Data Services Librarian

Description

The George Washington University Libraries and Academic Innovation (GWLAI) is seeking applications for a Data Services Librarian to specialize in data visualization or geospatial data competencies (GIS). The successful candidate will join a growing team that is leading the development and provision of services to support researchers in the discovery, access, analysis, management, preservation, and publication of data. The Data Services Librarian will support researchers across the full data lifecycle, helping meet the needs of data-intensive research and teaching in a wide range of disciplines in the social sciences, humanities, and sciences. In collaboration with others, they will help LAI grow its support of computational literacy and thinking and contribute to a portfolio of research and data consultations and classroom instruction. The Librarian will help deepen our workshop offerings in data visualization, data analysis, and/or GIS while contributing to a robust curriculum that currently includes topics such as programming in a number of languages and packages; working with data markup and encoding; using APIs and other techniques to retrieve data from online data sources and websites; and data cleaning and manipulation. In addition to helping GWLAI meet curricular needs by increasing the visibility of available data-related resources and services, the Data Services Librarian will be a teaching partner in GW’s first year writing and research instruction program.

ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
AND GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

The George Washington University is the largest research university in the nation’s capital, located blocks from the White House, the State Department, the Federal Reserve, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. GW currently enrolls approximately 25,000 students, including 10,000 undergraduates, in ten colleges and schools at three campuses in the District of Columbia and Virginia. Over the past twenty years, the university has made remarkable strides, including consolidation of the main campus at Foggy Bottom; the establishment of a wide variety of new degree programs, both on-campus and off; the construction of a Northern Virginia campus devoted to graduate study and research in science and technology; and the acquisition of the beautiful Mount Vernon Campus in Georgetown with a focus on specialized undergraduate programs. Thanks to these developments, GW has attracted an increasingly high caliber of faculty and students. With faculty at the top of their fields, and partnerships with organizations locally and around the globe, GW remains a first-choice among students of political science, public policy, international relations, public health, and other disciplines. In recent years, the university has magnified its support for science and engineering, including the construction of a new research facility and the recruitment of nationally recognized research faculty.

As the largest research university in the District of Columbia and a rising institution of higher education in this country, GWU has two obligations: to collect and create knowledge and make it available to the world, and to produce a steady stream of critical thinkers who know how to utilize knowledge to become leaders in whatever field they enter. These two obligations merge in the GW Libraries & Academic Innovation.

GW Libraries & Academic Innovation (GWLAI) enriches the academic experience of scholars and students and spurs innovation at GW. Our resources and services advance research and teaching through access to the latest scholarship as well as rich archival sources; tailored support for researchers at all levels; guidance for faculty who want to explore new methods and technologies in the classroom; and robust support for online education. GWLAI fosters deeper collaboration between previously separate areas to forward the strategic goal of generating, making accessible, and preserving new knowledge.

Visit http://lai.gwu.edu for more information about the GW Libraries & Academic Innovation and the George Washington University.

The Librarian will collaborate with campus units including the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and the Division of Information Technology (DIT) in order to support research data management at GW. The selected candidate will help researchers address relevant management issues related to the research data lifecycle, including creating data management plans; developing preservation and storage plans for research data; selecting and using data repositories for archiving and sharing; and meeting funding requirements for data integrity and access. They will also provide guidance to researchers in establishing data management practices and in selecting appropriate tools and technologies to help with analyzing and managing data throughout the research lifecycle.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Data Services Librarian provides leadership among GWLAI staff to make sure that colleagues are aware of current research about data trends and activities, including available research tools and resources. They also contribute to the development and management of collections at the GW Libraries by participating in selection, management, and delivery of data resources. The successful candidate will demonstrate a desire and ability to learn new skills as well as the potential to work with researchers, librarians, and campus partners to support increased visibility into GW scholarship. Helping to create and cultivate an institutional culture that values openness across the university, this position serves a vital role in advancing the scholarly profile of GW. The successful candidate must have a commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Other responsibilities include service on library and university-wide committees and participation in local, regional, and national professional organizations. The position reports to a Director of Research Services.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

ALA-accredited MLS in library or information science or other advanced degree with relevant experience.
Experience with GIS tools and formats AND/OR experience with data visualization approaches.
Familiarity with data discovery, analytical techniques, and statistical methodologies.
Familiarity with disciplinary and discipline agnostic data repositories and data management plans.
Demonstrated understanding of scholarly communication trends, funder requirements, open access, repositories, and research impact measures.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

Instruction experience.
Familiarity with software for statistical, geospatial, qualitative, and/or text analysis, for example SPSS, Stata, SAS, R, Python, ArcGIS, Atlas.ti, Nvivo.
Experience working with technologies supporting the research data lifecycle.
Project management experience, including planning, communication, and assessment.
Demonstrated understanding of issues related to scientific research and scholarly publishing, including workflows, transparency, and reproducibility.
Strong engagement in professional service and scholarship.

Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Comprehensive benefits package includes 22 days/year paid annual leave plus 12 days per year paid sick leave; medical; TIAA/CREF; tuition assistance.

TO APPLY

To be considered, please complete an online application and upload a CV and a cover letter that includes an assessment of skills related to basic qualifications. Review of applications will begin April 21, 2019 and continue until the position is filled. Only complete applications will be considered.
Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status.