SHI - Archivist

Sealaska/Woocheen Family of Businesses•Juneau, AK

19h•$57,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is seeking an Archivist to manage its extensive archival collections, which include manuscripts, photographs, and audio/visual recordings, as well as a research library. The primary role is to steward the acquisition, documentation, conservation, and use of these archives and collections, ensuring public access for educational, research, exhibit, and scholarly purposes. SHI aims to perpetuate and enhance the culture of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples and promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding.

Requirements

Knowledge of the principles, concepts, techniques, and guidelines of professional archival work
Knowledge of the principles of archives management
Knowledge of information technologies and techniques of digital preservation
Knowledge of Northwest Coast cultures and culturally relevant archival practices
Knowledge of library systems and technology appropriate for professional management of a small library
Ability to write reports, grant proposals and correspondence related to the work; maintain records.
Ability to communicate effectively with others, both verbally and in writing.
Good interpersonal skills and a team player
Cross-cultural communication skills
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
MLS or MLIS with a concentration in Archives or Master’s degree in a related field
Two years of professional archives experience.

Nice To Haves

Work experience may be substituted for some of the educational requirements
Three or more years of professional archival experience preferred.
Knowledge of Northwest Coast cultures and culturally relevant archival practices preferred.

Responsibilities

Managing the SHI archival collections (manuscripts, photographs, and audio and video recordings) and making these records available and retrievable for public research.
Conducting extensive in-person and remote reference services, working with visiting scholars, hosting information sessions, managing permissions requests, and engaging the public with outreach events, social media posts, instructional videos, Archival Resource Guides, and other educational projects.
Supporting the research needs of the Arts Campus.
Assisting with archival research needs of SHI staff for various grant and other institutional projects, including conducting surveys of archival materials, making hi-resolution reproductions, and archiving resulting grant project deliverables.
Managing and tracking reference statistics, permissions requests (internal and external), loan and accession files, grant deliverables, digital storage, and archival requests from outside institutions.
Reviewing and updating existing policies and procedures, and creating new policies and procedures such as the emergency preparedness policy and digital collections management policy.
Applying technical knowledge of the principles and practices of archival arrangement, description, and preservation of multi-format collections including both print and digital resources, as well as the preparation and publishing of finding aids and guides using archival and museum content management systems.
Addressing a significant backlog of unprocessed archival collections.
Surveying the collection and prioritizing collections for preservation treatment, reformatting, rehousing, and other improvements.
Developing and managing digital archival preservation projects and metadata documentation of indigenous language recordings working with Native speakers.
Developing and managing grants for the physical and digital preservation of collections and other specialized areas to support the work of the SHI Archives and Library.
Conducting archival research for information sessions, scholarly publications, educational materials, and SHI projects and classes.
Representing SHI at professional summits, conferences, and workshops.
Managing a small research library of scholarly publications and rare books, making recommendations for new acquisitions, and maintaining electronic catalog records for the archival and book collections in OCLC WorldCat (including MARC records), Workflows (SirsiDynix), and the state library catalog.
Conducting library outreach events to engage internal and external researchers and the public.
Assisting in research, design, installation, and de-installation for large annual exhibits and small temporary displays.
Performing other duties as assigned.