DATA SERVICES LIBRARIAN

Description

Responsibilities: The Data Services Librarian will collaborate with subject liaison librarians across disciplines to provide expert support for faculty and students working with geospatial, numeric, statistical, and other data. Such support may include instruction in methodologies and tools, especially those related to Geographic Information Systems (GIS); analysis and visualization of data; and development and promotion of dataset collections. Because campus demand for data-related services is significant and increasing, the Data Services Librarian will play a key role in expanding the UH Libraries’ capacity to provide these services by providing data training to colleagues in the Libraries and contributing to the development of innovative, collaborative service models for the Libraries’ Digital Research Commons.

Reporting to the Head of Liaison Services for Collections and Research Support, this position is part of the Liaison Services Department and will serve as an important member of a dynamic and collegial team of subject and functional specialists committed to providing outstanding service in the areas of instruction, outreach, collections, and research support. The position will work closely with several colleagues, including the Coordinator of Research Support Services, the Head of Digital Research Services, and the newly created positions of Director of the Digital Research Commons and Digital Scholarship Coordinator to provide research support and data-related services across campus. The position offers the opportunity for extensive collaboration with faculty and graduate students, exciting possibilities for involvement in emerging academic programs, and significant potential for creativity and innovation.

Librarians hold academic rank pursuant to the University of Houston Libraries’ Bylaws Document. They are expected to develop a record of service, scholarship and professional involvement. The UH Libraries support the ongoing professional development of librarians and our goal is to recruit librarians committed to continuous learning.

Qualifications:

Required -

● Significant experience with data-intensive research, including familiarity with methodologies and tools for data analysis and visualization

● American Library Association (ALA)-accredited Master’s degree

● Excellent oral and written communication skills.

● Ability to work in team-based environment, both within the Libraries and with faculty, staff, and students

Preferred -

● Demonstrated experience using and applying GIS in a library environment

● Experience teaching data-related skills and tools

● Knowledge of scripting languages used with data-intensive research such as Python or R

● Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects involving many stakeholders simultaneously

● Experience designing, implementing, and assessing models for data services

● Experience working on grant-funded research projects

● Familiarity with a variety of data sources

Salary: $58,000 to $60,000 expected hiring range, depending on qualifications. Comprehensive benefits package; choice of retirement programs including TIAA-CREF; tax-deferred annuity program available; release time to take a class up to 3 hours/week; no state or local income tax.

Library Information: The University of Houston Libraries’ Digital Research Commons will offer services, tools, and technologies to support collaborative scholarship and research across disciplines. By leveraging the expertise of the Libraries and cultivating partnerships with other campus research support units, the Commons will collaborate with faculty, researchers, staff, and advanced students from research conception to preservation, by providing data management, data documentation, research publishing and sharing, and data preservation services.

The UH Libraries are a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, HathiTrust, the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Digital Library Federation, and the Texas Digital Library. The campus libraries provide access to over 3.1 million volumes. The University Libraries’ total staff is 160, including 62 professionals. Additional information about the University Libraries is available at: http://info.lib.uh.edu.

The UH Libraries’ Strategic Plan 2017-21 focuses on quality collections, research productivity, student success, and transforming library spaces. The complete document is available at: http://info.lib.uh.edu/strategic-plan . The Libraries’ Strategic Plan supports an ambitious set of goals adopted by the University and furthers the drive for flagship status: http://www.uh.edu/about/mission/ . We seek to recruit librarians who can relate their work to these strategies and understand their role in advancing these strategic imperatives.

General Information: The University of Houston campus comprises 14 colleges offering close to 80 degree programs with an enrollment of over 40,000 students, 7,200 of whom are enrolled in graduate studies. Reflecting the multicultural community of metropolitan Houston, UH is one of the most ethnically diverse research university campuses in the nation. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence.

The University of Houston is a nationally prominent research university. Researchers are making new demands on available resources, seeking new funding sources, exploring new modes of scholarship, and generating and managing a vast array of research data. By aligning UH Libraries’ expertise and resources with these evolving research agenda, the Libraries can significantly impact the success of campus research, preserve and expand access to scholarship at UH, and document research excellence.

Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, offers all the cultural and recreational opportunities of a great city and is within easy reach of the Gulf of Mexico. It enjoys a reasonable cost of living and was selected by Forbes as topping the list of America’s coolest cities: http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/07/26/houston-tops-our-li...<http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/07/26/houston-tops-our-list-of-americas-coolest-cities-to-live/>.

For additional information, including information about Houston's flourishing arts scene and entertainment offerings, please see: https://www.visithoustontexas.com/ . For information about housing and living in Houston see: http://www.houston.org/living/index.html.

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be submitted at: http://jobs.uh.edu/postings/33433.

Please also visit the University of Houston Libraries Employment page for more information: http://info.lib.uh.edu/about/employment

Appointment to this position is contingent on the results of a completed criminal history records investigation.

Potential applicants seeking further information should contact John Lehner, Associate Dean for Resource Management, at 713-743-9801 or jlehner@uh.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. MINORITIES, WOMEN, VETERANS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.