Liaison Librarian for Physical & Computational Sciences, UT Libraries

The University of Texas Libraries (UTL) seeks an early career librarian to be our next Liaison Librarian for Physical & Computational Sciences. In this role, you will take the lead on developing outreach initiatives and providing research, teaching, and learning support for the departments of Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics & Data Science. You will receive support from and collaborate with a group of friendly and seasoned liaisons on our STEM & Social Sciences Engagement team. Together we are working to develop services and initiatives that establish the libraries as a key partner in research and learning. Science degrees not required. Early-career librarians with the desire to learn new subjects and develop new skills are encouraged to apply. All new Assistant Librarians receive dedicated funds to support conference attendance and other professional development activities.

Responsibilities

• Research Support, Scholarly Communication, & Digital Initiatives: Provide research support to students and scholars at all stages of the research lifecycle. Consult on database searching, systematic reviews, data management/sharing, and scholarly publishing. Advance scholarly communication and Open Science awareness among assigned communities.

• Teaching & Learning: Plan and conduct classes, create learning objects, and initiate or engage in other activities to advance information/digital literacy among students. Support faculty in selecting and gaining access to course materials, including open educational resources (OERs). Develop and maintain subject-specific guides.

• Engagement & Outreach: Establish and maintain relationships with scholars, staff, and students from assigned departments and related centers and institutes. Attend, participate in, and coordinate programs and events. Communicate the impact of our work internally and externally.  

• Professional Development & Service: Develop new skills related to evolving job responsibilities. Actively participate in the work of UT Libraries and professional/scholarly communities, particularly by serving on committees and leading or participating in shared and strategic projects/initiatives.

• Collection Stewardship: Develop and manage physical and computational science collections, in collaboration with the STEM & Social Sciences Collections Coordinator. Promote collections, particularly materials unique to UT, through digital projects, UTL communication venues, and collaborative initiatives.

• Other related functions as assigned. 

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library/Information Science or equivalent degree.

• A demonstrated interest in building the skills and expertise needed to:
  o   support the research needs of students and scholars in your assigned disciplines.
  o   develop and lead STEM-related outreach and engagement initiatives.
  o   participate in our Open Science/Scholarship programming.

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, in-person and virtual.

• A proactive, self-starter approach to work and a willingness to respond to tasks and opportunities with initiative, flexibility, creative energy, and leadership. 

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting students and scholars in an academic library or other research setting.

• Familiarity with information resources and tools used in STEM disciplines.

• Experience working with science students and scholars.

• Experience teaching in library settings and/or developing library-related tutorials, guides, and learning objects.

• Demonstrated awareness of trends in scholarly communication and Open Science, particularly in areas such as: open access (OA) publishing, author rights, publication metrics, research data management, and data curation/sharing.

• Experience developing/maintaining strong relationships with user communities, working across organizational boundaries, and managing complex stakeholder groups.

• Demonstrated ability to be successful in the design and promotion of innovative programming and services.

We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop these preferred skills.

Salary Range

$52,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions.

• Weekend and evening work may be required.

• Typical library conditions.

Work Shift

Monday - Friday, usually between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., with occasional evening/weekend work. Flexible work arrangements available to allow for some remote work, but regular, on-campus work is required.

Required Materials (PDF preferred)

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

• Letter of interest

During your application, you will be asked the following questions:

• Tell us about a time that you provided someone with research assistance. What was the need and how did you help?

• What excites you about being/becoming a subject librarian, particularly for STEM and health disciplines?