Immersive Technologies Librarian

The University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries seeks an Immersive Technologies Librarian to develop and provide services that support faculty, researcher, and student engagement with immersive technologies. Through the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (NFCDS), the Hesburgh Libraries are transforming scholarship at Notre Dame by empowering the ND community to critically engage with and utilize emerging digital technologies. To advance the Center’s mission to provide access to digital scholarship expertise and resources across all Notre Dame disciplines and audiences, the Immersive Technologies Librarian is responsible for coordinating activities for, and managing a broad range of, immersive extended reality (XR) devices, applications, and practices in the Libraries (such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality). 

As part of a highly collaborative team, the Immersive Technologies Librarian coordinates XR technologies services and provides instruction and outreach related to XR tools and topics to meet the diverse needs of the Notre Dame community. The position fosters relationships with departments, research institutes, and centers, and collaborates with a variety of partners in the Hesburgh Libraries, as well as experts and learners in a variety of fields across campus. The Immersive Technologies Librarian position is a key player in advancing the Libraries’ efforts to become a leader in the emerging XR Collective campus initiative.

The Immersive Technologies Librarian reports to the Director of the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship.

Responsibilities:

Immersive Technologies Services (50%)

Works in collaboration with the NFCDS team and other Libraries and campus colleagues to provide expert support for one or more immersive technologies, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality.

• Provides in-depth research consultations on a broad range of immersive extended reality technologies topics, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality devices, applications, and practices.
• Leads development/programming and sustaining of XR projects on behalf of the Libraries for both internal and external projects.
• With oversight from NFCDS Assistant Director/Director, coordinates access to XR technologies, including acquisition and maintenance of XR technology collections, policy and procedure development, and other applicable activities.
• Stays abreast of trends related to XR technologies in academic libraries via professional development and research, and regularly incorporates this knowledge into planning and sharing of information with relevant Libraries and campus colleagues.
• Assumes other responsibilities as assigned, including the potential to serve in a subject liaison/selector/specialist role. 

Instruction & Outreach (30%)

• Designs and instructs/co-instructs workshops and course-integrated data literacy sessions on topics related to XR that cater to the needs of diverse audiences and learning outcomes, and as appropriate, mentors NFCDS Pedagogy Fellows, Postdoctoral Research Associates, and other positions housed within the Center as a part of the other NFCDS team.
• Participates in outreach to promote Libraries and NFCDS resources and services. 

Institutional and Professional Involvement (20%)

• Engages with and contributes to professional and/or campus conversations and communities relating to digital scholarship, XR, and/or other relevant topics.
• As a member of the Libraries Faculty, participates in faculty and professional activities in the Hesburgh Libraries, the University of Notre Dame, and library or other relevant professional organizations.
• Serves on Libraries and University committees, task forces, and teams.
• Engages in professional development, scholarship, and professional service.
• Develops interdisciplinary collaborations and research opportunities with faculty that align with the University's and the Libraries' strategic directions.

Salary and Benefits

Faculty appointment, salary, and rank are nationally competitive with peer Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Per the University’s Academic Articles, librarians at Hesburgh Libraries may qualify for non-tenure library faculty appointments.  Candidates may learn more about Library faculty status through the University’s “Academic Articles” and the Hesburgh Libraries’ information circular “Criteria for Library Faculty Appointment and Promotion”. Both documents are available in the “Library Faculty Positions” section of Hesburgh Libraries’ Employment Opportunities web page, at https://www.library.nd.edu/employment/

In addition, the University of Notre Dame offers an outstanding benefits package. Candidates can view summaries of benefits at Human Resources’ Benefits Summaries web page, at https://hr.nd.edu/employment/benefit-summaries/. For this role, view the summary entitled “Regular Faculty {Full-Time}.”

Finally, the University of Notre Dame supports the needs of dual career couples and has a Dual Career Assistance Program to assist relocating spouses and significant others with their job search. Candidates can view summaries of this program at Human Resources’ Dual Career Assistance Program web page, at https://hr.nd.edu/employment/dual-career-assistance-program/

Environment

The University of Notre Dame is a highly selective global Catholic doctoral research university with very high research activity whose idyllic campus is located in northern Indiana’s Michiana region, and about 90 miles east from Chicago. For more information about the University of Notre Dame, please visit the University of Notre Dame homepage at http://nd.edu/. 

The Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame advances institutional priorities by utilizing a talent process that maximizes professional and personal potential, implementing innovative services that further intellectual inquiry, and facilitating access to knowledge across a wide range of scholarly resources in numerous disciplines and formats.

As the primary library system on Notre Dame's campus, Hesburgh Libraries is a dynamic organization that features the flagship Hesburgh Library. Hesburgh Library, along with the Main Building and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, is one of three iconic buildings that define the skyline of the Notre Dame campus. It also features the world-famous Word of Life mural (affectionately known as “Touchdown Jesus”).

The Hesburgh Library building houses the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship, the Medieval Institute Library, Rare Books & Special Collections, University Archives, and the Visual Resources Center. The Hesburgh Libraries organization also includes three specialty libraries located across the Notre Dame campus (Architecture Library, Business Library, and Music Library).

In 2022, the Hesburgh Libraries developed a new mission, vision, and strategic framework [pdf] designed to help advance Notre Dame's aspirations to become one of the world's leading research universities while prioritizing human and professional flourishing. Within this new framework, each member of the library community plays a key role in advancing strategic goals and objectives, sustaining critical operations, and defining shared values.

The Hesburgh Libraries organization employs nearly 200 people, including more than 50 library faculty members, and has been a longstanding member of several organizations, including Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), Northeast Research Libraries Consortium (NERL), HathiTrust, and the OCLC Research Library Partnership.

Additional information about Hesburgh Libraries can be found on the Libraries’ website https://www.library.nd.edu/employment/. For additional information about working at the University of Notre Dame and various benefits available to employees, please visit http://hr.nd.edu/why-nd. 

• Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited program (or international equivalent) or terminal degree in another relevant discipline and relevant experience by the time of appointment/position start.
• Demonstrated commitment to and support for a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated competence with one or more methods, tools, and domains relevant to the position, such as digital 3D asset management and development.
• Familiarity with immersive technologies practices, trends, and issues in higher education.
• Strong desire and demonstrated ability to learn new skills, tools, and technologies as may be necessary at position start as well as to adapt to future developments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience providing instructional/outreach services in a research library context.
• Experience supporting researchers in an academic or similar advanced research environment.
• Strong understanding of 3D object creation and manipulation of industry standard 3D applications (e.g., Blender, Maya); proficiency in Gaming Engine Development using Unity and/or Unreal; knowledge of relevant programming languages.
• Understanding of best practices for the development of ADA/accessible XR applications.
• Awareness of ethical issues and desire to integrate such considerations into teaching/outreach/research/general position responsibilities (e.g., accessibility issues in the makerspace community).

Diversity and Inclusion

We expect that the successful candidates will increase the diversity of voices within research libraries, higher education, and cultural heritage institutions. Through their materials, applicants should clearly demonstrate how they have embodied, fostered, or implemented an equitable culture that considers diversity to be a competitive advantage.

While the University of Notre Dame welcomes and actively seeks Catholic intellectuals, what the University asks of all its scholars and students is not a particular creedal affiliation, but a respect for the objectives of Notre Dame, and a willingness to enter into the conversation that gives it life and character. Therefore, the University insists upon academic freedom that makes open discussion and inquiry possible.

The University of Notre Dame is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors to employ and advance veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).