Archivist - Gateway Arch National Park

Do you have a passion for history and experience working in an archives? If so, we encourage your application to join our professional staff as full-time Archivist for Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri. As part of the cultural resources team, you will play a key role in organizing, arranging, and protecting the park archives and museum collections. And, you will have the opportunity to work with park staff, researchers, donors, and the public to provide access and promote the importance of numerous unique historical records. The park's interpretive themes are broad including westward expansion, Dred and Harriet Scott's fight for freedom, the creation of the national park site, and construction of the Gateway Arch monument – all reflected by a wide variety of materials contained in the park’s archives. The Archivist is employed by Jefferson National Parks Association, the longstanding, non-profit educational partner of Gateway Arch National Park. This is not a position with the federal government. Please see below for further information, position qualifications and instructions on how to apply.

Administers Archives Collections:

• Arranges the archival collections following detailed standard NPS guidelines. Creates finding aids to the collections, edits and indexes folder lists, box/container lists and updates the collection-level survey descriptions as needed.
• Accessions appropriate collections into the park museum records database. For collections of similar type, researches collection provenance, original order, series components, dates, document formats, processes, creators, authenticity, topical content data, legal status, and legal validity of access restrictions and ownership history. Deaccessions inappropriate collections following established NPS policies. Refers complex issues to the supervisor.
• Following detailed preliminary instructions, conducts baseline condition survey of archival collections and prioritizes collections for treatment or reformatting. Writes initial recommendations for treatment or reformatting, scope of work for treatment or reformatting and treatment or reformatting inspection criteria for review by the supervisor.
• Rehouses the park archival and manuscript collections, as needed. Sets up archival storage, processing, work, and reference services areas, reading room spaces with good environments, security, fire protection, and supervision. Assists in monitoring and maintaining the environment for collections, including light, temperature, relative humidity, and air quality, and assists with the integrated pest management program for park facilities.
• In conjunction with the park staff, ensures appropriate records retention and recommends specific non-official records for inclusion in museum collection. Surveys park records in all park structures and writes collection-level survey descriptions.
• Enters and administers collection records on the Department of the Interior collections management system, assists curator as needed with museum artifact records in the database.

Works with Researchers, Donors, and General Public:

• Works with researchers from both inside and outside the park to facilitate their research. Sets up policies for research in collections and monitors researchers while in the facility. Answers reference questions via email, telephone, and mail. Keeps track of usage of collections. Works with curator to write reference room policies and procedures.
• Works with potential donors to determine if their collections are appropriate according to the Scope of Collections statement. Administers all loans of archival documents, reviews loan paperwork and updates loans as needed for museum at Gateway Arch or temporary displays.
• Administers photograph reproduction program. Writes terms and conditions for use policy and manages reproduction permission requests and copyright concerns in consultation with the curator and/or others.
• Develops and maintains effective working relations with related groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage and facilitate cooperation. Attends management and professional conferences and other events for the purpose of exchanging information. Attends NPS trainings and meetings to facilitate work within the service and cooperation within the agency.
• Supervises interns and volunteers. Maintains relationships with local educational institutions and creates educational opportunities for students to assist with park goals while learning about the profession.

Communicates Effectively:

• Presents papers at professional conferences and contributes articles to professional and government publications to promote park collections, events, and developments at the park.
• Makes presentations about the park and the museum collections in the park and to local groups.
• Creates social media and website updates to inform the public about archives collections and park history.
• Authors articles about the history of the park and develops online exhibits to highlight archival collections and museum artifacts in the context of park themes.

Collaborates as Member of Cultural Resources Team:

• Assists with the management of the park library and with park museum collection under the direction of the curator.
• Works with curator to prepare annual reports for museum collections and annual inventory.
• Serves on park committees for strategic planning, event planning and exhibit planning.
• Develops temporary exhibits for Old Courthouse on park themes using park collections and coordinating loans from other cultural institutions.
• Develops grant proposals in conjunction with park partners.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS

The work requires frequent retrieval of records and books from storage areas with some bending and lifting of cartons of papers (weighing up to 50 pounds). Operation of standard office equipment. Operation of motor vehicles. Work requires travel to various locations for the purpose of acquisitions and collection of materials to other NPS and non-NPS sites with archival and manuscript collections and to training and professional meetings. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for extended periods.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION

Education and Experience: Master’s degree in Archives or Library Science from an ALA accredited institution; or master’s degree in related field with experience working in archives; or a minimum of five years’ experience administering an archival collection.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Knowledge of archival theory, practices, and preservation principles. | Experience working in an archives and/or library collaborating with researchers, conducting research and answering reference questions. | Experience working with sharing archival, library or museum materials via the internet and social media. Proficient in using social media. | Experience making public presentations and desire to make presentations both internal and external to educate about archival materials and research. | Experience writing for scholarly or professional publications, published historical articles.