Science Technical Information Specialist

Science Technical Information Specialist

Location: Greenbelt, MD |
Appointment: 1-year (with 2 optional additional years) |
On-site: 100%

ZAI is seeking a Technical Information Specialist to provide services in the Customer Services Unit (CSU) of a major federal agency’s scientific research library. The Technical Information Specialist will provide daily coverage of the reference service desk and chat service, monitor the online Lib Answers request queue, respond to email and telephone inquiries, and provide on-site researcher consultations as needed.

Reference librarians will also attend or provide training, update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and assist with FOIA or bibliometric projects as time allows.

• Learn and search specialized print and online agricultural and food information resources to provide clear, authoritative, and appropriate responses to customers.
• Become proficient with agency services, databases, and platforms to deliver high-quality customer support.
• Support user experience for both physical and digital collections
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• Follow all SOPs related to CSU, reference services, Lib Answers, and service desk operations.
• Contribute to the Lib Answers FAQ and recommend workflow improvements as needed.
• Assist CSU librarians with special projects as assigned.
• Fulfill FOIA requests in accordance with federal guidelines.
• Support assigned bibliometric data calls or projects
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• Bachelor's Degree in a science-related field.
• 5+ years of experience in a specialized, technical, or science library, with demonstrated knowledge of agriculture or related disciplines
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• Minimum 5 years of experience performing reference and research work in a scientific library.
• Strong background in agriculture, food, environmental science, or related disciplines
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• Deep understanding of literature searching and search string construction.
• Experience searching scientific databases to provide comprehensive responses to reference and research requests.
• Knowledge of library bibliographic records, MARC records, and metadata
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ZAI is an equal opportunity employer
. In compliance with Federal and State Equal Opportunity Laws, qualified applicants are considered for all positions applied for without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.