Assistant Director for Digital Scholarship Services

Binghamton University Libraries seeks a collaborative, visionary, and service-oriented leader for the position of Assistant Director for Digital Scholarship Services. Located within the Research Services Department, this supervisory role provides leadership to a unit offering a range of current and emerging research services, such as support for scholarly communication and open publishing, computational research methods including artificial intelligence, research data management, and multimedia production. The portfolio also includes oversight of the Digital Scholarship Center, MakerLab, Data Studio, and Recording Studio. The Assistant Director will combine a commitment to public service with a forward-thinking approach to using emerging technologies and research methods, as well as evidence-based decision-making to continuously develop, implement, and assess library services in this portfolio.

This position is within a newly-reorganized Research Services department, which also includes Liaison Services, Special Collections, and Teaching and Learning, and presents a unique opportunity to shape Libraries services and ensure their success. The position reports to the Director for Research Services. The ideal candidate will have a background in academic library research services, a passion for continuous improvement, and the ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners. Leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills are essential.

Duties and Responsibilities

Librarianship:

Leadership and Strategy

• Strategic vision: Work with the Director for Research Services on strategic planning and unit goal setting; define priorities for unit projects, activities, and innovations; communicate progress with colleagues in the Libraries and across the University.
• Service excellence: Develop and improve workflows that support emerging research services, including research data management, text and data mining, machine learning, and other computational methods; conduct consultations, lead workshops, and create other educational opportunities to instruct users in these research areas; raise awareness of transformative agreements and other support for open data and publishing; ensure Libraries services are in alignment with University needs and priorities.
• Compliance: Work with the Director for Research Services and other members of Libraries leadership to ensure university policies and practices regarding copyright, digital accessibility, and data privacy are being met; ensure that MakerLab operations follow guidance from Environmental Health and Safety and other campus partners; stay abreast of any evolving campus or professional guidelines or expectations to ensure unit activities comply.
• Embrace new challenges: Evaluate and recommend services and technology that support established and emerging research areas at Binghamton University.
• Transform data into insight: Maintain accurate statistics and workflow documentation. Analyze data trends, provide reports and information to library administration, and incorporate results into decision-making processes.
• Lead and shape digital scholarship practices: Actively engage in library consortia, professional organizations, and peer networks; advocate for and implement innovative approaches that advance the field; and foster collaborative relationships that improve the researcher experience.

Supervision and Management

• Team Leadership: Supervise the work of faculty and staff; collaboratively identify performance goals, conduct meaningful evaluations, and contribute to a supportive culture; mentor unit faculty and staff through career progression.
• Collaborative communication: Foster communication among team members and with other library units.
• Fiscal and ethical responsibility: Oversee and align expenditures with overall Libraries' strategies and goals; responsible for facilitating policies for copyright/fair use, data privacy, and user safety.
• Professional growth: Stay at the forefront of the field by pursuing professional development opportunities, and integrating new knowledge and skills into the work of the unit.
• Foster Inclusivity: Participate in a work culture that promotes diversity and anti-racism and actively works to eliminate or mitigate the effects of systemic racism and bias.

Scholarship:

• Contribute significantly to the profession to meet the Libraries' standards of scholarship.

Service:

• Participate in library, University and national service.

Minimum

• Master's degree from an ALA-accredited library or information science program or an ALA-approved foreign equivalent.
• Minimum of five years of experience in an academic or public library, or comparable environment, including at least two years in a position with responsibilities in one or more of the following areas:
  • digital scholarship
  • scholarly communications/copyright
  • computational research methods
  • research data management
  • maker technology
• Customer service skills and commitment to providing an excellent user experience in a diverse, fast-paced environment, including the ability to resolve issues in a professional and respectful manner.
• Record of scholarly activity, such as presentations, publications and/or grants.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of emerging trends in academic research services, including research data management and the possibilities and limitations of machine learning and large language models.
  Preferred
• Two years of supervisory experience and/or evidence of the ability to be an effective team leader who fosters an inclusive, efficient, and collegial workplace.
• Demonstrated experience improving workflows in library service areas by collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.