Science Reference Librarian

LAC-Federal; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)

Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)

Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)

Job summary

LAC-Federal is seeking a highly motivated Science Research and Reference Services Librarian for their federal library. This role will deliver high-quality scientific and technical information services, engage with researchers and staff, and support various research activities.

The ideal candidate will possess a Master’s Degree in Library Science and have a solid background in reference and research support within scientific or technical environments. Benefits include a health care plan, retirement plan, and paid time off.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of equivalent full-time experience as a professional librarian.
• Experience conducting reference and research services in academic or federal library environments.
• Experience using scientific and technical databases.

Responsibilities

• Respond to reference and research inquiries from staff.
• Conduct complex literature searches and information retrieval.
• Develop research products including literature reviews and annotated bibliographies.

Skills

Strong research skills

Excellent customer service

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Experience with bibliometric analysis

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Education

Master’s Degree in Library Science (MLS/MLIS)

Tools

Web of Science

Scopus

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

Description

LAC Federal is seeking a highly motivated Science Research and Reference Services Librarian to support a federal library in the North Carolina area delivering high-quality scientific, technical, and research information services to researchers, scientists, analysts, and program staff. This position supports a federal scientific library environment and plays a critical role in providing reference, research, bibliographic, and information support services. The Librarian will work collaboratively with federal staff and other contractors to support scientific research, information discovery, and user engagement activities. The position requires strong research skills, excellent customer service, and experience working with scientific, technical, or academic information resources.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Respond to reference and research inquiries from NOAA staff using in-person, email, telephone, and virtual service channels
• Conduct complex literature searches and information retrieval using scientific and technical databases, repositories, and library systems
• Perform reference interviews to clarify research needs and identify appropriate resources and search strategies
• Develop research products including literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, research summaries, and briefing materials
• Assist with bibliometric analysis projects using tools such as Web of Science, Scopus, EndNote, and other analytical resources
• Support information discovery and access across NOAA library collections, databases, institutional repositories, and external information sources
• Provide training, instruction, and demonstrations on library resources, databases, and research tools
• Create research guides, instructional materials, and outreach content promoting library services and collections
• Track and report reference and research metrics, service activity, and customer engagement statistics
• Support interlibrary loan and document delivery services as needed
• Assist with collection development activities and user needs assessments
• Maintain awareness of emerging scientific information resources, library technologies, and federal research trends
• Ensure all work products meet applicable Section 508 accessibility requirements and NOAA standards

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Library Science (MLS/MLIS) from an ALA-accredited institution
• 2–3 years of equivalent full-time experience as a professional librarian
• Experience conducting reference and research services in academic, scientific, technical, or federal library environments
• Experience using scientific and technical databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCO, or similar platforms
• Strong research, analytical, and information retrieval skills
• Experience developing search strategies and synthesizing research findings
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong customer service and user engagement skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and common online collaboration tools
• Experience supporting federal scientific or technical libraries
• Experience conducting bibliometric or citation analysis
• Experience creating instructional materials, research guides, or library training content
• Familiarity with institutional repositories and digital library systems
• Experience with data visualization or reporting tools such as Tableau or Power BI
• Familiarity with Section 508 accessibility standards

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and use hands and fingers for extended periods of time in an office or library environment.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and computer systems, including keyboards, monitors, telephones, printers, scanners, and other electronic equipment, for prolonged periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, move, and transport books, library materials, files, boxes, and equipment weighing up to 25 pounds, and travel throughout office, library, meeting, and storage areas as needed.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development

EEO Statement

The company and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer and celebrate the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring/hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.