James Madison University Libraries seeks an enthusiastic and innovative leader for the new position of Head of Research & Engagement (R&E) in the Digital Scholarship & Distinctive Collections department (DSDC). This position is a full-time, twelve-month, tenure-track position with instructional faculty status at JMU. We anticipate hiring at the rank of Assistant Professor.

The position will join the collaborative DSDC leadership team and report to the DSDC director. DSDC stewards rare books, manuscripts, and archives; supports digital scholarship methods in teaching, learning, and research; and preserves general and distinctive collections at JMU.

The position will lead a team responsible for the department’s research services, collection circulation, instruction, outreach, events, and physical exhibits. R&E responsibilities include managing a public service desk, reading room, and classroom in the renovated and expanded Carrier Library, opening Fall 2026. The Head of R&E will embrace exciting growth potential in DSDC’s services, especially in the R&E portfolio.

In addition to supervising 2 full-time employees and shaping R&E’s services, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage with JMU faculty, staff, students, and the local community. The Head of R&E will share responsibility with colleagues for designing and delivering instruction, developing public events, curating exhibits, providing reference services, and participating in outreach and communications.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide leadership for the Research & Engagement team in the Digital Scholarship & Distinctive Collections (DSDC) department. Responsibilities include:
• Collaborating as a member of the DSDC Leadership team to coordinate services, operations, and initiatives across the department.
• With the Director of DSDC, developing and maintaining policies, workflows, best practices, and overall direction for the department’s research services, collection circulation, instruction, outreach, events, and physical exhibits.
• Supervising, coaching, and appropriately delegating to the Research & Engagement team.
• Liaising with relevant colleagues across Libraries to support Research & Engagement functions.

Support Libraries users by actively contributing to DSDC services, operations, and initiatives. In collaboration with DSDC colleagues, responsibilities include:
• Designing and delivering instruction sessions.
• Developing public events.
• Researching and curating exhibits.
• Staffing the DSDC service point.
• Contributing to or participating in public communications that tell the story of DSDC’s work.

Engage in relevant service and scholarly and professional development activities.

Qualifications:

Required:
• A graduate degree in library science or another relevant field
• Demonstrated understanding of distinctive collections and digital scholarship and a vision for engaging students, faculty, staff, and the public in both
• Demonstrated experience leading projects, initiatives, and or operations in an organization
• Demonstrated experience in library/archives public services
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills to effectively work with a diverse community of library users and colleagues

Additional Considerations:
• Demonstrated instruction experience, especially in teaching with primary sources and/or digital pedagogy
• Demonstrated experience providing research/reference support to users of distinctive and digital collections
• Demonstrated experience with or ability to learn collection, content, and/or circulation management systems, especially Aeon, ArchivesSpace, and WordPress
• Demonstrated exhibit curation experience
• Demonstrated experience supervising the work of others

Salary Range: $78,000 - $80,000

Beginning Review Date: 8/18/2025

To apply please visit https://apptrkr.com/6383251