20 December 2020
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The American Center of Research (formerly the American Center of Oriental Research), a U.S. nonprofit dedicated to advancing knowledge of Jordan and the interconnected Middle East past and present, seeks a Librarian and Archivist. This full-time position in Amman, Jordan, is in charge of the library and archives, which includes substantial digital holdings. The candidate will supervise staff, oversee active grants and projects, and manage a ca. 45,000-volume library that receives thousands of visitors annually.
Duties and Responsibilities:
ACOR’s facility, including our library, is presently undergoing a major renovation, so the selected candidate will have the opportunity to rebuild, update, and modernize information resources at ACOR, along with the renovated facility. Duties include purchasing and cataloging new acquisitions, maintaining serial holdings, developing and implementing relevant policies, facilities oversight and monitoring, ongoing assessment of library resources, management of daily operations, providing reference/ research assistance and instruction to users, and building relationships with similar libraries and institutions. The candidate will dedicate significant time implementing an extant digital archiving grant, so demonstrated ability in digital content management is essential.
The successful candidate will be a primary point of contact for ACOR fellows and residents, as well as international and local scholars and students, and will assist in organizing and hosting events (e.g., lectures, workshops), overseeing or assisting in the facilitation and implementation of projects, managing digital data, and advancing other core initiatives of the organization. Additional duties will be assigned, as needed. The candidate is expected to contribute new ideas for the future and benefit of the organization, including developing grant proposals.
Requirements:
Candidates with a postgraduate degree in LIS, MLS, or related are preferred. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in LIS, MLS, or similar from an ALA-accredited (or international equivalent) institution is required. Experience facilitating archaeological, linguistic, and socio-cultural research, or other similar fields, especially in or of the Near or Middle East is advantageous. Fluency in written and spoken English is required and proficiency in Arabic is desirable. Experience working with Liberty, Starchive, WordPress, JSTOR, and MARC21 are valuable and should be noted in the application if/when applicable.
Demonstrated experience working with varied stakeholders, including scholars, government officials, and the public, is of considerable value. The ideal candidate would be described by others as a “people person” and enjoy assisting and engaging with scholars, students, and the general public.
Salary and Benefits:
This is a full-time position (1.0 FTE). Salary will be based on experience but in the range of $35,000 to $45,000 annually (note: if the successful candidate is a U.S. tax-payer, the salary can be exempted from U.S. income taxes provided that certain qualifications are met, making this equivalent to a taxed $42,000 to $55,000 salary). ACOR contributes to social security and provides health insurance, a retirement plan, annual paid vacation based on length of service, annual paid sick leave, holidays, lunch
daily, and other benefits. Lodging can be provided at our center initially, but is not expected to be provided in perpetuity. Total compensation value will be approximately $70,000 to $75,000 annually
To apply: Please send a letter of interest, names and contact information for three references, and current CV to opportunity@acorjordan.org. Review of applications will begin January 10, 2021, and continue until the position is filled. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted.
ACOR is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions including hiring, termination, promotion, and wages and privileges will be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or any other classification protected by law.
