Senior Archivist/Records Manager II
About The Position
FWI is supporting the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Office of Administration, the team charged with preserving the history of the agency that has helped shape public transportation in America since 1964. The family of Bob McManus has donated 15 boxes of his personal papers to FTA: official documents, consultant reports, internal manuals, decades of appropriations hearing books, spiral-bound meeting notebooks, and a collection of digital photos. We need a seasoned, detail-driven Senior Archivist/Records Manager to bring that collection to life. This isn't a "scan it and shelve it" kind of role. You'll decide what belongs in FTA's permanent collection, preserve and digitize it, build it into the FTA History Hub, and then turn what you find into web posts, displays, and presentations that tell FTA's story. Few archivists get to start a collection from the box up. This is one of those chances. FWI is expanding rapidly and has been recognized as a 2024, 2025, and 2026 Top Workplace, offering excellent growth opportunities in a collaborative environment.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in history, archival studies, library science, public history, or a related field
- 10–15 years of experience in archival work, records management, or historical collections
- Hands-on experience with archival processing: inventory, arrangement, description, and appraisal
- Working knowledge of preservation and conservation practices for paper, photographs, and bound materials
- Experience with digitization standards, digital asset management, and metadata creation
- Familiarity with NARA regulations and the Federal Records Act
- Strong research and writing skills, with the ability to turn archival material into engaging content for general audiences
- Excellent organization and attention to detail, and comfort working independently onsite with a government client
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree in history, archival studies, library science, public history, or a related field
- Certified Archivist (Academy of Certified Archivists) or Certified Records Manager (ICRM)
- Experience supporting a federal agency history office or archive
- Background in transportation, public policy, or federal government history
- Experience building online exhibits or digital history content
Responsibilities
- Inventory and analyze all 15 boxes of the McManus collection, assessing physical condition and historical value
- Appraise "questionable" items and recommend disposition and whether material should be permanently added to FTA collections
- Apply preservation, storage, and conservation best practices to protect fragile materials
- Digitize photos, maps, and documents, and organize and manage the digital photo files provided by the family
- Load digitized materials into the FTA History Hub and other FTA and DOT systems
- Create indexes, metadata tags, and descriptions that make the collection easy to search and use
- Help FTA employees, transit stakeholders, and the public research and access the collection
- Research the materials to write web posts, articles, displays, and presentations on FTA history
- Support FTA records management efforts as needed, in line with NARA regulations and the Federal Records Act
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance
- Life Insurance
- 401(k) Plan
- Holiday Pay
- Paid Time Off
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
