Archivist, Cambridge Historical Commission (Cambridge, MA)

Posted March 13, 2025

Description:

The Commission seeks a full-time Archivist to organize and maintain its public archive and create in-person and online programming that promotes the archive and highlights Cambridge history. The archive is founded on an architectural inventory containing survey forms, photographs, and documentation on all 13,000± buildings in the city that is currently being digitized. Other collections include both historic and contemporary materials, such as atlases, papers and manuscripts, books, objects, and ephemera. The photograph collection is estimated to contain more than 60,000 images in all forms. These unique resources are used daily by staff, residents, researchers, and building professionals. The Archivist will oversee the Digital Projects Archivist, who also coordinates the Commission’s social media presence, and supervise relevant interns and volunteers.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Review existing collection policies and disaster response plan and update as necessary.
Develop and implement procedures and workflows for a range of stewardship activities, including collection management, acquisition, description, processing, documentation, storage, security, and digitization.
Plan and lead outreach activities.
Develop, maintain, and actively promote CHC’s extensive collection of printed books, photographs, archival collections, and related materials.
Process new donations and existing collections and input DACS-compliant finding aids in ArchivesSpace.
Move legacy finding aids in pdf format to ArchivesSpace.
Oversee the intellectual organization of processed collections, including identifying collections for off-site storage.
Assist with search for new off-site storage vendor. Serve as primary contact with current and/or new off-site vendor.
Maintain and update the ArchivesSpace and research library.
Recruit, supervise, and mentor part-time archives assistants, interns, and volunteers.

The Archivist will also:

Contribute to the Commission’s social media platforms.
Respond to reference inquiries from the public and staff via in-person appointments and/or emailed responses.
Advise other city departments and community organizations on archive management and conservation practices as directed.
Plan citywide archives-centered events such as Cambridge Open Archives.
Work collaboratively with relevant groups and repositories to promote awareness of local history collections and develop mutually beneficial policies and promotional materials.
Undertake other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Qualifications:

MLS/MLIS from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent advanced degree in library or information science; course work or concentration in archival procedures, management, and preservation strongly preferred.
A minimum of three years of work experience in archival services, including digitization processes.
Familiarity with current metadata description standards and structural formats, through coursework or practical experience, including DACS, Dublin Core, and controlled vocabularies.
Strong writing, communication, and organizational skills.
Strong technical and computer skills.
Familiarity with architectural history and Cambridge history is welcome but not required.

· The City of Cambridge’s workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Must have sufficient mobility to travel back and forth to work and to offsite meetings. Hand-eye coordination is necessary to operate computers and various pieces of office equipment, including copiers, scanners, and printers. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and must be able to lift and carry materials and equipment that may weigh over 20 lbs.

Hours and Compensation:

37.5 hours/week, $55,604-$70,685 annually. Competitive benefits package.

How to Apply:

Submit application through the City of Cambridge careers site: https://phe.tbe.taleo.net/phe02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=CAMBRIDGEMA&cws=41&rid=1209

Please upload the following documents to complete your application.

Resume
Cover letter
Writing sample