Archives Assistant (Student)

American University; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 24,796 - 30,307; Part time

Job summary

American University Archives & Special Collections seeks an Archives Student Assistant to work on collections processing tasks, including arranging and describing archives, drafting finding aids, rehousing and labeling, and basic preservation measures. The role supports inventorying, data entry, and research using archival collections, with potential visitor greeting in the Reading Room.

Under supervision, you will track progress, use MS Excel/Word/Teams, and maintain attention to detail.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Excellent organization, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work with others and independently, and ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to learn and adapt to new workflows, tools, and technologies.
• Desire to contribute to departmental projects through independent and collaborative work.
• Reliable and responsive to communication and feedback in a timely manner.
• Ability to lift items up to 40 pounds and retrieve materials from shelves seven feet high.

Responsibilities

• Organize, arrange, and describe new and legacy collections using provided tools, systems, and workflows.
• Handle archival materials with care and perform basic preservation measures.
• Adhere to archival standards for arrangement, description, and preservation.
• Track and document project progress using MS Excel, Word, Teams, and other tools to meet deadlines.
• Assist office staff with routine administrative functions, including welcoming visitors to Archives.
• Assist with reference requests by retrieving collections materials and staffing the reading room.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Written and verbal communication

Ability to learn new workflows/tools

Reliability and responsiveness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Work Where You Learn: Build Experience, Grow Skills, and Contribute to Your University Community.

Most student positions at American University are eligible to use Federal Work Study (FWS) awards, with a few exceptions. FWS funds cannot be applied to janitorial, construction, partisan or sectarian positions. For information or questions regarding FWS funds, please contact American University's Office of Financial Aid.

Important guidance for current American University employees: American University current employees, including those employed in student positions, must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into your employee Workday account and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings. Applying outside of your employee Workday account may cause delays in a hire process.

Department

Archives Operations

Time Type

Part time

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

Summary

Job Description:

AU Archives & Special Collections is seeking applicants for an Archives Student Assistant who will work on assigned collections projects and tasks. Working under the supervision of the Associate Archivist for Collections Management, Access, and Discovery, the Student Assistant will be responsible for collections processing tasks including arranging and describing archival collections, drafting finding aids, rehousing and labeling collections, completion of basic preservation measures, inventorying and data entry, and researching using archival collections. In addition, the student assistant may welcome visitors when entering archives and help the office team maintain staff presence in the Reading Room as needed. This position is ideally suited for a student with a strong attention to detail and an interest in working with archival collections.

Essential Functions

• Organize, arrange, and describe new and legacy collections using provided tools, systems, and workflows.
• Handle all archival collections materials with care and perform basic preservation measures as instructed.
• Adhere to provided archival arrangement, description, and preservation standards.
• Track and document project progress using provided tools and project plans such as MS Excel, Word, and Teams, etc. in order to meet deadlines.
• Assist office staff with routine administrative functions such as welcoming visitors to Archives.
• Assist with reference requests by retrieving collections materials and staffing the reading room, as needed.

Position Type/Expected Hours Of Work

• Part-time.
• 10 hours per week.

Salary Range

• $18.40 per hour.

Required Education And Experience

• High school diploma or its equivalent.
• Excellent organization, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to work collegially with others and independently, and the ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• The ability to write clearly and legibly using provided formatting guidelines.
• Ability to learn and adapt to new workflows, tools, and technologies.
• Desire to contribute to departmental projects through independent and collaborative work.
• Reliable and responsive to communication and feedback in a timely manner.
• Ability to lift items up to 40 pounds and retrieve materials from shelves that are seven feet high.

Preferred Education And Experience

• Familiarity with archives and special collections and experience researching with primary sources.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Office 365 Suite applications, including Excel, Word, and Teams.
• An interest in learning about archival work.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Applicants must be able to work 10 hours per week Tuesday-Friday 9am-5 pm in-person in shifts of 4 hours or longer at the Spring Valley Building. The Student Assistant will be expected to maintain a regular schedule set with their supervisor.
• This position requires both legible handwriting and proficiency in using computer applications and web-based databases. The Student Assistant will be expected to use Microsoft 365 applications for work-related tasks and communication. The Student Assistant may need to bring and use their own laptop computer for work. If a personal laptop is not available, alternative arrangements will be provided.
• The office workspace temperature is regularly set at 63 degrees Fahrenheit.
• It is highly recommended that a cover letter and resume be submitted as attachments to the online application.

Other Details

• This position is available only to enrolled American University students.
• Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
• American University is an E-Verify employer.
• Visit https://www.american.edu/hr/ for additional information about American University employment and benefits.

Current American University Employees

American University current employees (including those employed in student positions) must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings.

Contact Us

For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email [e-mail].

American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.