Archives & Preservation Technician

Smithsonian Institution; Suitland (MD); On-site; USD 52,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

The Smithsonian Institution is seeking an Archives Technician to help organize, describe, preserve, catalog, and provide access to the National Museum of the American Indian's archival collections. You will assist with physical management, processing, description, and reference services for researchers and the public.

You will work with Archivists’ Toolkit/ArchivesSpace/Archon, coordinate travel and purchases, and support the Archive Center and staff in daily operations, ensuring preservation

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in archival arrangement, preservation and description of manuscript, photo and AV collections.
• Experience with archive management systems and providing archival reference service.
• Ability to perform basic administrative tasks (travel for staff, small purchase orders).

Responsibilities

• Assist in physical collections management: tracking, rehousing, storage, inventories and condition monitoring.
• Process new and legacy collections, rehouse materials and flag fragile items for preservation/digitization.
• Describe materials for acquisitions and legacy items with finding aids in Archivists’ Toolkit/standards (DACS).
• Prepare small purchase orders for supplies and services from vendors.
• Support administrative tasks: arrange staff travel, hotel bookings, travel authorizations and vouchers.
• Provide reference and research services onsite and remotely to the public and researchers.
• Assist on-site researchers in reading room: identify collections, pull items, assist use and refile items.

Skills

Archival description

Reference services

Collection management

Travel arrangements

Administrative tasks

Education

Graduate education or Superior Academic Achievements

Tools

Archivists’ Toolkit

ArchivesSpace

Archon

Job description

The Smithsonian Institution is seeking an Archives Technician to help organize, describe, preserve, catalog, and provide access to the National Museum of the American Indian's archival collections. You will assist with physical management, processing, description, and reference services for researchers and the public.

You will work with Archivists’ Toolkit/ArchivesSpace/Archon, coordinate travel and purchases, and support the Archive Center and staff in daily operations, ensuring preservation