Project Archivist (term) at The Center for Jewish History

Job Title: Project Archivist

Job Status: Full-time, 24 months

Location: New York, NY

Salary: $55,000-$57,000

About the job

The Center for Jewish History (cjh.org) is the collaborative home to five in-house partners—American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. The partners’ archives comprise the world’s largest and most comprehensive archive of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel, totaling over five linear miles of archival material, thousands of artworks, textiles, ritual objects, recordings, films and photographs.

 

Position Description:

The Center for Jewish History seeks a full-time Project Archivist on a multi-year National Endowment for the Humanities archival processing grant. Reporting directly to the Director of Collection Services, the Project Archivist will arrange, describe, and preserve institutional records in accordance with professional best practices and guidelines; partner with the Center and partners’ archives staff to determine project priorities, evaluate potential access restrictions, and resolve arrangement questions; recommend the selection of materials for digitization; assist with quality assurance procedures for digital assets; and create and edit finding aids in ArchivesSpace.

 

This position will require that the archivist work on-site at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan’s Union Square neighborhood. The term of the position is 24 months, with the possibility of extension. The salary range for this position is $55,000-$57,000, based on experience.

 

Responsibilities:

· Arrange and describe large collections of institutional records, including born-digital materials, in accordance with contemporary professional standards, vocabularies, and practices (e.g. DACS, AAT, MPLP) as well as local guidelines for processing

  • Rehouse collection materials and address preservation concerns as needed
  • Create archival description in ArchivesSpace
  • Note duplicative or non-archival documentation that may be eligible for deaccession

· Attend all project meetings and prepare biweekly progress updates

  • Perform quality assurance reviews to ensure accuracy and completeness of work
  • Contribute to project documentation on processing, encoding, and digital preservation

· Collaborate and maintain collegial relationships with the Center and partner staff

 

Required Qualifications:

· Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school or similar graduate-level training, such as archival studies

· 1-3 years of processing experience, preferably on large institutional collections, applying MPLP methodology

· Knowledge of archival theory, practice, and standards (especially DACS and MPLP)

· Strong awareness of information technologies appropriate to archives

· High capacity for processing large collections and creative problem-solving

· Adept at prioritizing work and meeting multiple deadlines

· Ability to work flexibly, independently and collaboratively in a complex organizational environment comprised of diverse constituencies

· Ability to lift/move 40-pound boxes

· Capacity to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing

· Superb writing, proofreading, and editing skills

 

Preferred Qualifications:

· Reading knowledge of Yiddish, German, Hebrew, or other Central or Eastern European languages

· Familiarity with 20th-century Jewish history

· Experience with or coursework in digital media and born-digital files in archival collections

· Willingness and ability to research and apply new technologies, in particular for born-digital materials

· Experience with ArchivesSpace

 

Company Benefits:

· 15-21 federal and religious holidays off each year in addition to generous vacation, sick, and personal days

· Full health benefits (medical, dental and vision) with minimal employee contributions

· Free life insurance and long-term disability coverage

· Flexible spending account and commuter benefits

· Generous 403b retirement benefits

Additional Information:

· Position Type: Full-time

· Position FLSA Status: Exempt

· Overtime: Not eligible

· Frequency: Generally 5 days/week, Monday-Friday

· Virtual/Remote or In-Office: In-office

 

Apply via LinkedIn

The Center for Jewish History is committed to diversity and inclusion. Qualified individuals who bring diverse perspectives to the workplace are especially encouraged to apply.

 

Review of applications will begin immediately. To apply for the position, please submit cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Andrey Filimonov, Director of Collection Services, at afilimonov@cjh.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. No phone calls please.