Career change as a librarian
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 8 with on-the-job training and 0 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Archivist in a company or municipal archive
Also: Collection documentation specialist at a museum
With on-the-job training
In archives or museums, you record and organize files, personal papers or objects and make them available to researchers and the public.
- What you bring:
- You can catalog holdings, maintain metadata and support users with research.
- How to get there:
- Company, church and municipal archives train librarians in archival science, and various providers offer further training on it. For civil service career-track positions (Laufbahnstellen) in state archives, formal archival training is often expected; part-time degree programs alongside work are possible.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursIn an office€5,068gross per monthMedian salary
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Data steward
Also: Data quality manager
With on-the-job training
As a data steward, you maintain master data and metadata, set rules for data quality and train the departments.
- What you bring:
- You know authority files, classification systems and clean cataloging, exactly what companies need for good data.
- How to get there:
- Companies and research institutions train information specialists on their data platforms. Courses on data management and SQL help, and the length depends on the provider. You can put your knowledge of cataloging and metadata to direct use here.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€5,796gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of a city library
Also: Head of a university library
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
In management, you steer staff, budget and program and represent the library to its governing body and to politicians.
- What you bring:
- You know collection building, user services and the digital offerings of a library.
- How to get there:
- Management positions are usually filled with experienced librarians, often after a period as team lead. Leadership training from the library associations and state advisory offices (Landesfachstellen) helps with this step.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light -
Web content manager
Also: SEO specialist
With on-the-job training
As a content manager or SEO specialist, you maintain websites, organize content and make sure users and search engines find it.
- What you bring:
- You can structure content, index it with keywords and make it easy to find.
- How to get there:
- Companies, publishers and agencies train information specialists in content management systems and web analytics. Various providers offer courses on search engine optimization, and the length depends on the provider.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€5,708gross per monthMedian salary
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Knowledge manager in a company
Also: Document management consultant
With on-the-job training
In companies or consulting firms, you build knowledge databases, filing structures and document management and train employees.
- What you bring:
- You can organize information, structure filing systems and improve searches.
- How to get there:
- Companies and consulting firms train information specialists on their systems and processes. You can learn common document management systems in courses, and the length depends on the provider.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€6,917gross per monthMedian salary
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Lecturer in information literacy
Also: E-learning author
With on-the-job training
As a lecturer or e-learning author, you develop courses on research, source criticism and digital work.
- What you bring:
- You already teach users how to do research and know digital learning formats.
- How to get there:
- Training providers, universities and companies bring librarians up to speed on learning platforms and authoring tools. Some assignments are freelance.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an officeHome office possible€5,166gross per monthMedian salary
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Open access and research data officer
Also: Officer at a state advisory office (Landesfachstelle) for libraries
With on-the-job training
In university administrations, ministries or specialist offices, you develop strategies for publications, research data or library funding.
- What you bring:
- You know licenses, open access and the needs of research and the public.
- How to get there:
- Universities and specialist offices train librarians with a university degree in funding and administrative procedures. Some positions are project-based and fixed-term.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€4,927gross per monthMedian salary
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Editor at a publisher
Also: Editor for nonfiction books
With on-the-job training
In an editorial department, you review and edit manuscripts, look after authors and help plan titles.
- What you bring:
- You know books, what readers want and the book market, and you work precisely with texts.
- How to get there:
- Publishers train career changers with subject knowledge, often through a traineeship (Volontariat) or freelance editing assignments.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€4,237gross per monthMedian salary
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as a librarian without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Archivist in a company or municipal archive, Data steward, Head of a city library, Web content manager, Knowledge manager in a company, Lecturer in information literacy, Open access and research data officer and Editor at a publisher.
What promotion options do I have as a librarian?
Promotions include, for example: Head of a city library.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Knowledge manager in a company (€6,917 gross per month), Data steward (€5,796 gross per month) and Web content manager (€5,708 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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