Information Specialist (0,8-1,0 fte)

Introduction

As information specialist, you help students, lecturers, and researchers to find their way to the knowledge they need for studies or research in their field. You develop teaching materials and keep them updated, give online and offline workshops, and devise ways to optimise our services to even more closely meet the needs of our users.

As part of a team consisting of other information specialists and a scholarly communication steward, you will have a solid and broad foundation in information literacy, but may also work on themes including responsible GenAI in education and (open) digital educational resources: topics that are in full development and have a direct impact on education and research. You are not necessarily expected to be an expert in all of these areas, particularly at the outset, however qualified candidates will have a reasonable level of foundational knowledge across these domains, as well as a willingness to learn, to adapt to emerging needs, and to support team colleagues where needed.

Job description

Examples of what your tasks may include (your own unique skills and experience in the area of information literacy may also play a role in your final task profile):

• Teaching information literacy to EUR students at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level
• Keep up with developments in the library world, information literacy, GenAI, and scientific information
• Developing the University Library’s information literacy training programmes, in terms of both content and format
• Supporting students in finding and using academic information sources, both on an individual basis and via workshops
• Participating in teaching projects and other supporting educational activities
• Contributing ideas on communicating about the UB and its services on social media

Together with your team you report to the Team Leader Information Specialists.

Every job is different, so in the beginning we will devote attention to your onboarding. If some of the work activities are new to you, we'll work together to figure out what you need, and draw up a development plan.

Job requirements

• A completed higher professional education (HBO) or university (WO) degree
• Knowledge of how to search for and find academic information in relevant academic sources
• Experience in developing teaching materials and/or workshops
• Experience in and affinity with delivering online and offline teaching
• Experience in conducting literature reviews
• Excellent communication skills in Dutch and English (C1 level)
• Preferrable: Experience with and knowledge of responsible generative AI use
• Preferrable: Experience with and knowledge of open educational resources

Competencies we will explore further during the interviews: 

• Good communication skills
• Meticulous and analytical
• Service-oriented
• Innovative

Employment conditions and benefits

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position will be agreed is as soon as possible and you will be based at Campus Woudestein - Rotterdam at the University Library (UB). The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges, for a fulltime appointment (38 hours per week), between €3.873 en €5.264 gross per month (scale 9), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The position is for 0,8-1,0 fte. The contract is offered for a period of 1 year and can be converted into an employment contract for an indefinite period if suitability is proven and if continued in the same position, if (financial and/or organizational) circumstances remain the same.

Everything else we offer you; you can find below!

- Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a membership to our on-campus sports centre!

- Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we care for each other and the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.

- Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.

- Good pension with ABP, to which the EUR provides a 2/3 contribution, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.

- Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare (daycare not paid for by EUR).

- Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Employer

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Faculty / Institute / Central service

The University Library

As the content manager of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), the University Library (UB) supports students, lecturers and researchers in creating, sharing and deepening knowledge.

All services of the University Library are openly accessible. In this way, we contribute to a positive societal impact—not only within the academic community, but beyond it as well.

The University Library has an open culture in which collaboration, working on the basis of trust, and taking responsibility are key values.

Group

The Library Education Support Department

This department supports education at the university in the broadest sense. It consists of the Front Desk Team, the Information Specialists Team (of which you will be part), and two Faculty Liaisons.

The department provides services in areas such as information literacy, the use of teaching materials within copyright regulations, responsible use of Generative AI, and the availability and use of open educational resources.

The department works closely with colleagues from other teams and departments, both within and outside the University Library.

Additional information

Are you enthusiastic, but have questions about the position? Then you can contact Gina Kim, Team lead Information specialists via gina.kim@eur.nl.

For questions about the procedure, you can contact our recruiter Iris Konijnendijk at iris.konijnendijk@eur.nl. 

Applying

The University Library uses an anonymous application procedure. We attach great importance to diversity and believe it is essential that characteristics such as age, background and gender do not play any role in the selection process.

How does the anonymous application procedure work?

We kindly ask you to submit three documents:

• A CV containing only your initials
• A motivation letter containing only your initials
• A separate document containing your personal details

Anonymising the CV and motivation letter means that names, age, gender (and any other personal identifying information) are omitted.

After the initial selection, candidates are invited for an introductory interview. If this meeting is mutually positive, a second, more in-depth interview will follow, for which you will be asked to prepare a sample case. After the second interview, we will select the final candidate.

Persons of all gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, ages, neurodiversities, functional impairments, citizenships, or any other aspect are welcome to apply and join the EUR community.

We look forward to receiving your application!