Metadata Management Specialist Role

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The work

Metadata Management Specialists make data understandable and findable. They maintain the descriptive, technical, and operational context that tells people what a data asset is, who owns it, how it is structured, where it came from, how it has changed, and whether it is appropriate for a particular use.

They build the information layer that connects catalogs, glossaries, data dictionaries, lineage, taxonomies, and standards. The role is distinct from Data Inventory Manager, who establishes the register of assets and its completeness, and from Data Governance Specialist, who sets the operating rules. Metadata specialists make the asset descriptions accurate, interoperable, and usable.

What you'll build

· Business glossaries, data dictionaries, taxonomies, and controlled vocabularies.

· Catalog metadata records that describe datasets, application programming interfaces, and data services.

· Lineage documentation and technical mappings that trace data from source through use.

· Metadata quality rules, stewardship workflows, and automation that keep descriptions current.

· Metadata patterns for AI datasets, retrieval sources, models, and evaluations when applicable.

Who you are

You know that data without context is difficult to find, interpret, reuse, or govern. You can ask the questions that make an asset understandable and create structures that allow others to answer them consistently.

You combine detail orientation with collaboration. You can work with domain experts, data engineers, data managers, and governance teams to translate working knowledge into metadata that serves people, systems, and oversight.

What you bring

• · Experience with data catalogs, business glossaries, data dictionaries, lineage, or metadata repositories.
• · Knowledge of metadata standards, taxonomies, ontologies, controlled vocabularies, and data modeling concepts.
• · Ability to work with structured data and query tools to validate metadata against technical reality.
• · Experience defining metadata quality measures, stewardship workflows, and maintenance practices.
• · Clear written communication for documenting definitions, provenance, ownership, and intended use.
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Requirements

What openings may require

Openings may require experience with a specific catalog platform or a federal metadata standard. Data Catalog Vocabulary United States (DCAT-US) is the federal data catalog metadata standard for describing datasets, application programming interfaces, and data services, and it provides a relevant federal context for some roles.

Some organizations may prioritize lineage automation, semantic modeling, data exchange standards, or artificial intelligence documentation. The specialist’s role is to make context reliable and discoverable, while inventory leaders remain responsible for enterprise coverage and governance leaders remain responsible for the rules.