Assistant Director for Digital Scholarship Services

Binghamton University is a premier public R1 research institution in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, uniting over 130 interdisciplinary educational programs with vibrant research initiatives. The university fosters a collegial and inclusive culture committed to excellence, education, innovation, and civic engagement, supporting a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff.

About the role

Binghamton University Libraries seeks a collaborative, visionary, and service-oriented leader for the position of Assistant Director for Digital Scholarship Services. This supervisory role, located within the Research Services Department, provides leadership to a unit offering research services such as scholarly communication, open publishing, computational research methods (including AI), research data management, and multimedia production. The Assistant Director will oversee the Digital Scholarship Center, MakerLab, Data Studio, and Recording Studio, combining public service with a forward-thinking approach to emerging technologies and evidence-based decision-making.

This position is part of a newly reorganized Research Services department, which also includes Liaison Services, Special Collections, and Teaching and Learning, offering a unique opportunity to shape library services. The ideal candidate will have a background in academic library research services, a passion for continuous improvement, and strong leadership, teamwork, and strategic planning skills.

Responsibilities

• Strategic vision: Collaborate 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 supporting emerging research services, including research data management, text and data mining, machine learning, and other computational methods; conduct consultations, lead workshops, and create educational opportunities; raise awareness of transformative agreements and open data/publishing; align Libraries services with University needs and priorities.
• Compliance: Ensure university policies and practices regarding copyright, digital accessibility, and data privacy are met; ensure MakerLab operations follow Environmental Health and Safety and other campus partner guidelines; stay abreast of evolving campus or professional expectations.
• Embrace new challenges: Evaluate and recommend services and technology supporting established and emerging research areas.
• Transform data into insight: Maintain accurate statistics and workflow documentation; analyze data trends, provide reports to library administration, and incorporate results into decision-making.
• Lead and shape digital scholarship practices: Engage in library consortia, professional organizations, and peer networks; advocate for and implement innovative approaches; foster collaborative relationships to improve the researcher experience.
• Team Leadership: Supervise faculty and staff; collaboratively identify performance goals, conduct 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 Libraries' strategies and goals; facilitate policies for copyright/fair use, data privacy, and user safety.
• Professional growth: Pursue professional development opportunities and integrate new knowledge and skills into unit work.
• Foster Inclusivity: Participate in a work culture promoting diversity and anti-racism, actively working to eliminate 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.

Requirements

• 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 resolving issues professionally and respectfully.
• 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/limitations of machine learning and large language models.
• Two years of supervisory experience and/or evidence of effective team leadership fostering an inclusive, efficient, and collegial workplace.
• Demonstrated experience improving workflows in library service areas by collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.

Pay

Anticipated salary range of $80,250 to $107,000, inclusive of a renewable administrative stipend at established intervals.