A wide range of student and faculty-centered services are the cornerstone of the Libraries’ integral role in the University of North Texas community. As the most-used service on campus and an essential component of education and research at the University of North Texas, the Libraries offer access to an abundant collection of more than 6 million items (print and digital) along with expert personnel to assist patrons in achieving their academic and scholarly goals. We provide innovative and inclusive programs and support to enhance the intermingling of teaching, learning, and research at UNT.

The University of North Texas is a student-centered public research university with over 42,000 students. A Carnegie-ranked Tier One public research university and a member of the Association of Research Libraries, UNT is one of the nation’s most diverse universities. UNT has been designated as both a Minority Serving Institution and Hispanic Serving Institution and stands committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in its pursuit of academic excellence. We are big and bold.

With 7.5 million people and two international airports, DFW is the fourth-largest metro area in the United States. DFW is racially, ethnically, religiously, and culturally rich and maintains a long-standing commitment to the arts exemplified by local attractions such as the Dallas Arts District and the Fort Worth Cultural District. UNT’s proximity to these major metropolitan centers ensures that our new colleague will be able to access a wide range of activities and cultural experiences. The university also has a generous benefits, leave, and perks package. UNT is located in Denton, Texas, a growing city with a small-town feel and a thriving arts and music scene centered on its downtown Square and is connected by highways and light rail to the major transportation hubs and big-city attractions of Dallas and Fort Worth, about 40 miles away. Want to know more about why you should consider coming to Denton? Check out Discover Denton.

UNT has a highly diverse campus with a wide range of languages spoken in addition to English. We welcome candidates who have experience with HSI/MSIs and/or who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, American Sign Language, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and other variations), Arabic, Tagalog, Farsi, French, or/and Yoruba.

In the UNT Libraries, we define diversity in the broadest terms because we recognize that the best solutions come from a diverse mix of perspectives and backgrounds. We value the qualities, both visible and invisible, that our colleagues bring to their work every day and understand that our differences are our greatest strength.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Head of the Research Support Services department (RSS) administers, plans, organizes, and supervises the services of this department to achieve the strategic vision of the UNT Libraries. The Head of RSS must be an innovative, service-oriented visionary who coordinates the development of departmental goals and objectives to foster student and faculty use of UNT Libraries’ resources, collections, and advanced research support services. The individual in this position works to form close collaborative relationships with the Toulouse Graduate School, Office of Faculty Success, Center for Learning, Experimentation, Application and Research (CLEAR), Office of Research and Innovation, and other relevant groups at UNT to support advanced research initiatives.

The Head of RSS exercises broad independent judgment and authority under the general direction of the Associate Dean for Public Services. The RSS Head may serve as a liaison to other campus areas. The librarian serves on library and university committees and workgroups.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for leading the activities of the Research Support Services department
  • Provides leadership and direction in research support initiatives which includes areas in subject librarianship, online learning, data services, and scholarly communication
  • Supervises and evaluates a team of librarians affiliated with Research Support Services
  • Evaluates operations of the department to make the best use of technology, employee expertise, and resources
  • Develops departmental goals that support the Libraries’ Strategic Directions
  • Leads the department in providing excellent customer service
• Serves on the Public Services Management Team and collaborates with other department heads to provide a cohesive experience for students, faculty, staff, and community
• Stays current with developments in academic research support and services and scholarly communication issues
• May provide reference services, consultations, guest lectures, and workshops
• Leads initiatives in developing web content and library instructional materials, including subject guides, class pages, and videos
• Fosters positive relations with faculty, students, and staff and promotes the University’s and Library’s commitment to diversity
• Works to meet the requirements for service to the libraries, university, and the community
• Works to meet the requirements for scholarly, creative, and professional activities
• Maintains a collegial working relationship with other library departments, offices, and divisions

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• ALA-accredited master’s degree in library or information sciences, international equivalent, or any relevant advanced degree
• Minimum three years of supervisory experience
• Minimum five years of experience providing reference/research services
• Demonstrated experience in leadership, entrepreneurship, independent judgement, and initiative
• Demonstrated management skills, including managing employees, scheduling, and budgeting
• Strong understanding of researchers’ needs and activities, including research technologies, publication practices and standards, research sharing and access, scholarly impact, data management, and funding issues.
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to adjust priorities, set goals, manage time wisely, and make quick effective decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated proficiency with library and research technologies
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish positive and productive collaborations with faculty and administrators.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations in an academic setting

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Additional advanced degree or second master’s degree
• Understanding of various research methods and strong analytical skills
• Knowledge and understanding of subject librarianship, serving as a liaison, and supporting researchers in physical and virtual learning environments
• Knowledge of current trends in academic research support
• Experience with scholarly communication areas such as scholarly publishing, copyright, data management, digital scholarship, or scholarly impact
• Experience using LibGuides, Canvas, or similar content management systems
• Knowledge of assessment techniques and trends in academic libraries
• Understanding of data services concepts and practices

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. We strongly encourage those who are passionate about fostering diverse, inclusive, and equitable libraries to apply. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals.

The University of North Texas System and its component institutions are committed to equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of North Texas System and its component institutions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, and employment practices.