

Board members elected this cycle will begin their three-year term in October 2026. To apply, please complete our online application form before the deadline of July 10, 2026.

Informal enquiries about how the Board works and what may be involved in serving are warmly welcomed. Please contact the Board Vice Chair, Ian Mulvany, via vice [at] datadryad [dot] org.

Selection process

Applications will be reviewed by the Nominations and Elections Advisory Group (NOMSAG), which recommends a slate to the Board Executive Committee. The NOMSAG is committed to developing a diverse set of perspectives across the Board. The Executive Committee then recommends a final slate to the Board of Directors, and Dryad member-partners are asked to ratify this recommendation by vote at our Annual General Meeting in September. Candidates may be invited to a brief interview at any point during the process.

Apply now

If you’re passionate about open science, bring relevant experience, and want to help Dryad thrive, we’d love to hear from you. Dryad is more than a data publishing platform — we’re a community committed to transforming how research data is shared and used. Join us.