Digital Archivist – Amistad Research Center

2-year term, renewable

The Amistad Research Center, a non-profit independent archives specializing in the ethnic

history of the United States and related topics, invites applicants for the full-time position

of Digital Archivist. This is a two-year, grant-funded professional position with the

possibility of renewal. Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Digital Archivist lead the

Center’s efforts to ensure the long-term preservation, processing, organization, and

discovery of born-digital and digitized content created and retained by the Amistad

Research Center. The Archivist will oversee the creation and maintenance of digital

collections, exhibitions, and other access initiatives. The Archivist will also advise on the

acquisition and maintenance of a content management system for the identification and

organization of digital assets and accompanying metadata.

Advocacy for the Center and its mission is fundamental to this position.

Primary Responsibilities

• Research and oversee acquisition and maintenance of a content management system for Amistad’s digital assets
• Provide expertise on workflows, tools, and best practices to support the management of born digital content, including, but not limited to emails, web content, social media, and content on legacy physical media
• Strategize, develop, and communicate processes for accessioning, ingesting, processing, describing, and preserving born-digital materials. Process born-digital content for collections
• Oversee the digital scanning of in-house materials, including manuscripts, photographs, and printed materials, and the creation of accompanying metadata
• Work with the Curator of Moving Images and Recorded Sound to support the digitization and storage of audiovisual materials
• Oversee the development and creation of digital initiatives, including digital collections and exhibitions
• Serve as liaison to vendors/partners for proposed and ongoing digital initiatives
• Assist with social media and newsletter preparation, as well as publicity efforts
• Assist in preparation of grant proposals and participate in fundraising activities
• Supervise graduate and undergraduate students, interns, and volunteers
• Participate in instruction on the use of Amistad Research Center and its collections for visiting groups
• Suggest additions, updates, and improvements to Amistad Research Center website

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science school OR equivalent accredited degree with 2-3 years experience in an archival or special collections setting
• Formal training in archival/special collections theory and practice
• Familiarity with archival and special collections standards and best practices, especially as they relate to the particular issues posed by born-digital content
• Experience processing digital materials, both born-digital and content reformatted from legacy holdings
• Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of tools and software used to capture, manage, and deliver digital content
• Knowledge of current trends and protocols for digital archiving
• Knowledge of legacy digital formats, their care and use
• Experience with social media and web archiving tools/activities
• Familiarity with metadata associated with digital assets, both born-digital and digitized materials
• Demonstrated knowledge of archival and library content management systems
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience processing analog archival collections
• Understanding of current metadata and descriptive standards and schema such as DACS, EAD, LCSH, Dublin Core, METS, MODS, VRA Core, TEI and MARC
• Ability to lift 40 pounds with or without accommodation
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of customer service
• Demonstrated commitment to working with multi-cultural populations and awareness of issues affecting women and minorities

The listing of the position duties/responsibilities is not necessarily inclusive for this position. Omission of specific statements does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such duties are considered a logical assignment to the position.

Salary and benefits:

$40,000-$42,000. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and education; benefits include a healthcare plan and a paid time off plan.

Application instructions:

To apply, send cover letter, curriculum vitae/resume and contact information for three

references to: Christopher Harter, Deputy Director, Amistad Research Center, via e-mail at

charter@tulane.edu. Subject line should read: Digital Archivist Application. Review of

applications will begin immediately and continue until a suitable candidate is selected. First consideration will be given to applicants who apply by July 20, 2019.

About the Amistad Research Center:

The Amistad Research Center was established in 1966 on the campus of Fisk University, one of several Historically Black Colleges and Universities founded by the American Missionary Association (AMA). Dedicated from its beginnings as the first archives documenting the modern Civil Rights Movement, the Center continued to expand and now is located on the campus of Tulane University in New Orleans as an independent, non-profit repository. Today, the Amistad Research Center is recognized as the nation’s largest independent collection of original documents related to the racial and ethnic history of the United States, race relations, and civil rights.

Amistad Research Center is an equal opportunity employer.