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Senior Assistant Librarian (Science Librarian) Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Library at San José University, (San José, California)

Posted September 18, 2024

Position Rank and Title: Senior Assistant Librarian, Science Librarian

School/Department Name: University Library

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $90,000   –  $95,000. Librarians in the CSU system enjoy full faculty status and as such are eligible for campus service opportunities, sabbaticals, and additional benefits. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision plans; generous paid leave (24 vacation days and one personal holiday per year and one day of sick leave per month); and membership in CALPERS, the largest retirement system in the country.  Librarians are represented under Unit 3 of the California Faculty Association (CFA). See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

Target Start Date:  January 6, 2025 preferred

Application Deadline:  October 11, 2024 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Library at SJSU welcomes applicants for a full-time, tenure-track position as Science Librarian.

Collaborating with a team of liaison librarians, the Science Librarian will support faculty and students in the science disciplines by developing, delivering, and assessing library instruction; maintaining subject-specific collections; and offering discipline-centered reference/research services to address teaching, research, and scholarly needs. Librarians at SJSU are faculty who are expected to engage in library and university governance and scholarship, which are requirements for tenure and promotion. This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum on-campus presence of three days a week.

Why would you want to join us, and what can you expect?

The expert faculty and staff at the King Library are highly committed to excellence and service. You can expect to join a dedicated team of professionals with many opportunities to grow, develop, and lead innovative and student-/faculty-centered programming and services. As a joint library facility (the SJSU King library shares space with the main branch of the San Jose Public Library) and a member of the 23-campus California State University system, there are possibilities to collaborate with multiple external stakeholders and partners across the full spectrum of librarianship.

The King Library and San José State University value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to equity and inclusion through their research, teaching, and/or service. We ask that all applicants include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how these statements will be evaluated.

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent international degree by the time of hire
  • Coursework and/or experience in delivering information literacy instruction and reference service
  • Demonstrated ability to engage in professional and scholarly activity to meet requirements for tenure and promotion.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills
  • Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

  • Undergraduate or graduate degree or equivalent training/work experience in a science field, such as chemistry or biological sciences
  • Familiarity with current and emerging trends in STEM research, publishing, or education
  • Experience in academic libraries
  • Demonstrated commitment to promoting underrepresented voices in STEM


Key Responsibilities

  • Support student learning by working collaboratively with science faculty to provide information literacy instruction to undergraduate and graduate programs 
  • Provide reference and research support to undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty in synchronous and asynchronous formats
  • Engage in the selection and evaluation of print and digital resources that support the curricular and research needs of faculty and students
  • Create, implement, and assess user-centered library services and programs
  • Participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments
  • Build a record of progressive scholarly and professional achievement to fulfill the University requirement of retention, tenure, and promotion
  • Demonstrate awareness and experience understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies and advisement

What we look for in a potential candidate

We are looking for collaborative, forward-thinking, and adaptable colleagues. We value empathetic and inquisitive individuals who are ready to assist the King Library in meeting its student-centered and mission-driven strategic plan.

The University is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We ask all applicants to include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how the statement will be evaluated.

Application Procedure:

Visit https://jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/542679/senior-assistant-librarian-science-librarian o complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

  • Letter of interest
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Diversity statement (1-2 pages)
  • Three references with contact information (only finalists’ references will be contacted)

Refer to https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/librarian-position-faqs/home for more information about the position. Interested candidates who would like to learn more about the position, library, or University are encouraged to attend one of two information sessions. We will begin with a short presentation about the position and the library, and then will open it up to your questions. Anonymity will be ensured as the participants list will be hidden.

Thursday, September 26  at 12:00-1:00 pm PST
Thursday, September 26  at 6:00-7:00 pm PST

Further inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Ann Agee ([email protected])

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