Associate Archivist

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Church History Department seeks an intermediate archivist to assist in acquiring, arranging, cataloging, and providing access to archival records. The position emphasizes discretion and professional training, with collaboration across teams, interns, volunteers, and staff worldwide.

You will work independently under supervision to train interns and volunteers, complete training materials, and support the team in developing finding aids, databases, and reference documents, while upholding

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in history or related field required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to train and support interns, volunteers, and missionaries.
• Familiarity with archival principles and finding aids.
• Good judgement, organization and planning abilities.

Responsibilities

• Exercises discretion and judgement when applying professional standards to archival records.
• Works independently, managing own work.
• Trains and directs volunteers and missionaries to acquire and facilitate access to records.
• Handles sensitive information across diverse cultures and languages.
• Develops professionally by participating in professional conferences.
• Supports and trains interns and volunteers.
• Completes training materials or process documentation as assigned.
• Contributes to finding aids, databases, or reference documents.

Skills

Discretion

Team training

Interpersonal skills

Editing/writing

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in history

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Job Description

This job is to assist the Church History Department in its purpose to help God's children make and keep sacred covenants by building and providing access to a historically significant and useful collection of Church history records. The work consists of acquiring, arranging, cataloging, and facilitating access to archival records. Archival records are unique, and individuals must use discretion and professional training when processing them. Processing work is done in teams consisting of employees, interns, and volunteers, often located across the world, so collaboration is essential. This intermediate archivist will work independently and assist the supervisor in training and directing interns and volunteers. The work must be done expeditiously and accurately.

Job Description

This job is to assist the Church History Department in its purpose to help God's children make and keep sacred covenants by building and providing access to a historically significant and useful collection of Church history records. The work consists of acquiring, arranging, cataloging, and facilitating access to archival records. Archival records are unique, and individuals must use discretion and professional training when processing them. Processing work is done in teams consisting of employees, interns, and volunteers, often located across the world, so collaboration is essential. This intermediate archivist will work independently and assist the supervisor in training and directing interns and volunteers. The work must be done expeditiously and accurately.

Responsibilities

• Exercises discretion and judgement when applying professional standards and practices when acquiring, creating catalog entries, and/or facilitating access to archival records.


• Works independently, managing his/her own work.


• Represents their teams while traveling; trains and directs volunteers and missionaries to acquire, process, and/or facilitate access to records.


• Handles sensitive information across diverse cultures and languages, including confidential and sensitive information from or about Church leaders and operations.


• Develops professionally by participating in professional conferences.


• Supports and trains interns and volunteers.


• Completes assignments from his/her manager to prepare training materials or process documentation.


• Provides support to his/her team by performing research and other assigned tasks.


• Contributes to Church products and services by identifying information and stories that align with stated needs and by contributing to enhanced finding aids, databases, or reference documents.

Required

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in history, library science, archival studies, anthropology, sociology, global studies, or other related fields.


• Two years of experience or equivalent education and experience.


• Practical knowledge of history, especially Church history.


• Understanding of archival principles, practices, and standards.


• University level oral and written communication skills, including basic editing skills.


• Ability to effectively train and support interns, volunteers, and missionaries.


• Familiarity with Church history resources.


• Familiarity with fundamental principles of effective digital user experience and how to apply this knowledge when structuring and describing collections to optimize their discoverability and usefulness.


• Practical knowledge of historical research methodology.


• Good judgement; organization and planning skills; ability to perceive and analyze problems; interpersonal skills, including the ability to handle difficult donors and patrons in a professional manner.


• Cultural sensitivity.


• Ability to sit for long periods of time while using computer monitors/equipment.


• Able to tolerate exposure to dust and mold from old records and artifacts.


• Able to lift 50 lbs.

Preferred

• Master's degree in a related discipline


• Possess knowledge associated with the assignment (i.e. knowledge of prominent people, dates, locations, and events in Church history).


• Language skills are a plus.

About Us

Church employees find joy and satisfaction in using their unique talents and abilities to further the Lord’s work. From the IT professional who develops an app that sends the gospel message worldwide, to the facilities manager who maintains our buildings— giving Church members places to worship, teach, learn, and receive sacred ordinances—our employees seek innovative ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. They are literally working in His kingdom.

Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law.

Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.