Open rank tenure-track faculty position in Library and Information Science (focus on librarianship)

The Library and Information Science (LIS) Department in the School of Communication and Information (SC&I) at Rutgers - New Brunswick invites applications for an open rank position (tenure track at assistant, associate, or full professor levels) in the areas of School, Academic, or Public Librarianship, with a focus on youth and learners.

We especially invite applicants whose work can help advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals at Rutgers, and within our department and school. The University Statement on Diversity can be found here. https://diversity.rutgers.edu/university-plan/university-diversity-goal.

We require an outstanding record of research in Library and Information Science (LIS) with expertise in School, Academic or Public Librarianship. The position presents a unique opportunity to lead integral research initiatives, advance our department’s longstanding international excellence in youth services in libraries, and mentor future professionals.

• Research and teaching expertise may include: formal and informal learning in school or public library contexts; emerging e-learning technologies; human information behavior; digital youth; youth information-seeking; traditional and emerging literacies (information/digital/data/ algorithmic, etc.); constructive maker/media creation/computing education innovations; interaction design for children; learning sciences; educational psychology; community-based/participatory research.
• Applicants should demonstrate the novel contributions of their scholarly research agenda to the iSchool / LIS academic discipline and relevant fields. 

Inquiries can be made to Prof. Rebecca Reynolds (rbreynol@comminfo.rutgers.edu), Chair, Department of Library and Information Science, Rutgers University, 4 Huntington St., New Brunswick, NJ, or search committee chair Joyce Valenza (joyce.valenza@rutgers.edu). 

Job responsibilities

Responsibilities of tenure-track faculty members include undergraduate and graduate teaching assignments, an active program of research in the candidate’s area of scholarly expertise, and service contributions in accordance with the university policy for tenure‐track and tenured appointments.

Overview of school

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Established in 1766, the university is the eighth oldest higher education institution in the United States. More than 67,000 students and 22,100 faculty and staff learn, work, and serve the public at Rutgers locations across New Jersey and around the world. Rutgers is committed to building a diverse community and encourages women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply. We are currently in an exciting period of transformation and growth as we form a hub for data science across departments at Rutgers University.

The School of Communication and Information (SC&I) is a dynamic center of learning at the heart of the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. Founded in 1982, SC&I research and teaching is delivered by three academic departments: Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, and Library and Information Science. Through five undergraduate majors and minors, three masters degrees, and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, the school teaches over 8400 students each year, of whom 2,500 are its own undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students. Geographically adjacent and closely connected to the world’s largest media and information hubs and supported by Rutgers’ vibrant scholarly community, SC&I embraces the university goals of promoting diversity throughout our networks and programs and is committed to social engagement. For more about the school see: http://comminfo.rutgers.edu.

The LIS Department is a charter member of the iSchools Consortium, has a dynamic research and learning culture, is international in scope, and local in impact, and is in an exciting period of growth. We seek candidates whose work advances scholarly agendas in their given fields and complements our faculty’s strengths, and who can deliver excellent instruction for students within our undergraduate and graduate programs. As their careers advance, ideal faculty hires will be well positioned to lead externally funded research projects and to initiate and strengthen collaborative research efforts within the LIS Department, SC&I, and across Rutgers University.

Required education and experience

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field is expected as of June 2024. Applicants should have a demonstrated record or strong likelihood of top-tier peer-reviewed publications and evidence of or preparation for effective teaching.  Applicants at the associate level or above should provide evidence of leadership in research, teaching, service, and, if appropriate, external funding

To apply

Applications will only be accepted through the Rutgers Jobs Portal at https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/208269.  Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. Candidates are asked to submit (1) a letter of application that articulates their fit to specific departmental and school‐wide research foci, (2) a CV, (3) two sample publications, and (4) the names and contact information for three references (no letters at this time).