Accessioning & Processing Archivist

Minnesota Historical Society • Saint Paul, MN

12h • Onsite

About The Position

This position exists to accession, process, inventory, and catalog archival holdings of manuscript collections in a variety of physical and digital formats in accordance with Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) procedures and professional archival standards and best practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• Four years experience processing and cataloging archival collections.
• Practical experience handling archival collections and creating controlled metadata.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience working collaboratively and independently with varied groups within a complex organization and rapidly changing team environment.
• Experience providing excellent customer service, assisting library patrons, or working with the general public.
• Privacy, confidentiality, copyright, and related policies associated with acquisitions, access, and use of archives and special collections materials.
• Basic appraisal theory and approaches of manuscripts and archives.
• Ability to create and enter accurate metadata in an integrated library or collections management system (CMS).
• Multitasking, working effectively under pressure to meet deadlines, prioritizing and adapting to changing priorities.

Nice To Haves

• Substantial knowledge of archival appraisal, arrangement, and description informed by an understanding and commitment to sustainable processing and cataloging practices.
• Experience with or familiarity in efficient archival processing techniques, such as “More Product, Less Process” (MPLP).
• Knowledge of current nationally accepted archival principles and descriptions standards, including DACS and EAD.
• Experience with or familiarity in ArchivesSpace (ASpace).
• Experience with or familiarity in using XML editing tools.
• Experience or familiarity in cataloging archival collections.
• Experience tracking and reporting on performance metrics related to archival processing and cataloging.

Responsibilities

• Collaboratively appraise and acquire manuscript collections
• Accession and process archival collections, and prepare materials for long-term preservation and public access
• With Archival Collections Cataloger, produce and maintain finding aids and related access tools in accordance with Minnesota Historical Society procedures and professional best practices

Benefits

• Eligible to participate in State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution.
• Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level