Purpose

The University of Texas Libraries (UTL) seeks an early career librarian for its active and evolving liaison program. The Liaison Librarian for Geosciences will be responsible for stewarding geoscience collections and coordinating library engagement, research, and learning services for the Jackson School of Geosciences, including the Bureau of Economic Geology and the Institute for Geophysics, the Department of Geography, and related research centers and institutes. The position reports to the STEM & Social Sciences Engagement Team Lead; as an active member of that team, they will collaborate with colleagues to programmatically leverage our expertise, resources, and relationships to advance student success and deepen research collaborations between UTL and our campus community.

 

Responsibilities

• Research Support, Scholarly Communication & Digital Initiatives: Provide research support to students and scholars at all stages of the research lifecycle. Consult on data management, data sharing/preservation, and scholarly publishing. Advance scholarly communication and Open Science awareness and engagement across campus communities.
• Collection Stewardship: Engage in collection development/management activities related to geosciences, in collaboration with the Scholarly Resources Department’s STEM coordinator. Select and acquire new resources (monographs, serials, maps, data sets, etc.) in both digital and physical formats. Steward and manage gifts and Jackson School library endowment funds. Promote collections, particularly materials unique to UT, through digital projects, UTL communication venues, and collaborative initiatives.
• Teaching & Learning: Plan and conduct classes, create learning objects, and initiate or engage in other activities to advance information/digital literacy among students. Support faculty in selecting and gaining access to course materials, including OERs. Develop and maintain subject-specific guides and instructional materials.
• Engagement & Outreach: Establish and maintain relationships within the community of geoscience students and scholars and serve as their primary library contact. Work collaboratively with the staff in the Walter Geology Library.  Attend, participate in, and plan engagement forums/activities/events within UTL, the UT campus, and beyond. Work across organizational boundaries and complex stakeholder groups to advance UTL services and initiatives. Communicate the impact of your work internally and externally.
• Professional Development & Service: Actively participate in the work of UT, UT Libraries, and related professional and scholarly communities, particularly by serving on committees, leading or participating in strategic projects/initiatives, and presenting/publishing. Maintain awareness and develop skills related to evolving job responsibilities.

 

Required Qualifications

• Master of Library Science, or equivalent degree, conferred by start date. A Master’s degree in a geoscience discipline may temporarily substitute if applicant has also begun an MLIS (or equivalent) and is able to complete remotely within the next 12 months.
• Demonstrated understanding of the role of liaison librarians.
• Enthusiasm for providing inclusive, user-centered research services to students and scholars.
• Demonstrated understanding of the ways students and scholars in the STEM fields use library resources in their research.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• A proactive, self-starter approach to work and a willingness to respond to tasks and opportunities with initiative, flexibility, creative energy, and leadership.
• Strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility, and the ability to work collaboratively with culturally diverse library users and colleagues.

 

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in a geoscience discipline or related STEM/technology discipline.
• Experience providing research support in an academic library setting, especially to graduate students, faculty, researchers, or scientists.
• Experience designing learning objects (tutorials, LibGuides, etc.), teaching library-related skills to upper-level and graduate students, and strong commitment to innovative and collaborative instruction.
• Experience working with faculty, post-docs, or graduate students.
• Demonstrated proficiency with information resources and tools important to scientists.
• Experience working with geospatial/scientific data and software such as ArcGIS and RStudio.
• Demonstrated awareness of trends in scholarly communication and Open Science, particularly in areas such as: OA publishing, author rights, publication metrics, research data management, and data curation/sharing.
• Demonstrated ability to be successful in the design and promotion of innovative programming and services.
• Experience working across organizational boundaries and managing complex stakeholder groups.

 

Research indicates that applicants with marginalized identities are hesitant to apply for positions if they do not meet all of the qualifications. We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleague develop these preferred skills.

 

Salary Range

• $50,000+ depending on qualifications