Faculty Position: Information Scientist and Information Designer at the University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science in Columbia invites applications and nominations for two tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant or Associate Professor level to begin fall 2017.

Shape the future of library and information science. Pursue your interests in a diverse, intellectually stimulating, and multi-disciplinary environment that provides support and encouragement as part of a collaborative work culture. Be a strong voice in the shaping of a growing information science undergraduate program. An earned doctorate in library and information science or a related field is preferred, while strong candidates who are ABD with a fixed graduation date will be considered. This position requires a clearly articulated research agenda, and enthusiasm for and excellence in teaching in both online and face-to-face formats.

The School is particularly interested in two candidates with specializations in one or more of the following areas:

  • Information Science
  • Information Retrieval, Storage, and Access
  • Human Computer Interaction
  • Databases
  • Knowledge Management
  • User Experience and Service
  • Web Systems
  • Metadata
  • Data Analytics

Selected candidates will be expected to help with the school’s commitment to diversity through research, teaching, and service.

The School of Library and Information Science has a growing Bachelor of Science in Information Science program and a joint Certificate of Health Communications with Public Health and Communications. The School’s MLIS degree program is fully accredited by the American Library Association.  The school library preparation program is part of the University’s Professional Education Unit which is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).  The School also offers three programs of advanced study beyond the Master’s degree (the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Library and Information Science, the Specialist in Library and Information Science, and the Ph.D. in Library and Information Science).  Faculty teach across all degree programs.

The School has a strong commitment to distance education and is one of two Schools in the College of Information and Communications. The second is the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The School is located on the campus’ historic Horseshoe. It has nationally recognized programs in school library media, youth services, and medical librarianship. Since its inception, the School has emphasized the use of information technology as a vital component of library and information services.

Founded in 1801, the University of South Carolina-Columbia is the flagship campus of an eight-campus, fully accredited, state-supported system. USC­ Columbia has strong undergraduate and graduate programs and other highly regarded professional schools including: medicine, law, education, engineering, social work, pharmacy, public health, arts and sciences, nursing, and business administration. The University is a Carnegie Research I institution. Approximately 33,000 students are enrolled on the Columbia campus and more than 44,000 throughout the system. The City of Columbia is the state capital with a metropolitan area population of almost half a million. It is a state center of financial, transportation, and industrial development, and it has a rich historical and cultural tradition.  It is located within easy driving distance of both mountains and coast.

Responsibilities:

  • Participate in instruction, research, publication, grant writing, and other scholarly activities
  • Instruct undergraduate and graduate courses in both face-to-face as well as online environments
  • Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students
  • Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Earned doctorate in by time of appointment in library and information studies or related field
  • Capacity to teach in an undergraduate program
  • Ability to conduct scholarly research in the field
  • Capacity to teach and mentor at the graduate level
  • Knowledge in creating educational materials for face-to-face and online instruction
  • Understand and appreciate information science’s connection to field of librarianship

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Teaching experience at the collegiate level
  • Teaching experience in an online or distance education environment
  • Active involvement in one or more professional organizations appropriate to area of expertise
  • Experience in management or teaching management courses
  • Experience in procuring grants or external funding

Applications and nominations are invited for positions to be available in August 2017. Salary is fully competitive. The Committee will begin full review of applications and nominations October 31, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled.

TO APPLY: Applicants should send a letter of application and a complete resume/CV including the names of three references to Ms. Angela Wright at [email protected] or by mail to School of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina, Davis College, 1501 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208.

For further information, questions, or to submit nominations, send an email to Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang, Committee Chair at [email protected] or call at 803-777-0224

School Information is available at http://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/cic/library_and_information_science

Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. The University of South Carolina is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

The University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity institution.

[Be aware it may take the official university a couple of days to post the job and application information]