Assistant Director (Librarian)
Department: Legislative Branch
Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia, Atlanta, Georgia, Seattle, Washington
Salary Range: $149549 - $197200 Per Year
Job Summary: This position is located in the Applied Research and Methods, Center for Library Science (CLS). CLS analysts and librarians support GAO research needs by conducting research for audit work, including: developing strategies and methodologies for searches, developing subject-specific information guides, teaching classes on research and the use of information, creating guidance on the evaluation and use of information, serving the public, and curating information and data collections. Visit: ARM
Major Duties:
- The Center for Library Science (CLS) is seeking an experienced professional to serve as Assistant Director responsible for overseeing the completion of engagements designed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of government programs and operations; and supporting mission teams in finding, managing and facilitating access to quality information, using information to advance decision making, and conducting research in accordance with GAO and professional standards. Duties include, but are not limited to: - Advises and/or assists teams in selecting and implementing appropriate research strategies and techniques, for engagements in accordance with GAO standards, e.g., EAGLE, GAGAS, and professional social science standards. - Supports ARM Directors and Managing Director by serving as a quality assurance point for final products when appropriate. As required, serves in an oversight role on ARM-led engagements and projects. - Provides consultation and support on engagement design, information/data collection, and analysis for engagements based on requests from congressional committees and mandates written into legislation, resolutions, and committee reports. - Designs and leads portions of complex engagements and carries out sophisticated literature, information, or data-base searching, utilizing library science methodologies. - Represents the team and agency as a subject matter expert on library and information science related methodologies, include the identification and use of external studies and appropriate use of information on complex engagements. - Anticipates information needs of engagement team members and Congressional clients and facilitates making information readily available. Leads or supports efforts to procure critical information resources and products, including data needed for engagements and business solutions. - May serve as a Designated Performance Manager (DPM) responsible for supervising, evaluating and documenting work performance of assigned staff. Identifies training and developmental needs and makes provisions for training as required by performance expectations. Coaches staff in skills development, oversees individual development activities, and provides opportunities to develop increased capabilities through a variety of projects and assignments. Hears and resolves employee complaints, recommends disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands, and recommends other action in more serious cases. Refers unresolved grievances or more serious complaints to higher-level management. - Applies knowledge of emerging trends and issues in discovery, metadata, and user behavior to inform methodologies and enhance data collection and presentation for engagement teams. - Applies expert knowledge of library principles of organization, categorization, preservation and representation in a digital environment in order to improve discoverability and access to literature, information, and data. - Develops and translates requests for various types of information or data into specific requirements and work statements. Supports the management of the acquisitions workflow consistent with timelines and guidance as outlined by GAO Acquisition Management. Maintains accurate acquisitions records, completes invoice payments, processes claims and replacements for missing items, and works with General Counsel to review and negotiate license agreements. - Engages in knowledge transfer including formal instruction and training and informal contributions to individual and team learning as needed. - Establishes and develops productive relationships with internal and external parties, proactively and effectively fostering teamwork, collaboration, coordination, and matrixing; proactively and effectively represents GAO as a technical or subject matter expert to clients, agencies, or other audiences.
Qualifications: You must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower band or level equivalent to the GS-14 in the Federal Service, or comparable private/public sector experience which has equipped you with the skills and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: - Expert knowledge of the theories and techniques of library and information science to advise on the selection and implementation of research strategies and techniques, and resolve complex research problems; - Demonstrated experience leading or overseeing the design of complex engagements involving sophisticated literature, information, or data-base searching utilizing library science methodologies; - Experience applying a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for assessment and improvement of complex management processes and systems; - Demonstrated ability to manage all aspects of an engagement consistent with GAO standards (e.g., Electronic Assistance Guide for Leading Engagements (EAGLE), Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) and professional social science standards.
How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. - To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. - Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. - After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. For technical issue with USAJOBS: Please refer to the USAJOBS help page.
Application Deadline: 2026-05-12