Associate Archivist, Art Collecting Records [End-Dated]

The Metropolitan Museum of Art•The Met Fifth Avenue, NY

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Archivist will appraise and process a recently acquired collection of business, legal, and historical art-collecting records under the direction of the Managing Archivist. Working with the Museum Archives team, the Associate Archivist will organize and provide access to the collection and help integrate its records into Museum repositories and databases. The position has an established two-year end date, with the time frame beginning upon hire. The role includes surveying and appraising the collection; developing a processing plan; performing basic preservation and conservation tasks; arranging and describing the collection and related sub-collections; rehousing materials in archival storage; and creating a detailed, DACS-compliant finding aid in ArchivesSpace. The Associate Archivist will also coordinate with the Digital Archivist to identify materials for digitization, provide basic reference services as needed, and perform other work supporting access and integration of collection records and data. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is based in New York City. At the time of employment, employees are expected to live within commuting distance in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania and be able to commute to the Museum in one day. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

Master of Science in Information/Library Science.
3–5 years of professional experience in an archives or special collections library.
Demonstrated experience creating accession records and archival finding aids using ArchivesSpace.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook and Access.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), Encoded Archival Description (EAD), and other professional standards.

Nice To Haves

Experience with The Museum System (TMS) and ArchivesSpace databases preferred.
Background in art history preferred.

Responsibilities

Survey and appraise the collection to be processed.
Collaborate with the Museum Archives team to draft a processing plan, including determining necessary supplies.
Perform basic preservation tasks, such as removing staples and paperclips, sleeving delicate items in Mylar, and implementing other conservation measures as necessary.
Arrange and describe the archival collection and related sub-collections in accordance with Museum cataloging standards.
Rehouse the collection in archivally stable storage materials.
Create a detailed, descriptive, DACS-compliant finding aid in ArchivesSpace.
Collaborate with the Digital Archivist to identify potential materials for digitization.
Provide basic reference services for the collection as needed, including pulling materials and digitizing them for research.
Perform other related duties supporting access to the collection and integration of collection records and data into Museum repositories and databases.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an employer match.
Paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays.
Long-term disability coverage.
Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Account for eligible health care expenses.
Commuter benefits for parking or mass transit expenses.
Free financial-planning services.
Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs.
25% discount for staff in Museum shops.
Subsidized staff cafeteria.
Access to the Museums Council pass, granting free admission to various museums and cultural institutions.