AI & Research Services Librarian

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Harrisonburg (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The AI & Research Services Librarian at James Madison University Libraries will shape how faculty, students, and research teams engage with artificial intelligence in research and scholarly communication. This role emphasizes responsible, ethical, and effective AI use and will contribute to building AI research support services.

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Research & Scholarly Communications, the position provides consultations and instruction, supports professional development, and

Qualifications

• Master's degree required.
• Direct experience with AI systems including generative AI and ML.
• Commitment to staying current with AI trends, policies and digital scholarship.
• Understanding of ethical, legal, environmental and social implications of AI in research.
• Ability to teach or develop instructional materials and workshops.

Responsibilities

• Provide consultations and training on AI applications in research contexts.
• Guide best practices for AI implementation, including transparency and data privacy.
• Collaborate with Libraries colleagues on AI features and assessments.
• Support AI professional development for Libraries staff.

Skills

AI systems experience

AI ethics awareness

Instructional materials

Communication

Collaboration

Inclusive environment

Education

Master's degree

Library/information science or computer science degree

Tools

Python

R

Markdown

Agent/MCP interfaces

Job description

Working Title: AI & Research Services Librarian

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: JMU Libraries

Department: 100113 – Libraries

Pay Band: N/A

Pay Rate: Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $70,000 - $75,000

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 12/11/2026

About JMU

Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information

The AI & Research Services Librarian will shape how faculty, students, and research teams engage with artificial intelligence (AI) in research and scholarly communication. This position is designed to help researchers not only use AI, but use it responsibly, ethically, and effectively.

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Research & Scholarly Communications, this position will contribute to the development of AI research support services at JMU Libraries. In addition to providing consultation and instruction support to faculty, staff, and students engaging in research, this position will also support professional development in the Libraries.

This AI & Research Services Librarian will join a team focused on research infrastructure and open scholarship and be a close collaborator with liaison librarians and technologists within the Libraries. The successful candidate will contribute to the Libraries’ ongoing AI strategy and advise on the current AI landscape, particularly as it affects the research enterprise in higher education.

The Libraries welcomes applicants who can demonstrate a commitment to building equitable and welcoming environments. We are committed to encouraging dialogue, cultivating a sense of belonging, and celebrating a broad range of life experiences and perspectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide consultations, training, and outreach to students and researchers on the application of AI, specifically generative AI and machine learning, in various research contexts.

Provide guidance on best practices for AI implementation, including algorithmic transparency and accountability, data privacy, and bias and harm mitigation.

Collaborate with Libraries colleagues on AI features or systems assessment and their impact on Libraries’ services, mission, or values.

Contribute to AI professional development programs for Libraries employees to ensure consistent knowledge about AI technologies and better support our users.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master's degree.
• Direct experience with artificial intelligence systems, including generative AI and machine learning, including an understanding of how open and commercial models and agents work, and a critical appreciation for their strengths and limitations.
• Demonstrated commitment to staying current with emerging trends and developments in AI, federal policies, and digital scholarship.
• Familiarity with the ethical, legal, environmental, and social implications of AI, particularly in research contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to teach or develop instructional materials including workshops, tutorials, or course-integrated sessions.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders and communicate complex technology concepts to non-expert audiences.
• Demonstrated commitment to building environments that are accessible and welcoming.

Additional Considerations:

• Degree in library or information science, computer science, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of LLM evaluation, local model installs, guardrails, agent deployment, MCP, and RAG concepts to scope and review projects.
• Experience with programming languages and tools commonly used in AI, such as Python, R, markdown, and agent/MCP interfaces.

Additional Posting Information

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area.

For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

JMU offers excellent https://www.jmu.edu/humanresources/benefits/Classified/classified-index.shtml which include paid vacation, sick, parental, and community service leave in addition to 19 paid holidays a year; affordable health insurance; retirement through the Virginia Retirement System.

We also offer a work-life balance and integration program, https://www.jmu.edu/humanresources/balanced-dukes/index.shtml, that is designed to support and enhance the overall wellbeing of our employees and a https://www.jmu.edu/humanresources/benefits/tuition-assistance/full-time_tuition_waiver.shtml that allows employees to have tuition waived for undergraduate and graduate level courses taken at JMU.

Visit our https://www.jmu.edu/humanresources/recruitment/recruiting/applicant/index.shtml site to learn more about what makes James Madison University a great place to work!

Conditions of Employment

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: [phone].

Reasonable Accommodation

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at [phone] or [e-mail]. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.