Film & Multimedia Archivist, Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence, RI
Posted November 7, 2022
Position Description
The Rhode Island Historical Society seeks a knowledgeable and energetic professional to join
the collections staff in a permanent, full-time position. Reporting to the Associate Director of the
Robinson Research Center, the Film & Multimedia Archivist is responsible for providing public
access to, and the management, cataloging, and preservation of, the Society’s moving image and
recorded media collections, in all formats (primarily film, but also tape, digital, etc.). They will
work in collaboration with staff in the Collections, Programming, and Education departments to
advance the Society’s mission to promote and preserve its collection of more than 9 million feet
of moving image film and over 2,000 sound recordings (from oral history projects to jazz
performances).
Requirements
- Graduate-level degree or certificate in moving image archives, library & information science, film studies, or other related degree.
- Experience working primarily with film, but also with audio/video formats, files, and equipment, and digitization of linear media.
- Experience working with digital video and audio equipment, files and formats, and editing software.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will have demonstrable knowledge of current archival standards, practices, theory, and implementation with respect to film, but also audio-visual collections, including appraisal methods, arrangement and description, cataloging, preservation and access.
Further qualifications include demonstrable experience with and knowledge of best practices for creating digital surrogates and supporting data storage; familiarity with current editing software, databases and data entry standards; and proficiency in historical research.
Responsibilities:
The Film & Multimedia Archivist will respond to reference and research queries related to the moving image and audio collections, including reproduction and rights requests from film makers; formulate and update policies for use, reproduction, and preservation of the collections; apply current processing methods to arrange, catalog and describe the collections; manage interns and volunteers working with the collections; work with supervisor and other collections staff to prioritize workflow for digitization; support fundraising and grant-writing for preservation and promotional projects; participate in professional development; and represent the Society at appropriate regional and national conferences.
The Collections:
In 1969, the donated news film from station WPRI was the foundation of the film archive, and it has since grown with the acquisition (by gift or purchase) of newsreels, silent films, home movies, industrial film, promotional films (for business and tourism), documentaries, amateur theater productions, and educational film, as well as the archives of stations WJAR (the NBC affiliate), WTEV (now WNLE, the ABC affiliate) and WSBE (Rhode Island PBS). In total, the RIHS stewards a collection of over 9 million feet of moving image film footage, ranking it among the top five regional film archives in the U.S.
Compensation:
Annual salary is $42,000 – $45,000 to start.
Benefits:
Health care insurance, single plan starting the 1st of the month following date of hire. TIAA/CREF retirement plan after completing twenty four (24) months of employment. Life and Disability Insurance. Paid sick time, 15 paid holidays, and paid vacation time.
EEO Statement:
The Rhode Island Historical Society is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
To Apply:
Please e-mail a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references to [email protected] with “Film & Multimedia Archivist” in the subject line. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. No phone calls, please.