Summer Archives Assistant (Student Assistant Specialist)

The New School•Town of Newburgh, NY

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The New School Archives and Special Collections, a unit of the New School Libraries, Collections and Academic Services (LCAS), is seeking a Summer Archives Assistant (Student Assistant Specialist). This role involves assisting with routine administrative tasks under the supervision of archivists, including setting up and clerking for research appointments, preparing materials for transfer to other offices, and completing basic tasks to assist staff with the processing and care of archival materials. This is an on-campus position open only to matriculated graduate students, starting in June 2026, with a possible extension through the 2026-2027 academic year. Students will establish a consistent schedule of approximately 10-15 hours per week, between Monday and Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, with supervisor approval. Commitment to the position for the entire summer is required, preferably with the intention of continuing throughout the academic year. Preference will be given to students in the early stages of their academic program who have already begun taking classes at The New School.

Requirements

Matriculated graduate student, with ability to maintain consistent schedule for the summer.
Prior office experience.
Demonstrated professionalism and strong work ethic.
Superior English written and oral communication skills.
Aptitude for following precise written and oral instructions and to complete detail-oriented work with precision.
Research skills and ability to summarize findings in writing with precision.
Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision.
Ability to evaluate and correct one’s own work, when needed.
Provide welcoming, friendly customer service to wide range of visitors, internal and external to the university.
Physical ability and willingness to lift and carry boxes weighing up to 50 lbs.

Nice To Haves

Customer service experience.
Early career graduate student.
Interest in 20th century American history.
Interest in the history of The New School and its departments/programs.
Familiarity with Google Suite (Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Sheets, etc.) and Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

Setting up for and assisting researchers during visits to the Archives Research Room.
Locating, retrieving, and re-shelving materials.
Entering file-level inventories into archival management systems and computer applications such as Microsoft Word or Excel.
Conducting basic research to assist archivists in identifying and describing archival materials.
Writing summaries of research findings and abstracts of biographical and historical information.
Answering phone calls.
Organizing and replenishing supplies to support daily operations.
Other tasks to assist the archivists, as assigned.
Communicate clearly and precisely in written and oral communications.
Prepare materials for transfer or use in archives.
Welcome visitors and serve as a clerk during visits.
Complete basic tasks to assist with care of archival materials.