Chemical and Biological Sciences Librarian, University of Houston, Houston, TX

Posted May 8, 2017

Responsibilities: The University of Houston Libraries seeks a collaborative, innovative librarian to serve as the liaison to the departments of Biology & Biochemistry and Chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Both departments grant bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, providing many opportunities to work with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and researchers in the areas of instruction, collection development, outreach, and research support. As a member of the Science Team within the Liaison Services Department, the successful candidate will have an opportunity to contribute to shared initiatives across science and engineering disciplines and collaborate with health science librarians and other liaisons on projects that support the development of a new Health Sciences Library and its services. The successful candidate will also have an opportunity to build expertise and services as part of UH Libraries effort to advance digital research services, with an emphasis on bioinformatics and digital research tools related to the sciences.

Librarians hold academic rank pursuant to the University of Houston Librarians’ Bylaws. 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:

Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program
Demonstrated excellent communication skill and strong service orientation
Ability to work strategically in a complex, changing environment
Proven capacity to work effectively and collegially in teams with staff at all levels as well as faculty and students.
Degree or significant coursework in the natural sciences with an emphasis on biology and/or chemistry; or professional experience relevant to the natural sciences in an academic research library
Demonstrated awareness of faculty and graduate student needs at a research institution; or demonstrated awareness of the scientific research process, including the impact of emerging digital tools and methodologies on that process

Preferred:

Experience in library instruction and assessment
Experience in collection development
Project management and analytical skills
Demonstrated initiative and creativity
Demonstrated knowledge of or experience with bioinformatics tools

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 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.

The University of Houston Libraries respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity. Our organization serves one of the most diverse campuses in the nation and seeks to recruit and retain a similar community of library professionals. We welcome candidates whose experience in libraries, research, or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to excellence in diversity and inclusion.

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.

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 agendas, 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-list-of-americas-coolest-cities-to-live/.

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

Application Deadline: The position is available after September 1, 2017. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be submitted at: http://jobs.uh.edu/postings/33981

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 [email protected] .

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

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