Project Assistant - Archives

Somerville; Somerville (MA); On-site; USD 24,000 - 34,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation (4 weeks)

Health insurance benefits

Dental coverage

Vision care

Retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Transit benefits

Job summary

The City of Somerville seeks a part-time Project Assistant to assist with archival tasks under the supervision of the City Archivist and Assistant Archivist. You will create inventories, rehouse records, and describe electronic records using ArchivesSpace and Preservica, following standard metadata practices.

The role offers up to 19 hours per week at $21 per hour, with opportunities to learn metadata standards and digital preservation workflows while collaborating with staff across the city.

Qualifications

• Graduate program enrollment or bachelor’s degree with 1–3 years experience.
• Willingness to learn ArchivesSpace and Preservica.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects.
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues on projects and workflows.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Prepare descriptions in ArchivesSpace and Preservica under guidance.
• Create inventories of records for accessions.
• Sort, collate, index, and shelve materials as needed.
• Prepare digital files for classification and preservation.

Skills

Problem solving

Independent work

Team collaboration

Ability to learn ArchivesSpace/Preserv

Education

Bachelor’s degree or current graduate study with 1–3 years experience

Tools

ArchivesSpace

Preservica

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Statement of Duties

Under the Supervision of the City Archivist and Assistant Archivist, the Project Assistant will perform routine archival tasks such as creating inventories, rehousing records, and describing electronic records. The project assistant will be introduced to archives software such as Preservica and ArchivesSpace and will be taught description based on commonly used metadata standards and will be expected to apply those standards.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• With guidance, prepares descriptions in ArchivesSpace, and Preservica.
• Creates inventories of records for accessions.
• Sorts, collates, indexes, and shelves materials as needed.
• Prepares digital files for classification and preservation.
• Prepares records for shipment to offsite storage.
• Under guidance from the City Archivist and Assistant Archivist, processes, rehouses and describes collections.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Currently enrolled in a graduate program or a bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of experience.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

A strong candidate will possess the following:

• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.
• Ability and willingness to learn technical and other skills quickly including ArchivesSpace and Preservica, and archival metadata standards.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects over time.
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues on projects and workflows.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.

Occasionally, this position will require some work in storage areas that will not have typical office conditions (no climate control, lots of dust, possible vermin, etc.) Applicants will also be required to travel to offices across the city.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

Will be required to lift moderately heavy objects (~25lbs), stack them, and push and pull them on carts.

Motor Skills

Along with lifting boxes of documents applicants are expected to be able to re-folder existing documents and organize them in boxes.

Visual Skills

Will need to be able to read printed documents and handwriting, including those written in cursive.

Hours: Up to 19 hours a week
Salary: $21 per hour
Union: Non-union
FLSA: Non-exempt
Date Posted: October 14, 2026

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or [e-mail].

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Delta Dental
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.