Research Data Librarian

American University Library invites applications for a multi-year, non-tenure track contract, Research Data Librarian position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Term Librarian, beginning summer 2013, subject to budgetary authorization.  

Responsibilities: The Research Data Librarian serves in a leadership role in developing a comprehensive data management program in support of American University Library’s research data management enterprise.  Reporting to the Director, Research, Teaching and Learning, this newly established research data librarian collaborates with faculty, graduate students, academic units and research centers; and the Office of Information Technology staff to develop a campus-wide data program to assist in managing, describing, preserving and making research data available and accessible to appropriate audiences.  The Research Data Librarian participates in the Library’s efforts to assist faculty and students to investigate to evaluate and to support researchers’ data practices, processes, technologies, data management, storage, and retrieval practices including those required by funding agencies.  The position identifies appropriate venues for data and serves as an intermediary between researchers and appropriate data digital repository systems managed by the University Library.  The Research Data Librarian works with faculty and graduate students to develop workflows and metadata necessary to support American University’s research enterprise and monitors new data and metadata requirements, practices, and standards adopted by government agencies and domain groups. The position participates in campus initiatives, committees, and task forces related to data management and storage.  The position tracks international developments in data curation and participates in library, campus, regional and national discussions regarding cooperative data curation activities and services. The position works with other subject librarians to build liaison activities relating to data management, including supporting the discovery and use of locally created and externally available data as well as developing sustainable domain-appropriate data services.   The Data Librarian will support all students and faculty through appropriate research support and instruction.   

Requirements: ALA accredited Master’s degree in library and/or information science or similarly appropriate/equivalent advanced degree or documented substantive experience is required.  A second graduate degree in a data-oriented social science field (such as Economics or Statistics) is strongly preferred, but equivalent years of work and/or other equivalent expertise in these fields will be considered.  A minimum of four to five years of data preservation, curation management including datasets, content description and representation, metadata standards, and relevant workflows; experience with institutional or subject repository systems.  Demonstrated subject knowledge and experience in sciences, social sciences, or engineering including understanding of issues related to scientific and/or social sciences research and scholarly publishing.  Experience with tools for managing digital assets or repository software [DSpace, DigiTool, Fedora, etc.]. Experience with HTML, Apache, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Perl, or Java.  Experience with statistical software [SPSS, Stata, SAS] preferred.  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.  Excellent analytical thinking and problem solving skills.  Ability to work independently and collaboratively.    

Salary: Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.  

Position available: Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. 

The American University Library www.american.edu/library serves the AU community through a collection of over 980,000 volumes, 25,000 sound recordings and 16,000 videos. Notable collections include a branch music library, a strong visual media collection, special collections and university archives, a K-12 curriculum materials center, and numerous partner collections across campus including those with GLBTA, Career, and Visual Arts resources. AU Library has affiliate collections at the Washington College of Law and a partnership with the Wesley Theological Seminary. The AU Library collection totals over 100,000 journal subscriptions and over 350 databases in all subjects.  Personnel include 20 library faculty, several part-time librarians, 73 full-time staff, and about 140 student assistants. The library's budget is over $13.7 million. The American University Library is an active member of the Washington Research Library Consortium, and it holds membership in LOCKSS, SPARC, the Patriot League Libraries Group and the University Libraries Group. 

The American University, chartered by an act of Congress in 1891, offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, many with international focus, to over 11,000 students. Its proximity to centers of technology, politics, justice, world affairs, communication, science, business, and the arts in the Washington, D.C. area enhances the learning environment.

For information about American University, please see www.american.edu, and learn about the University Library at www.american.edu/library.

To apply, send a letter of application, resume, and names, addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to:

Michele Mikkelsen, Director, Administrative Services
American University Library
4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20016-8046 
mmikkel@american.edu 

American University is an EEO/AA institution, committed to a diverse faculty, staff, and student body. Women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. American University offers employee benefits to same-sex domestic partners of employees and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation/preference and gender identity/expression.