Public Library Assistant Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Description

LAC Federal is seeking an experienced Biomedical Research Librarian to support a federal library in Bethesda, Maryland. The Biomedical Research Librarian will provide advanced research, reference, bibliometric, and scholarly communications support for biomedical researchers, clinicians, scientists, and program staff in a federal research environment. The position supports scientific discovery and evidence-based research by delivering expert literature searching, research impact analysis, data visualization, publication support, and user training services across biomedical and health sciences disciplines. 

The ideal candidate will possess strong biomedical information retrieval expertise, experience with bibliometric and research analytics tools, and the ability to collaborate effectively with researchers and stakeholders in a highly dynamic scientific environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct advanced biomedical literature searches and systematic or scoping review support using databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. 
• Provide reference and research consultation services to scientists, clinicians, researchers, and program staff. 
• Perform bibliometric, scientometric, and research impact analyses using tools such as Web of Science, Scopus, Dimensions, InCites, Altmetric, and Google Scholar. 
• Develop bibliometric reports, dashboards, visualizations, and publication analyses to support research evaluation and strategic planning initiatives. 
• Support scholarly publishing activities including journal selection, citation analysis, author identifiers (e.g., ORCID), and compliance with NIH Public Access Policy requirements. 
• Deliver training sessions, workshops, and instructional materials on biomedical databases, research tools, citation management software, and scholarly communications topics. 
• Assist researchers with research data management best practices, metadata standards, and open science initiatives. 
• Create and maintain research guides, instructional content, FAQs, and outreach materials to support user engagement and awareness. 
• Support collection development and evaluation activities related to biomedical and health sciences resources. 
• Track service metrics, usage statistics, and project activities and prepare reports for program leadership. 
• Collaborate with librarians, analysts, and scientific staff on special projects involving research analytics, knowledge management, or digital initiatives. 
• Maintain awareness of emerging trends in biomedical librarianship, scholarly communications, bibliometrics, and scientific information services. 

Requirements

• Master's degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS/MLS) from an ALA-accredited institution. 
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience providing research, reference, or information services in a biomedical, health sciences, academic, federal, or research library environment. 
• Demonstrated experience conducting advanced literature searches using biomedical and scientific research databases including PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science. 
• Experience supporting bibliometric, scientometric, or research impact analysis projects. 
• Knowledge of scholarly publishing workflows, citation analysis, and NIH Public Access Policy requirements. 
• Experience delivering user training, research consultations, or instructional support to researchers, clinicians, faculty, or scientific staff. 
• Proficiency using citation management tools such as EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley, or RefWorks. 
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. 
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced federal research environment. 
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance and NIH badge. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate or graduate coursework in biology, public health, medicine, bioinformatics, epidemiology, biostatistics, or another scientific discipline. 
• Experience supporting systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, or clinical research programs. 
• Familiarity with bibliometric visualization and analytics tools such as VOSviewer, Tableau, Power BI, or Bibliometrix. 
• Experience with research data management, FAIR principles, or open science initiatives. 
• Knowledge of NIH, NLM, or other federal biomedical research environments. 
• Familiarity with metadata standards and repository platforms used in scholarly communications or digital libraries. 
• Experience supporting grant-funded research programs or federal scientific initiatives. 
• Knowledge of APIs, Python, R, SQL, or other data analysis tools relevant to bibliometric or research analytics workflows. 
• Experience creating dashboards, research metrics reports, or executive-level presentations. 
• Membership in the Medical Library Association (MLA) or Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) credential. 

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while conducting research, analyzing data, preparing reports, and delivering virtual or in-person training sessions using computer-based systems and databases. 
• Ability to perform repetitive hand and wrist movements associated with prolonged computer use, including literature searching, data analysis, report preparation, and use of bibliometric and citation management tools. 
• Ability to occasionally lift and transport materials, laptops, presentation equipment, or library resources weighing up to 20 pounds within an office or research library environment.
• 
  

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development

EEO Statement

The company and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer and celebrate the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring/hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Nothing in this job specification restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. 

Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. 

To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. 

Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.