Director of Scholarly Communication

Description

 Do you have the skills and knowledge to transform how university students and faculty publish and access scholarly information?  Are you committed to keeping libraries at the forefront of access to information?  If so, we need your cutting edge expertise to provide leadership and vision for the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries’ scholarly communication program and to direct and set priorities for the Libraries’ initiatives and partnerships in digital humanities and data management services.  We invite applications from, and nominations of, skilled and motivated professionals for the position of Director of Scholarly Communication. 

Required qualifications include a Master's Degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program and/or a Juris Doctorate Degree from an ABA-accredited program, and expertise and experience in intellectual property and scholarly communication issues in academic libraries, university presses, or higher education. 
 
Preferred qualifications include 5+ years of experience in an academic library or related field; 3+ years professional experience related to scholarly communication, data services or digital humanities; a strong background in copyright; familiarity with research methodologies and publication patterns across a wide variety of disciplines; demonstrated ability to lead change; familiarity with new and emerging tools and methodologies for scholarly publication; knowledge of data issues in the research and knowledge creation lifecycle; 3+ years project or staff supervisory experience; demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, subject librarians, archivists, digital project librarians and others; and excellent oral and written communication skills, leadership skills, organizational skills and interpersonal skills.

The Director of Scholarly Communication will serve as an advocate for new and emerging practices in scholarly communication at the University, including playing a role in shaping policies and support for the creation, delivery, and preservation of original digital scholarship produced at UT Arlington.  The Director leads education and outreach to faculty and provides guidance to all members of the UT Arlington community on issues related to scholarly publishing, including author rights, open access (OA) publishing, and current and emerging publishing trends.  The Director also serves as a resource on copyright compliance, fair use, and other copyright issues, and acts as a partner and resource for librarians and archivists involved in campus conversations on issues related to scholarly communication.  The Director will supervise the University’s 2014 CLIR/DLF Fellow in Data Curation for the Sciences and Social Sciences (a two year, nationally competitive fellowship).

The Libraries
The UT Arlington Libraries have a values-driven organizational culture that emphasizes community; learning, discovery and knowledge creation; excellence; risk-taking and innovation; transparency of communication and integrity of action; service; collaboration; and flexibility. A reorganization in 2013 under a new Dean is crafting us into an avant-garde 21st century organization that is moving into a new model of service to our campus constituencies and evolving to bolster UT Arlington's Tier One aspirations.

The University
True to its “Be a Maverick” slogan, UT Arlington attracts bright minds and independent thinkers who achieve distinction in the classroom, laboratory, workplace, and community. UT Arlington embraces an active-learning environment that places students at the center of the learning process. Many of the University’s faculty members are recognized nationally and internationally for their teaching and research expertise as well as their community service.

With our commitment to life-enhancing research, teaching excellence, and service to the community, UT Arlington leads educational services in the heart of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and is the second largest of the fifteen campuses in the University of Texas System. UT Arlington comprises eleven colleges and schools offering 80 baccalaureate, 71 masters, and 31 doctoral programs to more than 33,500 students. Of UT Arlington’s 125,000 alumni, 88,000 live in North Texas, and their presence helps the University generate a $1 billion annual economic impact on the region.  

UT Arlington is proud to have placed highly in several recent national rankings.  The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked UT Arlington as the 7th fastest-growing public research University in the United States.  The New America Foundation described UT Arlington as a “Next Generation University” — one of only six in the nation. We are known for innovations in education, in the delivery of knowledge, and for leading national reform.  U.S. News & World Report listed UT Arlington as the fifth most diverse among national universities — ahead of all others in Texas. This ranking stands as a key indicator of our commitment to diversity and access.

The Community
Within a 25-mile radius of the center of Arlington is a dynamic community of over 2 million people. The Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers call the city home, and their stadiums are in the heart of the entertainment district, which includes the Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor theme parks. Arlington is recognized as the entertainment capital of Texas.  Arlington is conveniently located between Dallas and Fort Worth, which feature internationally renowned cultural and arts districts, restaurants, and a vibrant night scene. The nearby Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport is a major hub with nonstop flights to myriad national and international destinations.

Applications and Nominations
Please submit applications at https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/hr/jobs/nlogon/131219010100
and include a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, and names and contact information for at least three professional references.  Nominations may be made to Kevin Schuck at keschuck@uta.edu or at Box 19497, Arlington, TX 76019.

Finalists will make a formal presentation to Library staff on a topic to be provided.  The successful candidate will be required to work some evening, weekend and holiday hours.  This is a non-tenure track position. 

The position is currently available and review of applications will begin immediately. The posting for this job closes on January 30, 2014.