Research Librarian Jobs
Research Librarian jobs are open across academic institutions, public libraries, law firms, healthcare systems, and corporate settings, from entry-level and paraprofessional roles to senior and department-head positions, with specializations in archival research, digital services, and reference and instruction. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 45+ Research Librarian jobs
Reporting to the Associate Director for Clinical, Academic, and Research Engagement (CARE), the Research Services Librarian provides research, reference, and instructional services to students, residents, faculty, researchers, and staff of UT Health San Antonio. This entry-level position is designed for a new or early-career librarian with an interest in health sciences librarianship. The incumbent supports public services such as access services and interlibrary loan, develops and coordinates outreach programs and initiatives, and assists with special projects. Working with the Collections, Acquisitions & Resource Discovery Services (CARDS) unit and the Senior Curator for Special Collections & Archives, the incumbent also supports collections and electronic resource management, student scholarly works, and Archives and Special Collections. The incumbent works alongside experienced liaison librarians and specialists in both the CARE and CARDS units, gaining broad experience across public services, collections, and special collections in an academic health science center library. The position is part of the CARE unit within the Health Science Center Libraries, which is responsible for outreach and engagement across the institution’s clinical, academic, and research enterprises. The Health Science Center Libraries support the incumbent’s professional development, including participation in the Medical Library Association and its chapters or related organizations.
Schedule:
Monday - Friday from 7:00am or 7:30am to 4:00pm - 4:30pm.
Fully on-site.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Provides general reference assistance and research consultations to students, residents, faculty, researchers, and staff by chat, email, and virtual or in-person appointments, and refers discipline-specific and complex requests to the appropriate liaison librarian.
Participates in the library’s On-Call Librarian rotation and provides backup coverage for liaison librarians’ on-call shifts.
Assists liaison librarians with literature searching and document delivery for research projects, including structured reviews, and with compiling data for departmental and faculty publication reports.
Designs and delivers in-person and virtual instruction and training sessions on library resources, evidence-based practice, information literacy, research skills, and related topics in collaboration with liaison librarians.
Creates and maintains instructional materials and online library guides in multiple formats (videos, online tutorials, guides, etc.) and identifies new topics for digital learning objects based on user needs.
Triages questions and requests from library users and resolves issues within established policies and procedures, escalating to the appropriate librarian or staff member as needed.
Plans and participates in library programs, events, and outreach activities in collaboration with the Resource Sharing & Outreach Librarian and other colleagues, including Student Life.
Provides backup coverage for the Library Services Assistants and for interlibrary loan and document delivery services as needed.
Supports collection management activities for electronic resources in collaboration with the CARDS unit, including monitoring collection expenditures and renewals and processing and tracking payments so that access to resources is not interrupted.
Maintains access and holdings information for electronic resources across library systems, troubleshoots access issues, and performs copy cataloging in the Koha integrated library system.
Receives, processes, and catalogs student scholarly works, including electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects, adds them to the Digital Archive, and manages embargoes in accordance with established procedures.
Assists with the processing and organization of Archives and Special Collections materials and supports tours of the P.I. Nixon Medical Historical Library.
Participates in library planning activities, contributes to the development of policies, procedures, and reports, and serves on library and campus committees.
Participates in professional development activities, including professional association involvement and continuing education.
Performs additional or special duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Candidate must be able to meet the criteria for appointment at the Librarian level. No post-MLIS professional library experience is required.
Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program. Degree must be completed and awarded prior to the hire date (anticipated hire date January 2027).
Working knowledge of library services and practices related to reference, instruction, outreach, and collection management, ideally in an academic or health sciences library.
Knowledge of health science information resources, including databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and UpToDate, and of evidence-based medicine.
Ability to provide high-quality services to diverse library users to meet their academic, research, and clinical information needs.
Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated organizational and project management skills and ability to balance multiple priorities, schedule constraints, and deadlines.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team and to develop and maintain strong working relationships with library users and university colleagues.
Working knowledge of standard productivity software (Microsoft Office); citation management software; integrated library systems and library-related platforms (e.g., Ex Libris Alma, Koha, Springshare); and electronic resource systems and research platforms (e.g., ORCID).
Able to qualify for a security-sensitive position.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
One (1) or more years of library experience at the staff level, or post-MLIS library experience, in an academic, medical, health sciences, or clinical library.
Coursework, practicum, internship, or work experience in health sciences librarianship, reference and instruction, cataloging and metadata, electronic resources, or archives and special collections.
Experience providing reference or research assistance, including by chat or email, or teaching library or research skills.
Familiarity with expert literature searching or systematic review methods.
Experience with cataloging (MARC, RDA) and with OCLC, Koha, or another integrated library system.
Experience creating research guides or instructional materials (e.g., LibGuides, video tutorials).
Interest in professional involvement through the Medical Library Association, its chapters, or related organizations.
Reporting to the Associate Director for Clinical, Academic, and Research Engagement (CARE), the Research Services Librarian provides research, reference, and instructional services to students, residents, faculty, researchers, and staff of UT Health San Antonio. This entry-level position is designed for a new or early-career librarian with an interest in health sciences librarianship. The incumbent supports public services such as access services and interlibrary loan, develops and coordinates outreach programs and initiatives, and assists with special projects. Working with the Collections, Acquisitions & Resource Discovery Services (CARDS) unit and the Senior Curator for Special Collections & Archives, the incumbent also supports collections and electronic resource management, student scholarly works, and Archives and Special Collections. The incumbent works alongside experienced liaison librarians and specialists in both the CARE and CARDS units, gaining broad experience across public services, collections, and special collections in an academic health science center library. The position is part of the CARE unit within the Health Science Center Libraries, which is responsible for outreach and engagement across the institution’s clinical, academic, and research enterprises. The Health Science Center Libraries support the incumbent’s professional development, including participation in the Medical Library Association and its chapters or related organizations.
Schedule:
Monday - Friday from 7:00am or 7:30am to 4:00pm - 4:30pm.
Fully on-site.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Provides general reference assistance and research consultations to students, residents, faculty, researchers, and staff by chat, email, and virtual or in-person appointments, and refers discipline-specific and complex requests to the appropriate liaison librarian.
Participates in the library’s On-Call Librarian rotation and provides backup coverage for liaison librarians’ on-call shifts.
Assists liaison librarians with literature searching and document delivery for research projects, including structured reviews, and with compiling data for departmental and faculty publication reports.
Designs and delivers in-person and virtual instruction and training sessions on library resources, evidence-based practice, information literacy, research skills, and related topics in collaboration with liaison librarians.
Creates and maintains instructional materials and online library guides in multiple formats (videos, online tutorials, guides, etc.) and identifies new topics for digital learning objects based on user needs.
Triages questions and requests from library users and resolves issues within established policies and procedures, escalating to the appropriate librarian or staff member as needed.
Plans and participates in library programs, events, and outreach activities in collaboration with the Resource Sharing & Outreach Librarian and other colleagues, including Student Life.
Provides backup coverage for the Library Services Assistants and for interlibrary loan and document delivery services as needed.
Supports collection management activities for electronic resources in collaboration with the CARDS unit, including monitoring collection expenditures and renewals and processing and tracking payments so that access to resources is not interrupted.
Maintains access and holdings information for electronic resources across library systems, troubleshoots access issues, and performs copy cataloging in the Koha integrated library system.
Receives, processes, and catalogs student scholarly works, including electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects, adds them to the Digital Archive, and manages embargoes in accordance with established procedures.
Assists with the processing and organization of Archives and Special Collections materials and supports tours of the P.I. Nixon Medical Historical Library.
Participates in library planning activities, contributes to the development of policies, procedures, and reports, and serves on library and campus committees.
Participates in professional development activities, including professional association involvement and continuing education.
Performs additional or special duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Candidate must be able to meet the criteria for appointment at the Librarian level. No post-MLIS professional library experience is required.
Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program. Degree must be completed and awarded prior to the hire date (anticipated hire date January 2027).
Working knowledge of library services and practices related to reference, instruction, outreach, and collection management, ideally in an academic or health sciences library.
Knowledge of health science information resources, including databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and UpToDate, and of evidence-based medicine.
Ability to provide high-quality services to diverse library users to meet their academic, research, and clinical information needs.
Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated organizational and project management skills and ability to balance multiple priorities, schedule constraints, and deadlines.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team and to develop and maintain strong working relationships with library users and university colleagues.
Working knowledge of standard productivity software (Microsoft Office); citation management software; integrated library systems and library-related platforms (e.g., Ex Libris Alma, Koha, Springshare); and electronic resource systems and research platforms (e.g., ORCID).
Able to qualify for a security-sensitive position.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
One (1) or more years of library experience at the staff level, or post-MLIS library experience, in an academic, medical, health sciences, or clinical library.
Coursework, practicum, internship, or work experience in health sciences librarianship, reference and instruction, cataloging and metadata, electronic resources, or archives and special collections.
Experience providing reference or research assistance, including by chat or email, or teaching library or research skills.
Familiarity with expert literature searching or systematic review methods.
Experience with cataloging (MARC, RDA) and with OCLC, Koha, or another integrated library system.
Experience creating research guides or instructional materials (e.g., LibGuides, video tutorials).
Interest in professional involvement through the Medical Library Association, its chapters, or related organizations.
See All 45 Research Librarian Jobs
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Find Research Librarian JobsResearch Librarian Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research librarian jobs.
- Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program required
- Proficiency with library databases such as ProQuest, Westlaw, or PubMed
- Experience providing reference and research services to diverse user populations
- Familiarity with integrated library systems such as Ex Libris or Sierra
- Demonstrated ability to design and deliver library instruction sessions
- Knowledge of metadata standards, cataloging practices, and information organization principles
Tips for Your Research Librarian Job Search
Tailor your resume to library type
Academic, law, medical, and corporate libraries each weight different skills. Highlight database expertise for law roles, instruction experience for academic ones, and EHR or clinical vocabulary for health sciences positions. Generic librarian resumes get screened out fast.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists research librarian openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Lead with your research specialization
Job postings often filter for a named subject area, such as business, STEM, or law. Put your subject specialty in your resume summary and in the first bullet of your most recent role, so it appears before a hiring manager stops reading.
Show evidence of your instruction work
Many academic and special library roles require library instruction. List specific courses, workshops, or one-shot sessions you've led, the audience size, and any learning outcomes you measured. Vague mentions of 'teaching experience' don't hold up against candidates who document it.
Prepare a teaching or research demonstration
Finalists for academic research librarian roles are often asked to give a live instruction session or walk through a research consultation on the spot. Prepare a ten-to-fifteen minute demo on a neutral topic you can deliver without advance notice.
Negotiate start date and professional development
Library employers often have more flexibility on start date and conference funding than on base salary. If the offer is firm on pay, ask specifically about ALA or SLA membership reimbursement and paid leave for professional development before you accept.
Research Librarian Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most research librarians?
The companies hiring the most research librarians right now include University of Alabama, George Washington University, and Keuka College, with the largest share of openings in New York, District of Columbia, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Academic medical centers and large university systems consistently account for a significant portion of active postings.
How many research librarian jobs are remote?
About 69% of research librarian openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies considerably by employer type. Digital services, electronic resources management, and scholarly communications roles are the most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements, while reference-heavy and instruction-focused positions typically require on-site presence.
How do you become a research librarian?
You need a Master of Library Science or Master of Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program, which typically takes two years to complete. During or after the degree, gain practical experience through internships, graduate assistantships, or paraprofessional roles. Specializing in a subject area and building instruction skills significantly strengthens your candidacy for academic and special library positions.
How do you get a research librarian job with little experience?
Start by applying to library assistant or paraprofessional roles while completing your MLS, since these positions build the reference and database skills employers expect. Volunteer for instruction sessions or research guides projects at your program's library. Many entry-level postings at smaller public libraries or community colleges explicitly welcome new graduates and treat the degree itself as the primary qualification.
What does the research librarian interview process look like?
Most academic and special library hiring processes involve a phone or video screening, followed by a full-day on-site interview for finalists. The on-site typically includes a panel interview with library staff and faculty, a teaching or research consultation demonstration, and sometimes a meeting with the department the position serves. Public library processes tend to be shorter, often stopping at a single structured panel interview.
Where can I find and apply to research librarian jobs?
You can find and apply to research librarian jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from academic institutions, public libraries, law firms, healthcare organizations, and corporate employers across the United States. Search for roles that match your subject specialty and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 45 Research Librarian Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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