Job Description

MPR Associates, Inc. (MPR), a thriving multi-discipline, specialty engineering services and consulting firm, is seeking a Library Operations & Technical Information Services Manager for MPR’s Alexandria office. This is a unique, challenging, and rewarding career opportunity, working on some of the most important projects affecting our society.

Founded in 1964, MPR has a wide and growing client base in power and energy, federal services, and health and life sciences. We work throughout the United States as well as internationally. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, we also have offices in East Lyme, Connecticut, Burlington, Massachusetts, and Salt Lake City, Utah. We hire the best and brightest, which results in a high-performance culture built on trust and respect, making MPR an exceptional place to work.

General Job Description

The Library Operations & Technical Information Services Manager leads the organization’s library operations and technical information services staff in developing, maintaining, and delivering high-quality information resources and research support. This role oversees the library team and sustains a broad network of both internal and external technical information sources and ensures effective use of the library’s technologies, tools, and staff to meet organization research needs. This staff of two research librarians has extensive experience at MPR and other organizations.

This is a full-time, exempt position in MPR’s Alexandria, VA office reporting to the top level of the organization.

Duties/Responsibilities

Library Leadership and Administration:

• Lead and manage library operations and staff engaged in technical information development, research, and reference services.
• Provide strategic direction, coaching, performance management, and professional development to library staff.
• Serve as copyright officer; work with research teammates and other team members to provide copyright and license (use) guidance to the organization; keep up to date with the copyright rules and regulations; negotiate copyright permissions and licenses as needed for the client work.
• Develop and maintain a library vision/plan with a budget that ensures departmental goals and milestones are met.
• Evaluate, implement, and maintain the library’s technology, databases, and information retrieval tools.
• Identify external data, research, information resources and negotiate contracts for services provided to MPR.
• Establish and maintain policies, procedures, and best practices for library operations and information management.
• Stay current on trends and advancements in library science, information management, and research technologies as well as AI and provide training to the organization.
• Collaborate and contribute to all aspects of the library, including maintenance of the integrated library system (ILS), cataloging/processing information assets and materials, and collection development efforts.

Technical Research to Support MPR Projects and Business Intelligence:

• Proactively establish working relationships with engineers, business stakeholders, and clients by providing reference and research services through in-person and electronic communication.
• Conduct deep-dive, evidence-based research using primary/secondary sources and proprietary databases to deliver competitive intelligence, and data analytics supporting client engagements and internal project teams. This role often involves synthesizing complex information and managing internal knowledge databases.
• Engage in a broad range of advanced technology topics (energy, health and life sciences, national security) and distill information for further assessment by MPR and external client technical teams.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship is required.

Education

• ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library Science required.

Experience

• Minimum ten (10) years of experience performing research and analysis required; professional services experience is preferred.
• Minimum three (3) years of supervisory or people management preferred.
• Broad knowledge of engineering, technical, health and life science, or business information librarianship is desired.
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff, budgets, and operational priorities in a professional services or research-focused environment
• Experience with searching technical and scientific resources relevant to multiple engineering disciplines, including both publicly available and commercial resources such as ASM, Dun & Bradstreet, Scopus, and AccessEngineering, is preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office Suite – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook is required.