Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant II

University of British Columbia - Staff; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant to join their team. This role involves performing complex curatorial tasks and managing archaeological collections with a focus on community engagement and heritage conservation. The successful candidate will leverage their analytical skills and knowledge of archaeological protocols while working closely with First Nations communities. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects and ensure the preservation of valuable cultural artifacts. If you are passionate about archaeology and committed to inclusion, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• High school graduation with additional training in a related field.
• Minimum two years of related experience or equivalent combination.

Responsibilities

• Perform curatorial tasks for archaeological collections.
• Research and problem-solve database records related to artifacts.
• Plan and coordinate daily curatorial work and schedules.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Report Writing

Interpersonal Communication

Judgement and Discretion

Team Collaboration

Education

High School Graduation

Additional Training in Related Field

Two Years Related Experience

Tools

Digital Catalogues

Spreadsheets

Job description

Staff - Union

Job Category CUPE 116 Job ProfileCUPE 116 Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 2 Job Title Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant II Department Administration Support | Department of Anthropology Compensation Range $27.24 - $29.82 CAD Hourly Posting End Date May 9, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

May 14, 2026

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
The primary responsibility of the Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant / Tech 2 is to perform moderately complex tasks and curatorial tasks for the Laboratory of Archaeology (LOA) Repository collections.This position requires good knowledge gained through experience of procedures of the LOA and protocols provided to LOA by First Nation partners, and good knowledge of the heritage inspection and investigation permits issued by the province under the BC Heritage Conservation Act (HCA).The incumbenttakes direction from the LOA Manager and plans, performs and troubleshoots collections work utilizing varied procedures and incorporating guiding principles and voices including First Nations, provincial regulations, the unit and department. Tasks are assigned and discussed regularly with the LOA Manager, however, the incumbent plans and schedules their own work. The incumbent requires good organizational skills to coordinate and complete assigned projects whether working alone or with a team of subordinates. The nature of the work demands planning the sequence of duties and work methods in consultation with the LOA Manager. The Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant must exercise judgement based on a thorough knowledge of procedures, guidelines, protocols, and regulations in making decisions.

Organizational Status

Relevant to tasks, the Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant reports to LOA Manager who organizes work in consultation with the LOA Director of the Laboratory of Archaeology. Work is supervised by the LOA Manager and is reviewed in terms of achievement of general and specific goals. This individual will be responsible for special projects in LOA Repository that involves research and resolution of archaeological belongings (artifacts) with unclear location and contextual information. The majority of these legacy archaeological materials are from British Columbia, with some additional boxes from Canada, USA, and Bahrain. The Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant will demonstrate efficiency and timeliness in all tasks assigned to them. The Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant performs most duties independently or with student assistants working under their supervision.

Work Performed

Working with archaeological collections, you will research various sources (including LOA Archives, RAAD, and PARL) and problem solve database records related to belongings with minimal contextual information. Goals include use of available information to identify archaeological sites, HCA permits, and chain-of-custody associated with archaeological belongings, assignment of appropriate artifact numbers.

• Plan daily curatorial work to accomplish tasks assigned by LOA Manager and create schedules including student assistants as needed.
• Ensure that the concerns of originating communities are respected in procedures for storage and use of archaeology collections.
• Provide appropriate access to information about collections to First Nation communities, faculty and students, researchers, and members of the public, following established guidelines.
• Rehouse collections and update database(s) as required.
• May oversee and direct the work of one or two student Work Learn assistants.
• Ensure the implementation and enforcement of lab safety rules and procedures.
• Present a verbal or written report on task and project progress to LOA Manager.
• Carry out any other related duties as required in keeping with training and experience.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
LOA is a public trustee of archaeological collections acting as an official repository for the province of British Columbia. These collections are held in trust for the First Nations of British Columbia and the peoples of British Columbia. The Archaeology Curatorial Research Assistant is responsible for ensuring that these collections are looked after according to Laboratory of Archaeology policies and First Nations protocols. Errors could have financial, legal, ethical, and other consequences for the Laboratory of Archaeology and UBC and could damage relationships with the provincial government, First Nation communities, the academic community, and the general public.

Supervision Received
Works under general supervision of the LOA Manager. Receives detailed instructions on the assignment of new duties and thereafter only on new or unusual problems.

Supervision Given
May oversee and direct the work of one or two employees at lower classifications in which case the incumbent is responsible for the accuracy, productivity, and efficiency of the work unit.

Minimum Qualifications
High school graduation, some additional training in a related field and a minimum two years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Relevant experience includes knowledge related to archaeology collections, analysis, fieldwork and working with archaeology collections databases. Consultation with communities, especially First Nations, is preferred but awareness and sensitivity to issues concerning collections originating from these communities is required.Previous experience working with British Columbia’s Heritage Conservation Act and its implications for the Laboratory of Archaeology repository will also be an asset.

Skills/Knowledge

• The incumbent must have been involved with collections, artifact types, collections databases and collections curation.
• Experience working with digital catalogues and spreadsheets.
• Must demonstrate effective analytical skills and report-writing skills.
• The ability to exercise judgement, discretion, and confidentiality is essential.
• Must demonstrate the ability to work both independently and in a team environment, effective interpersonal oral and written communications, and the ability to organize and supervise lower classification workers.