Position Title - Digital Archive Intern

Nycarchivists; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Cai Studio is seeking a paid Digital Archive Intern to join its Archives Department in Fall 2026. This fully in-person internship requires a minimum six-month commitment and is based at the East Village office, with occasional work at the New Jersey office.

You will support preservation, organization, and accessibility of digital materials documenting Cai Guo-Qiang’s work. The role offers hands-on experience with web archiving, metadata, and digital preservation, and may develop into a long-term

Qualifications

• Interest in digital archives or preservation.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage large quantities of archival data.
• Ability to document technical processes clearly.
• Basic proficiency with Excel.
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Create a web-archive of the artist’s past exhibitions websites, collecting, downloading, and preserving web-based history.
• Organize born-digital image and video collections, update filenames and derive contact sheets.
• Assist with metadata cleanup in CollectiveAccess, ensuring file paths are accurate.
• Learn to use CollectiveAccess to contextualize archival materials.
• Identify, organize, and label the artist’s CD/DVD collection and track progress in spreadsheets.
• Perform other duties to support the Archives Department.

Skills

Digital archives

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Documentation

Excel

Lift 20 lbs

Education

MSLIS program student

Tools

CollectiveAccess

Web archiving tools

Job description

Supervisor Title (All student, intern, and volunteer position supervisors should be qualified, professional archivists.)- Digital Archivist

Position Type - Paid Internship

Does this position satisfy requirements for course credits? - No

Hourly wage range - $18- $25

Overview

Cai Studio is seeking a paid Digital Archive Intern to join its Archives Department beginning in Fall 2026. This fully in-person position requires a minimum six-month commitment and is based primarily at the studio’s East Village office. Occasional workdays at the New Jersey office may be required; transportation to and from is generally arranged by the studio.

Working closely with the Digital Archivist, the intern will support the preservation, organization, and accessibility of the digital archival materials documenting Cai Guo-Qiang’s work and practice. The role will include maintaining the photograph and video collection, web archiving, and other ongoing digital preservation projects. The intern will also have opportunities to research and test tools and methods that support more efficient access to and long‑term preservation of digital materials.

This internship is well suited to someone with a focus on digital archives or digital preservation who is interested in applying technical methods within a living‑artist archive. For the right candidate, the position may develop into a long‑term role, depending on performance and the studio’s needs.

The intern is expected to work 2-3 days per week, from 10am–6pm.

Compensation is $17/hour.

About Cai Studio

Under the direction of the artist, Cai Studio oversees the fabrication of original artworks, the coordination of public exhibitions, and the conception and production of related publications. The archive department is one of the studio’s four principal departments, alongside Projects, Collections, and Administration.

The Archives Department catalogs and maintains photographs, videos, and printed documentation of artworks, the art making process, and exhibitions, from the earliest stages of Cai’s career up to the present. The team supports publications, exhibitions, and scholarship that contribute to a wider understanding of the artist.

Responsibilities

• Create a web-archive of the artist’s past exhibitions websites collecting, downloading, and preserving web-based exhibition history.
• Organize born-digital image and video collections, identifying artworks and updating filenames according to established standards, and assist with creating contact sheets and other derivatives that improve accessibility.
• Assist with data clean‑up on CollectiveAccess database, ensuring the accuracy of metadata including file paths on servers.
• Learn to navigate and search the studio’s CollectiveAccess database, using existing records and related information to identify and contextualize archival materials.
• Identify, organize, and label the artist’s CD/DVD collection, tracking progress in spreadsheets and using records in CollectiveAccess identify and contextualize archival materials.
• Perform other duties and tasks in support of the Archives Department, as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated interest in digital archives, digital preservation, digital collections, or related areas of library and information science.
• Strong organizational skills and close attention to detail.
• Ability to work carefully and consistently with large quantities of archival materials and data.
• Ability to follow established workflows and documentation protocols, and to clearly document technical processes and findings.
• Basic proficiency with Excel.
• Ability to carry and lift heavy boxes and other material (up to 20 lbs.), including up and down stairs.

Preferred

• Ability to read Chinese and/or Japanese.
• Previous experience working in an archive, library, or museum collection.
• Familiarity with digital preservation concepts, web-archiving, file systems, or command line tools.
• Current or recent student in an MSLIS program, preferably with coursework or a concentration in digital archives, or digital preservation.
• Background or interest in contemporary art and art history.
• Experience working with collection databases or born-digital archival materials.
• Familiarity with working with CollectiveAccess or other digital asset management systems.

Questions? [e-mail]