Simbonis Librarian for User Experience

Yale Cancer Center; New Haven, Northern (CT, KY); Hybrid; USD 68,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentoring program

Professional development opportunities

Library committees participation

Job summary

Yale University’s Library—Cushing/Whitney Medical Library is seeking a Simbonis Librarian for User Experience to lead usability testing, workflow assessment, and user-centered enhancements across Yale's medical campus.

The two-year Simbonis Fellowship emphasizes collaboration with the Academic Research and Education Team, Clinical Research and Education Team, and Technology and Innovation Team, with mentoring and professional development opportunities as part of the program.

Qualifications

• MLS/MLIS degree completed by start date or within 90 days.
• Experience working across a complex organization with varied groups.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical and communications skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Academic Research and Education Team and Clinical Research and Education Team for student, faculty and clinician support.
• Assess user experience of access, services, resources, and spaces; identify barriers and implement improvements.
• Analyze and improve library workflows using UX principles to increase efficiency and usability.
• Plan and execute outreach programs to promote library resources and wellbeing.
• Conduct usability testing and workflow assessments to inform improvements.
• Provide general reference and information services for students and researchers.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Customer service

Project management

Collaboration

UX design

Education

MLS/MLIS degree

ALA-accredited program

Job description

Department: Library - Cushing/Whitney Medical Library

Working at Yale means contributing to a better tomorrow. Whether you are a current resident of our New Haven-based community, eligible for opportunities through the New Haven Hiring Initiative, or a newcomer, interested in exploring all that Yale has to offer, your talents and contributions are welcome. Discover your opportunities at Yale!

Overview

Reporting to the Head of Access & Delivery Services, the Simbonis Librarian for User Experience serves the Yale Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health and the broader Medical Campus through assessment, outreach, and reference activities. In partnership with a supportive team, the Simbonis Librarian for User Experience, engages with patrons and medical library staff to understand their diverse needs through usability testing and workflow assessment. Through this work, this librarian will leverage user-centered design to review, develop, and improve library processes and workflows to ensure their efficiency and usability while also gathering, analyzing, and communicating data that shows the impact and value of library services, spaces, and resources. As a member of the Access & Delivery Services department, this role is responsible for supporting the daily operations of the department and coordinating outreach activities that support academic success, wellness, and engagement.

Experienced and recent/projected MLS/MLIS graduates are encouraged to apply. You must have your degree completed by or within 90 days of start date. The fellowship allows the selected candidate the unique opportunity to work with several program areas, collaborate on projects, and to participate in a challenging and rewarding work environment. A flexible program will be developed to balance the candidate’s individual goals and interests with the library’s needs and with an eye to developing a few key projects to present at conferences. In addition, the librarian’s professional interests will be supported with a mentoring program, professional development opportunities, and participation on library committees.

This position will be assigned a rank of 3 based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments. Yale's librarian ranking structure was recently updated; applicants are encouraged to review current ranking information at: http://bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions

The Simbonis Fellowship is a two-year term appointment from the date of hire. The position is made possible by the Stanley Simbonis Fund.

Required Skills and Abilities

• 1. Excellent interpersonal, analytical and communications skills, including the ability to actively listen, understand and translate user needs into functional system improvements.
• 2. Commitment to providing excellent customer service standards and a passion for user-centered design.
• 3. Demonstrated ability to prioritize, multi-task and meet deadlines, and to conceptualize and conceive new solutions to problems with creativity and flexibility.
• 4. Ability to work both independently or collaboratively in a team environment, and to effectively build partnerships and promote the benefits of change in an academic culture that often values ambiguity, diversity of opinion and historic precedent.
• 5. Ability to design and implement effective programs, projects and services and bring them to fruition or conclusion promptly to achieve library objectives. Knowledge of techniques for evaluating/assessing information literacy programs and instruction.

Required Education and Experience

• 1. Master’s degree from an ALA‐accredited library school. In selected instances, a graduate degree in a related discipline may be substituted for a master’s degree in library science.
• 2. Experience working collegially, collaboratively and independently with varied groups with and across a complex organization, and a rapidly changing team environment.

Job Posting Date

10/02/2026

Principal Responsibilities

• 1. Collaborates on projects with colleagues on the Academic Research and Education Team who support students and faculty at the Yale School of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, colleagues from the Clinical Research and Education Team who support the patient care, research and education needs of clinicians at Yale New Haven Hospital, and colleagues from the Technology and Innovation Team who provide data, informatics, web, and technical support across the medical campus.
• 2. Assesses the user experience of access, services, resources, and spaces. Identifies barriers to access and engagement, recommends user-centered improvements, and coordinates implementation efforts in collaboration with department heads.
• 3. Analyze and improve medical library workflows and systems to increase efficiency, consistency, and usability, applying UX principles such as usability, accessibility, and user-centered design.
• 4. Plan and execute outreach programming that promotes academic success, wellness, engagement and increases awareness of Medical Library resources, services, and collections
• 5. Conduct usability testing and workflow assessments with users and staff to inform continuous system and process improvements.
• 6. Provides general reference and information services for students and researchers.
• 7. Participates in departmental- and medical library-planning, and engages in campus, regional, and national professional organizations, and collaborative activities.
• 8. Stay current on emerging library technologies/trends, UX practices, and AI trends to support continuous improvement and innovation.
• 9. May serve as department manager in the Department Head's absence.
• 10. May serve as a project manager for short-term projects.
• 11. May be required to assist in disaster recovery efforts.
• 12. May perform other duties as assigned.

Job Category

Professional

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Library

Compensation Grade Profile

(LIB)

Salary Range

$68,000.00 - $145,250.00

Benefits

A general description of the benefits to be offered with this Managerial & Professional position is available at:

Yale Benefits

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff Fixed Duration (Fixed Term)

Work Model

On-site

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks basedon the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.

Discrimination Statement

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran. Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

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