Graduate Archives Research Assistant

The New School; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

The New School Archives and Special Collections is seeking Archives Assistants to support routine administrative tasks and basic processing of archival materials. Open to matriculated graduate students only, this on-campus role starts Fall 2026 with possible extension through 2026-2027 and a schedule of about 10–15 hours per week from Monday to Friday, 9 am–5 pm.

Under archivist supervision, you will assist with data entry, fielding inquiries, and preparing for research appointments.

Qualifications

• Matriculated graduate student with consistent summer schedule.
• Prior office experience and professional conduct.
• Superior English written and oral communication skills.
• Aptitude for following precise instructions and completing detail-oriented work.
• Research skills and the ability to summarize findings in writing.

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 Word/Excel.
• Conducting basic research to assist archivists in identifying materials.
• Writing summaries and abstracts of biographical/historical information.

Skills

Office experience

Attention to detail

Research skills

Summarize findings

Independent work

Customer service

Education

Matriculated graduate student

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Google Suite

Job description

The New School Archives and Special Collections is seeking Archives Assistants to support routine administrative tasks and basic processing of archival materials. Open to matriculated graduate students only, this on-campus role starts Fall 2026 with possible extension through 2026-2027 and a schedule of about 10–15 hours per week from Monday to Friday, 9 am–5 pm.

Under archivist supervision, you will assist with data entry, fielding inquiries, and preparing for research appointments.