Head of Research Data Services (open rank Librarian II, III, IV)

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

1. Students are our top priority.
2. We strive for excellence.
3. We thrive on diversity.
4. We celebrate collaboration.
5. We champion innovation.
6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
8. We act ethically.
9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

About the Library at the Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Tech Library is a member of the University System of Georgia library consortia, Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), and the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The Georgia Tech Library has a unique and progressive service model that relies heavily on technology and electronic formats. Electronic resources account for 79% of our overall content, 98% of the Library's content expenditures and 99% of our content usage and the majority of our print collections are held in a high-density, climate-controlled storage facility in collaboration with Emory University Libraries. The GT Library works to fulfill the mission and vision of Georgia Tech and is committed to supporting the Institute's new Strategic Plan. The leadership orchestrates our efforts to ensure and maintain a positive, diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive.

Atlanta, GA

The Library (https://library.gatech.edu/) at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia seeks a collaborative and innovative Head of Research Data Services to lead the development and delivery of programs that support the management, curation, and sharing of research data across the Institute. The Head of Research Data Services will have a unique opportunity to shape the Librarys role in supporting data-intensive research at a leading Research 1 (R1) institution by advancing data literacy, open science, and compliance with funding agency requirements in collaboration with researchers, IT staff, and other campus units.

This position is envisioned as the foundation for a growing Research Data Services program. While the Head of Research Data Services will initially serve as the primary specialist, the long-term goal is to expand the team with additional positions as funding permits.

The ideal candidate will be a strong, forward-thinking leader with a commitment to service excellence and the ability to foster collaboration both within and beyond the Library. They should possess the vision, resilience, and core skills necessary to independently develop, deliver, and sustain research data services until additional staff can be hired. This position reports to the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Access.

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

This is a 12-month faculty position with an effort distribution of:

• 50% administration
• 30% librarianship
• 10% scholarship
• 10% professional service to the library profession.

Up to two (2) years credit for previous professional experience may be given at the time of employment, in which case such credit will be stated in the offer letter. The Georgia Tech Library Faculty may enjoy flexible work schedules, professional development, and a healthy work-life balance. This is not a remote position, but some teleworking hours is supported.

This is a benefits-eligible position with a minimum salary of $90,500 including an administrative stipend, commensurate with education and experience.

Provide and improve library services and resources; enrich the research, learning, and scholarship of the Georgia Tech community through the following:

50% Administration

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Develop and implement strategic plans for research data services in alignment with the university's and the Library's mission, values, and vision.
• Participate in long-range planning, collaborating with Library leadership, faculty, and staff to identify and advance strategic opportunities supporting research data services.
• Advise the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Access on departmental matters, including planning, resource allocation, and service development.
• Serve as the foundation for a growing Research Data Services program, with the long-term goal of expanding the team as funding permits.

Program and Department Management

• Provide expertise and leadership to faculty and staff on research data best practices, policies, and workflows.
• Oversee daily operations, budget planning, and resource allocation for the Research Data Services department.
• Hire, train, supervise, develop, and evaluate Research Data Services faculty and staff.
• Lead projects and cross-functional teams related to research data management, curation, and open science.

Campus and External Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), the Executive Director for Research Computing and Data, academic departments, and external partners to integrate research data services into institutional research infrastructure.
• Partner with archivists, librarians, and other Library colleagues to ensure a unified strategy for research data management, curation, sharing, and preservation.
• Represent the Library in campus-wide committees and working groups focused on research data, open science, and research computing, advocating for best practices and shared priorities.

30% Librarianship

• Provide expert consultation services to researchers on data management plans, data organization, metadata standards, data documentation, and strategies for data discovery, sharing, and curation.
• Design and deliver training sessions, workshops, and outreach programs to educate researchers on effective data management practices across the research lifecycle.
• Identify emerging trends and assess user needs to inform the creation or enhancement of research data services.
• Collaborate with liaison librarians and other library staff to incorporate research data services into instruction, research consultations, and departmental outreach.
  
• Stay current with technologies, standards, and trends in research data, open science, and scholarly communication.
  
• Seek opportunities for innovation and experimentation that enhance library services and strengthen the university's research enterprise.

10% Scholarship and Creative Endeavors

• Contribute professionally through research, scholarship, and creative activities consistent with expectations for Library faculty members.
• 10% Service to the Library, Institute, and LIS Profession
• Foster positive relations with faculty, students, and staff, promoting the Library's and Institute's values.
• Contribute to the profession through active participation in professional organizations at local, state, regional, or national levels.

This position will be filled at the rank of Librarian II, Librarian III, or Librarian IV. Final determination of rank will be commensurate with experience and professional contributions.

Librarian II

• Appointment to this rank requires an appropriate terminal degree, typically an American Library Association (ALA) - accredited master's degree, a degree in a subject related to archival work, and/or in the appropriate area of specialization.
• Evidence of scholarship and/or evidence of service to the librarian profession.
• 5 years of professional experience.

Librarian III / Archivist III

• Appointment to this rank requires an appropriate terminal degree, typically an American Library Association (ALA) - accredited master's degree, a degree in a subject related to archival work, and/or in the appropriate area of specialization.
• A strong record of scholarship and service demonstrating significant contributions to the librarian/archivist profession.
• 10 years of professional experience.

Librarian IV

• Appointment to this rank requires an appropriate terminal degree, typically an American Library Association (ALA) - accredited master's degree, a degree in a subject related to archival work, and/or in the appropriate area of specialization.
• A strong record of scholarship and service demonstrating the highest standards of professional contributions to the librarian profession and are recognized widely by peers.
• 15 years of professional experience.

Applicants must submit a letter of interest, CV, and a 500-1,000-word statement discussing your philosophy on the ethics of leadership, and the names and contact information for at least three references. Application materials should be submitted as .PDF files via

• Experience working in a research lab or research study, preferably in a STEM field.
• Experience starting or developing a new program, service, or department within a research or academic environment.
• Two or more years of progressively responsible supervisory experience.
• Experience in supporting research data management and dissemination, including knowledge of documentation and metadata standards, approaches to support preservation, and best practices for sharing data.
• Experience with a variety of data repository platforms (e.g., Dataverse, OSF, Figshare, Dryad) and familiarity with metadata standards (e.g., DataCite, Dublin Core, disciplinary schemas).
• Knowledge of open-source tools and technologies that support data discovery, sharing, and reuse (e.g., Jupyter Notebooks, GitHub, Zenodo).
  Proficiency in various statistical analysis and programming languages (e.g., R, Python), data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau), and qualitative and mixed methods software (e.g., NVivo, MAXQDA).
• Knowledge of high-performance computing environments and their role in research data workflows.
  
• Understanding of data privacy, security, and ethical issues in research data (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR, FERPA).
  
• Knowledge of emerging trends in higher education and new developments in research data services including data management, curation, and stewardship and how they support teaching, scholarship, and research.
  
• Experience creating and delivering advanced training sessions, workshops, and outreach programs on research data topics, such as FAIR principles, funder requirements, or open science practices.
  
• Demonstrated commitment to developing a team through cultivating a culture of coaching, mentoring, and training.
  
• Ability to lead departmental change, engage in big picture thinking, and build consensus around a strategic vision.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, facilitate internal communication, and coordinate efforts across library departments.
• Demonstrated experience with project management, including planning, communication, and assessment.
• Ability to promote an inclusive and welcoming educational and work environment.
  
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, analytical, written, and oral communication skills.

Requests for information may be directed to Karen Glover karen.glover@library.gatech.edu. Applications will be considered beginning October 10, 2025, but the search will continue until the position is filled.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (USG) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individuals race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

This is not a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is not considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position will not travel
This position does not require security clearance.

Successful candidate must be able to pass a background check. Please visit http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/employment/pre-employment-screening