BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES SPECIALIST
HARDIN LIBRARY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

Responsibilities: Reporting to the Assistant Director, Collections and Outreach, and working as a member of the education and outreach team, the Biomolecular Sciences Specialist develops and conducts a program for supporting biosciences and bioinformatics programs on the University of Iowa health campus.

• As liaison to biomedical research programs, centers, and departments, cultivates relationships with faculty, graduate students and research groups to identify opportunities for library partnerships.
• Develops and teaches tailored education sessions related to selection and use of biosciences, genetics and bioinformatics tools and resources. Coordinates education services for liaison units. Works with faculty to integrate library education into the curriculum.
• In support of research and education, assists researchers with effective application of biomedical information tools and skills through individual and small group consultations. Coordinates consultation services for liaison units.
• Conducts and publishes research to better develop relevant programs for the biomedical sciences community.
• Investigates new technologies and works with others to develop and revise programs to respond to the changing information needs of members of the health campus.
• Updates and maintains information about research tools to promote and support biosciences and bioinformatics resources available to members of the biomedical research community.
• Partners with other librarians to market library services and promote increased awareness of scholarly communication issues on the health campus.
• Works with other Hardin Library staff members on public services projects for the health campus and health professionals and consumers in the State of Iowa.
• Serves on Hardin Library, University Libraries, health colleges, university and hospital committees and working groups.
• Contributes to and learns from the profession through such avenues as local, state and national professional organizations and publications.

Requirements and preferences:
Required: Masters degree in physical or life sciences; six or more years’ related professional experience; knowledge of and experience searching molecular biology resources such as genomic and proteomic databases; experience in library and/or science instruction; demonstrated willingness to embrace new and emerging technologies; excellent oral and written communication skills; demonstrated commitment to diversity in the workplace or community; continuing achievement, particularly at a national level, in an area or areas of professional interest that will enhance his/her value to the Libraries, the University, the profession of librarianship, or the scholarly community.

Desired: Ph.D. in biochemistry, bioinformatics, genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, biotechnology or related discipline; graduate degree from an ALA-accredited library science program; experience in an academic health sciences library; experience coordinating and promoting services; experience providing health sciences research consultation services.

Additional Expectations of the Position:
Civil and Respectful Interactions: Demonstrates respect for all members of the University community in the course of performing one’s duties and in response to administrators, supervisors, coworkers, and customers.
Diversity and Inclusion: Welcomes the richness of talent from a diverse workforce and recognizes that diversity brings stimulation, challenge, and energy that contribute to a productive and effective workplace.
Leadership Accountability: Represents the interests of the University and of unit leadership in the use of resources to meet service and productivity demands within unit goals and budgets; strives to promote continual process and quality improvement.

Learning and Professional Development: Seeks opportunities to enhance one’s own professional knowledge, skills, and abilities as they relate to one’s current position and/or to prepare for potential future roles and overall career development.

Salary and benefits: Appointment will be made at the Librarian III or IV level with a salary range of $44,000 to $57,500. The University of Iowa offers an attractive package of benefits including 24 days of paid vacation per year, TIAA/CREF retirement, and a flexible selection of medical, life, and dental insurance, childcare credit, and additional options.

Hardin Library for the Health Sciences: Hardin Library is a dynamic research-oriented medical library with an emphasis on user-focused services and active education and outreach programs. The Library serves over 15,000 faculty, students and staff in the University’s five health colleges (Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health) and the staff of one of the largest university-owned teaching hospitals in the country. It is also a regional resource and outreach library for the National Library of Medicine, and, as the largest medical library in the State of Iowa, serves the state through a number of electronic and traditional information services. The collection consists of over 370,000 volumes, including an expanding digital collection of over 4,000 electronic journals and databases. There is a staff of 23 FTE, including 13 professionals. The annual collections budget is approximately $1.9 million.

The University of Iowa Libraries: The University of Iowa library system consists of the Main Library, the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences and 10 branch libraries (Art, Music, Business, and the sciences). With more than 4 million volumes, the Libraries ranks 31 out of 114 among the Association of Research Libraries for size of collections. InfoHawk, the Libraries’ integrated online system, uses ExLibris’ Aleph 500 software. The Libraries has been innovative in the development of services related to digital technologies with the creation of such units as the Information Arcade and Information Commons. The University Libraries is an active member of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and the ARL SPARC Project. The Libraries provides a program of support for professional development activities and its staff members are actively engaged in national cooperative efforts.

The University and Iowa City: A major research and teaching institution, the University of Iowa offers internationally recognized programs in a diverse array of academic, medical, and artistic disciplines, from otolaryngology to fiction writing, printmaking to space science, hydraulic engineering to dance. The University consists of a faculty of 2,000 and a permanent staff of 15,000 serving 29,000 students, close to 10,000 of whom are registered in graduate and professional degree programs. Approximately 8% of the University’s workforce is minority faculty and staff, 9% of the student body are members of minority groups, and 7% are international students.

Iowa City is a community of some 63,000 people with excellent educational, recreational, and cultural advantages and is consistently cited in the national media as a city with an excellent quality of life. The community is growing in its diversity; within the Iowa City Community School District, 13.4% of the students are African American, 7.2% are Asian American, 6.6% are Latino, and .5% are Native American. The Latino population is increasing at a rate of .5% per year. The city is readily accessible via interstate highways and a major airport only 30 minutes away.


HOW TO APPLY:
To apply for this position, please visit the University of Iowa Jobs[at]UIOWA website at http://jobs.uiowa.edu. To help facilitate your application process, note the requisition number – 54348.

DEADLINE:
Applications must be received by September 14, 2007.

THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. WOMEN AND MINORITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.

For more information about the University of Iowa Libraries and community, please see
http://www.lib.uiowa.edu and http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/about/employment/recruiting.html

For more information about the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, please see
http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/