Emergency Preparedness Consultants, Northeast Document Conservation Center, Southern California
Posted September 22, 2022
Description:
The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) is seeking two California-based Emergency Preparedness Consultants for “Ready—or Not,” a minimum three-year project funded by the State
of California that will conduct emergency preparedness assessments of local archives, historical
societies, libraries, museums and tribal nations to help those entities create written disaster
preparedness plans to protect their collections and ensure future public access.
These full-time, remote positions are ideally based in Southern California as part of NEDCC’s
established teleworking program. Responsibilities include conducting on-site emergency
preparedness consultations and writing assessment reports; following up with participating
organizations to encourage completion of their disaster plan; following up with organizations that
did not complete the California Cultural Collections Protection Survey; identifying local disaster
response agencies and mutual aid networks; and assisting with identifying organizations for site
visits. Consultants will be trained and supervised by a Lead Consultant.
The “Ready—or Not” project provides a unique and exciting opportunity to focus on disaster
preparedness and to have a tremendous impact on emergency preparedness for cultural and
historic resource organizations throughout the state of California. These positions join the “Ready—
or Not” project cohort—a team of five employees based in California—and NEDCC’s Preservation
Services Department, a team of six additional employees based in Massachusetts, Louisiana, and
Oregon. Our most important characteristics are a passion for cultural heritage 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.
The annual salary for this position is $50,000.
Qualifications:
Minimum qualifications for the Emergency Preparedness Consultant position are:
- a Master’s degree in Archives, Emergency Management, Library and Information Science,
- Museum Studies, or similar, or current certification from the Academy of Certified Archivists; with coursework on relevant topics including, but not limited to, preservation, collections management, emergency preparedness, and risk assessment;
- Solid understanding of general preservation best practices (format identification, care and handling of materials, environmental management, etc.) as well as practical experience conducting preservation assessments;
- Knowledge of emergency preparedness and risk assessment as they relate to cultural and historic resource organizations and collections as well as practical experience creating emergency preparedness plans;
- Strong analytical and observation skills;
- Excellent writing and verbal communication skills;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and backgrounds;
- Flexibility to work both independently and as part of a team;
- Valid driver’s license; and
- Ability and willingness to travel regionally, up to 75%.
In addition to the above, the following qualifications are desirable but are not required for consideration:
- At least 1 year of full-time experience working with collections-holding institutions;
- Experience working with tribal nations, museums, libraries, archives, and government entities;
- Consulting experience;
- Project management experience;
- “Up-to-date” immunization series against COVID-19 in accordance with CDC recommendations; and
- Bilingual in English and Spanish.
How to Apply:
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the positions will remain open until filled. To apply, please send a cover letter and resume in a single PDF to Hillary Ellis, Lead Emergency Preparedness Consultant, [email protected]. In the cover letter, explain how you meet the qualifications for the position.
About NEDCC:
Founded in 1973, NEDCC is the first nonprofit center to specialize in the conservation and reformatting of paper-based materials, and over the years has expanded its services to include digital imaging and audio preservation. NEDCC’s mission is to improve the preservation efforts of libraries, archives, historical organizations, museums, and other repositories; to provide the highest quality conservation and reformatting services to collections-holding institutions; and to provide leadership in preservation, conservation, and digital reformatting. Its services include book, paper, and photograph conservation; digital reformatting (imaging and audio); assessments and consultations; disaster assistance; online preservation education; and workshops and conferences.
NEDCC has consulted with organizations across the country to plan for the long-term preservation of their collections and has worked with a range of institutions to reformat their deteriorating documents, photographs, negatives, and obsolete audio materials. NEDCC has treated many of the most significant paper-based collections in the United States. (See NEDCC Stories for projects of note.) NEDCC is located in Andover, MA, twenty-five miles north of Boston. For more information, please visit www.nedcc.org.
Only persons with the legal right to work in the United States are eligible to apply. NEDCC offers competitive salaries commensurate with education, experience, and skill, as well as an excellent retirement/benefits package. NEDCC is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.