Data Science Specialist/Librarian (Assistant or Associate)

The University of Arizona Libraries invites you to apply to the role of Data Science Specialist/Librarian (Assistant or Associate rank).

Located within the University of Arizona Libraries Research Engagement department, Data Cooperative provides data science, geospatial, and digital scholarship services for the University of Arizona. The incumbent will contribute to a robust program supporting data analysis and visualization through a variety of formats, providing up-to-date and on-demand training for relevant tools and resources.

The Data Science Specialist / Librarian will: design, develop, and deliver instruction on data science topics such as Python programming; provide training in the use of software to support communication of scholarship through visual media; stay abreast of trends and tools available in the evolving data science ecosystem; work with library colleagues and researchers to identify appropriate tools, platforms, and resources for visualization and informatics projects; collaborate with other members of the Data Cooperative and Research Engagement to develop outreach strategies and partnerships for supporting projects on computational and data literacy; identify opportunities for impactful engagement in data visualization and analysis by the University Libraries; contribute to the scholarly record through research, creative works, and/or scholarship. The successful candidate will be appointed as a Specialist or Librarian, depending on their terminal degree.

This is a continuing-eligible or continuing status track, academic professional position. Incumbents are members of the general faculty and are entitled to all accompanying rights and privileges granted by the Arizona Board of Regents and the University of Arizona. Retention and promotion are earned through achievement of a record of excellence in position effectiveness, scholarship, and service.

We will be hosting an informational webinar on December 11, 2025 from 10:00 - 11:00am MST - no registration needed.

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in data science support and what you hope to bring to the role.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

• Data
  Science Outreach and Services
  • Develop and lead training opportunities in tools and
    resources such as data visualization, data analytics, and/or predictive
    analytics.
  • Develop and lead training opportunities in
    introductory-level Python programming.
  • Provide consultations to researchers on data analyses
    and visualization.
  • Create effective marketing strategies for
    visualization and analysis services.
  • Contribute to web resources to aid in discovery of
    visualization and analysis resources.
  • Collaborate with Data Cooperative unit and Research
    Engagement department to support scholars and researchers throughout respective
    project lifecycles.
• Programmatic Liaison
  to Campus Partners
  • Partner with the Office of Research & Partnerships
    and Research Computing to support researchers needs for computational resources
    for data-intensive science.
  • In collaboration with the Office of Research &
    Partnerships, organize Software and Data Carpentry workshops for researchers at
    the University of Arizona.
  • Collaborate with relevant academic liaisons to support
    data science needs at the University of Arizona.
• Library Support
  • Provide leadership on engaging Library personnel with
    visualization and/or analytical approaches relevant to their portfolios.
  • Communicate information on activities to Library staff
    and the University community.
  • Participate in shared decision-making, goal setting,
    and planning activities within the domain.
  • Support the Research Data Repository by participating
    in occasional dataset curation activities.
• Scholarship
  • Conduct original research and scholarship and
    disseminate findings through publication and participation in professional
    conferences.
  • Plan and implement a continuous learning program that
    develops and improves personal skills and abilities and professional knowledge
    needed to meet the above responsibilities.
• Service
  • Support the profession through participation in
    professional societies, organizations, and initiatives.
  • Support the Libraries and UA with strategic
    initiatives designed to encourage varied perspectives and create a positive environment for all faculty, staff, and students.
  • Participate on committees and other service groups as
    assigned. The teams and amount of work may vary from year to year and includes
    participation in UAL shared governance.
  • The UA
    Libraries support the UA's strategic initiatives designed to create a welcoming
    environment for all faculty, staff, and students. The candidate is expected to support related
    strategic efforts in the department and Libraries.
  • Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated expertise in training
  audiences with a variety of experiences and perspectives.
• Ability to work in a highly collaborative environment, one that values and leverages the benefits of a
  variety of perspectives.
• Knowledge of resources used to
  visualize data and communicate findings and trends.
• Proficiency in Python data analysis
  and visualization resources.
• Interest in promoting affordable,
  relevant open source software to appropriate audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal and
  communication skills (written, visual, and oral).
• Ability to identify and pursue
  opportunities.
• Ability to work independently and as
  part of team.
• Ability to work in an academic
  environment, interacting with clientele from a range of career trajectories and
  disciplines.
• Positive attitude and strong
  demonstration of UA Libraries' Values.

• Master's degree.
• Experience with the Python scripting
  language.
• Experience teaching or training.

• Professional experience working in an academic research library or other instructional/training setting
• Carpentries Instructor Certification
• Experience applying analytical or visualization approaches to a range of user needs and expertise
• Experience with one or more Python machine learning libraries (e.g. NumPy, scikit-learn, TensorFlow)
• Experience with one or more Python data visualization libraries (e.g., Seaborn, Bokeh, plotly)
• Demonstrated experience in pursuing independent and collaborative scholarship, such as peer-reviewed research, creative works, or open software projects