Science & Engineering Librarian (Potential Hybrid Opportunity)

Job no: 522139
Work type: Faculty Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Lib - Res & Learning Services
Union: MSP
Categories: Library, Faculty

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Science & Engineering Librarian participates in Libraries’ academic engagement program to support the teaching and research endeavors of the University for the engineering and science disciplines. Working out of the Science & Engineering Library, this position will contribute to outreach, information literacy, research support, assessment, and collection development activities and work collaboratively with counterparts in the social sciences and humanities and staff across the Libraries to ensure a consistent approach to learning, research, and outreach.

Essential Functions

• Serve as one of the Libraries’ specialists in engineering and the sciences.
• Actively participate in the Libraries' Academic Liaison Program and establish and foster relationships with assigned academic departments and programs.
• Partner with faculty to integrate information literacy skills and resources into curricula.
• Cultivate research partnerships with faculty in assigned departments and programs.
• Communicate regularly with faculty, staff, and students in assigned academic departments and programs.
• Participate in designing and teaching instructional sessions and workshops for various audiences to cultivate students’ research and metaliteracy skills.
• Create research guides, web pages, and learning objects as appropriate.
• Provide research assistance to library users through in person and remote technologies, while fostering skills for independent research.
• Collaborate with the Data Services Librarian to compile research impact metrics through use of bibliometrics approaches (including altmetrics and other approaches) for researchers, administrators, and campus units.
• Keep apprised of current trends in digital scholarship, information and data literacy, open access, open educational resources, research data management, research impact metrics, scholarly communication, academic libraries, and higher education, and regularly incorporate into daily work.
• Use data and assessment techniques to support evidence-based changes to services, programs, and user experience.

Other Functions

• Work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively to support justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within the Libraries and campus.
• Represent the Libraries on internal committees as assigned and on campus committees including, Five College Committees, Boston Library Consortium Committees, and/or at other selected professional meetings and conferences as requested or appropriate.
• Participate in professional development and continuing education activities, including service in professional and scholarly associations, and presenting and publishing on work-related topics.
• Work a flexible schedule, which includes some evening, weekend, and holiday hours.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or required to meet the goals of the department, Libraries, and University.

Organizational Values

• Commitment to support justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within libraries and the institution.
• Ability to build and sustain effective working relationships and work collaboratively in a diverse and fast-paced environment.
• Purposefully promote a One Library environment for all that encourages inclusion, personal growth, respect, self- reflection, curiosity, and continuous learning.
• Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent with both law and with university policy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate degree in librarianship (from a program accredited by the American Library Association) or related field, or combination of an advanced degree in a relevant subject area and experience in libraries, archives, museums, or similar institutions by time of hire.
• Knowledge of reference and information sources, methods, and tools used for performing library research, particularly those relating to engineering and the sciences.
• Knowledge of key issues, trends, concepts, and skills associated with information literacy, digital scholarship, data literacy, open access, research data management, research impact metrics, and scholarly communication.
• Evidence of commitment to user-centered service in an academic institution contributing to library and university goals.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective working relationships and work collaboratively in a diverse and fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational, project, and time management skills to lead or coordinate multiple projects and work with minimal supervision.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work a schedule which includes some evening, weekend, and holiday hours, as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with software applications and systems used in academic libraries.
• Academic degree in a STEM discipline.
• Experience with bibliometric data sources, such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, etc.)
• Experience using data visualization software such as VosViewer, Gephi, ArcGIS, Tableau, etc.
• Working knowledge and understanding of bibliometric indicators such as citation counts, publication counts, journal metrics, h-index, and altmetrics, etc.
• Knowledge and support of systematic review methods.

Work Schedule

• The regular working schedule for this position is Monday-Friday, daytime hours
• The incumbent of this position is expected to work a flexible schedule, including some evening, weekend, and holiday hours.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee’s work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the Massachusetts Society of Professors union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the MSP collective bargaining agreement.

Salary Information

• Librarian I
• Salary floor of a Librarian I is $55,000
• Salary commensurate with experience.

Benefits

University benefits may differ based on collective bargaining agreements (unions). Please see below for the potential benefits MSP Librarians can be entitled to obtain: benefits for the Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP) members and benefits for MSP Librarians positions:

Promotion

MSP Librarian positions are eligible for promotion, defined as a change in rank as a librarian from one rank to the next higher rank. The bargaining unit member who gets a promotion shall receive the base salary increase in line with the MSP collective bargaining agreement. You can view the MSP Collective Bargaining Agreement, particularly, article 20, to learn more about MSP Librarian Personnel Actions, including promotion, appointment, reappointment, and continuing appointment.

Application Instructions

Along with the application, please submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

The University is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual’s record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic career and degree.

Advertised: Jan 23 2024 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: