Preservation Specialist, NEDCC, Andover, MA
Posted February 16, 2016
Position Summary
The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) is seeking a Preservation Specialist to support its consulting and outreach programs.
This position is 20 hours per week and will be primarily dedicated to conducting preservation needs assessments and writing comprehensive assessment reports; but may also include time spent responding to preservation inquiries; assisting with ongoing projects related to audiovisual and digital preservation; presenting introductory webinars; and representing of NEDCC at local and regional professional meetings and conferences.
Preservation Specialists are the public face of NEDCC. As a highly collaborative department, all team members contribute to the development of new goals and projects. Our most important characteristics are a passion for collections and an interest in helping others see and understand the value of preservation. We are excellent communicators in person and in writing, are able to step back and see a bigger picture, and are interested in finding creative but practical solutions to difficult problems.
Qualifications
Minimum qualifications for the Preservation Specialist position are:
- BS/BA, with coursework towards a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science or Museum Studies;
- solid understanding of general preservation best practices (disaster planning, identification, care and handling of materials, reformatting and digitization, etc.);
- strong analytical, observation, and communication skills;
- attention to detail;
- experience or comfort with public speaking;
- flexibility to work both independently and as part of a team; and
- ability and willingness to travel regionally and nationally.
Preferred Qualifications
In addition to the above, the following qualifications are a plus:
- a Master’s in Library and Information Science, Museum Studies, or similar; with coursework on relevant topics, including, but not limited to preservation, collections management, emergency preparedness and risk assessment, archives administration, appraisal, and/or digital preservation;
- at least 1 year of experience working with collections-holding institutions;
- experience with online instruction, in-person instruction, and/or consulting projects;
About NEDCC
Founded in 1973, NEDCC is the first independent conservation laboratory in the United States to specialize exclusively in treating collections made of paper or parchment, such as works of art, books, photographs, maps, manuscripts, etc. NEDCC is incorporated as a nonprofit in order to provide its services at cost to collecting institutions. Its mission is to improve the conservation efforts of libraries, archives, historical organizations, museums, and other repositories; to provide the highest quality services to institutions that lack in-house conservation and reformatting facilities or those that seek specialized expertise; and to provide leadership in the preservation, conservation, and imaging fields. Its services include book, paper, and photograph conservation; digital reformatting; surveys and consultations; disaster assistance; and workshops and conferences. NEDCC is located in a renovated historic mill building in Andover, Mass., twenty-five miles north of Boston. For more information, please visit www.nedcc.org.
Application Process
NEDCC is an equal opportunity employer. Salary and benefits are competitive. This position will remain open until filled. To apply, please send cover letter and resume in PDF to Jessica Bitely, Director of Preservation Services, at [email protected].