Oral History Project Manager

The High Desert Museum; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 30,000 - 43,000; Part time

Job summary

High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon is seeking an Oral History Project Manager for an 18-month, part-time, non-exempt role funded by NEH. The position coordinates interviews, builds a resource library, and supports distribution of collected materials.

You will conduct around 30 interviews, manage metadata, and collaborate with a project advisory team and HDM staff to ensure documentation is accessible to the public.

Qualifications

• Education & Certifications: Bachelor's degree in history or related field.
• Experience: conducting oral history interviews or background in public history.
• Preferred: community-engaged initiatives experience.
• Knowledge of oral history practices, ethics, and methodologies.
• Awareness of biases when interviewing marginalized communities, including Native communities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational skills with ability to manage milestones and deadlines.
• Technical aptitude with hardware/software; video/audio recording/editing experience is a plus.
• Preference for bilingual Spanish speaking ability.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research for interviews and background context.
• Develop interview questions with project team.
• Schedule pre-interview meetings and the interviews.
• Identify interview location and needed materials/equipment.
• Conduct approximately 30 interviews.
• Oversee review/editing of transcripts.
• Develop metadata following oral history standards.
• Coordinate post-interview activities for distribution.
• Collaborate to identify resources and build a resource library.
• Digitize resources and organize into an online public experience.
• Support project coordination and team communications.
• Assist with museum-wide events and accreditations.

Skills

Oral history

Interview coordination

Public history

Bilingual Spanish (preferred)

Education

Bachelor's Degree in History, Anthropology, Folk Studies, Library Science, or related field

Job description

Temporary 18-month position, Part time, Non-exempt | $26.75/hour

Department: Strategic Engagement | Direct Support: Assistant Director of Strategic Engagement

The Oral History Project Manager position is an 18-month position that helps coordinate the High Desert Museum's National Endowment for the Humanities funded Cultural Resiliency project. The goal of this project is to document, preserve, and share the stories of individuals in central and eastern Oregon, whose lives are being shaped by environmental changes. Interviews with individuals will preserve critical cultural resources threatened by these changes while celebrating the cultural resiliency, knowledge, and beauty of the communities and landscapes in this region. In conjunction with a project advisory team and HDM staff, the position will coordinate and conduct interviews, develop a related resource library, and support the distribution of these resources. The position is dependent on funding from NEH.

Essential Functions

Oral History Interviews (70%)

• Conduct research related to interviews, including contextual information and background on the narrator.
• Collaborate with the project team to develop interview questions.
• Work with the narrator to schedule a pre-interview meeting and the interview.
• Identify and coordinate the interview location and any necessary materials or equipment for the interview.
• Conduct approximately 30 interviews.
• Oversee the review and editing of interview transcripts.
• Develop metadata following oral history standards and document background information
• Coordinate with the project team and HDM staff on any other post-interview activities necessary to ensure the interviews are ready for distribution.

Resource Research & Gathering (15%)

• Collaborate with the project team and conduct research to identify historical documentation, scientific data, and other resources that will help contextualize the interviews.
• Work with other institutions to gather resources, including digitizing resources when necessary.
• Collaborate with HDM staff and project team to organize the resources into a resource library and online experience that will be accessible to the public.

Project Coordination (10%)

• Support the overall coordination of the project, including communication with the project team, participating in team meetings, and documenting project activities.

Additional Duties (5%)

• Contribute to and support the Museum's Accreditations
• Assist with museum-wide events, such as Free Days, fundraising gala, etc.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's Degree in History, Anthropology, Folk Studies, Library Science, or related field.

Experience

• Demonstrated experience conducting oral history interviews or background in public history.
• Preference for previous experience with community-engaged or community-driven initiatives.

Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of oral history professional practices, methodology, theory, and ethics.
• Awareness of the power dynamics, biases, and sensitivities of working with and interviewing communities who have been historically marginalized, including Native communities.
• Ability to interact with a variety of personalities and range of viewpoints in a tactful, pleasant, and professional manner.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Organizational skills and proven ability to prioritize milestones and meet multiple deadlines.
• Technical aptitude and proficiency in working with various hardware, software, and digital platforms. Preference for experience with video and audio recording equipment and ability to edit videos.
• Preference for Bilingual in Spanish.

Physical Elements

• This position involves extended periods of seated or standing desk work.
• This position involves travel within central and eastern Oregon.

Equipment Use

• Frequent computer and phone use

A rugged, rocky mesa rises above a dry, grassy plain under a blue sky with scattered clouds. Sparse desert shrubs cover the foreground, and sunlight highlights the dramatic landscape.