Media Archivist

Museum Vision and Mission:

MOHAI is treasured locally and respected nationally as a vibrant resource where history inspires us to build a better future. To serve our region, we bridge the past, present, and future by collecting, preserving, and sharing stories through compelling, innovative exhibits and community engagement.

Position Title: Media Archivist

Reports to: Library Collections Manager

Location: MOHAI McQuaid Resource Center in Georgetown

Classification: Non-Exempt; Part-time (22.5 hours); Hourly

Schedule: Weekdays

Rate of Pay: $28-32 per hour

Benefits: Paid Sick and Safe Time in accordance with the City of Seattle ordinance

Position Description: The Media Archivist assists the Library Collections Manager in overseeing the organization, cataloging, processing, care, and accessibility of the museum’s digital and audiovisual (audio and moving image) materials, including the regionally important oral history collection. The Media Archivist carries out day-to-day archival practices, policies and procedures, and supervises the work of volunteers and interns regarding arrangement, description, digital preservation, creation of digital copies, and supports access to these collections. This individual also contributes and participates in reaching the overall library/collections/museum goals and projects. This position reports to the Library Collections Manager and is a member of the Collections Resources Department.

Key Responsibilities:

• Preservation: Oversees the creation of preservation and access copies of audiovisual and digital materials, either in-house or working with vendors, and maintains a digital preservation workflow for current and incoming digital archival materials. Oversees the processing of digital materials using this workflow from ingest to digital storage and access, including the logging of digital materials into the library collections management database.
• Access: With support from the Library Collections Manager and Archivist, maintains online public access to audiovisual and digital materials, either directly from our collections management system Proficio or working with partner organizations and vendors. Writes historical background and other metadata in line with library data dictionaries and collaborates with other library staff and volunteers to create this metadata.
• New audiovisual and digital collections: Assist Library Collections Manager with acquisition decisions and accessioning process for audiovisual and digital materials. Responsible for initial housing, arrangement, and description of new media collections.
• Support for oral histories: Coordinate with oral history efforts at MOHAI to ensure necessary paperwork and appropriate formats and media for new oral history projects. Maintain access and preservation copies and oversee creation of transcripts by volunteers or as staff capacity permits. With support from Library Collections Manager and Archivist, post materials online adhering to best practices in oral history ethics and accessibility.
• Reference: In collaboration with the Library Associate and Archivist, answer reference inquiries for the audiovisual and digital collections. Log these requests in the collections management system Proficio, and work with Digital Image Technician to generate invoices and log orders in our accounting software Wave.
• Equity: Ensure that all interactions are culturally responsive, respectful, and based on a foundation of MOHAI’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. Work to prioritize donations and access to collections that tell stories of those historically excluded from the historical narrative, including People of Color, Indigenous People, gay or queer people, trans and nonbinary people, immigrants not from Europe, refugees, people with disabilities, minority religious groups, and working class and low income people.
• Advocacy: Assist in writing grants for library projects. Serve as a resource person and advocate for topics relating to or affecting the library.
• Collaboration: Work as part of a team with library staff to implement best practices and strategically plan to meet goals of the team, department, and museum.
• Manage Volunteers: Oversee volunteers working on access copies, digital preservation, and online access of media materials.
• Attendance at museum-sponsored events may be required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Two years of archivist experience managing digital and audiovisual materials in a museum, archives, or special collections setting.
• Bachelor’s degree or any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved. Master’s degree in history, museology, library science or related degree preferred.
• Working knowledge of best practices on the maintenance of digital and audiovisual archival collections and familiarity with providing access to these resources.
• Good attention to detail in keeping track of workflow and in maintaining quality control.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience working with library information systems or collections management databases.
• Experience working collaboratively with colleagues.
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing.
• Detail and task oriented.
• Bilingual and multilingual skills valued.
• Enthusiasm for MOHAI’s exhibits, programs, and mission.

Find yourself checking a lot of these boxes but doubting whether you should apply? If you meet some of the requirements and you share MOHAI’s values and support our mission, we encourage you to apply. As part of our ongoing commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, we’re invested in building teams with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, and experiences.

Museum Overview:

For 70 years, MOHAI has been dedicated to enriching lives by preserving, sharing, and teaching the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region, and the nation. With a collection of 6.5 million artifacts, photographs, oral histories and archival items, and an expansive schedule of exhibits and programs, MOHAI is the region’s premier history center. MOHAI operates a dramatic and award-winning museum in Seattle’s vibrant South Lake Union neighborhood and a resource center in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. MOHAI also hosts the Bezos Center for Innovation, focusing on the history and future of innovation in the Puget Sound region. MOHAI is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, and has been selected by USA Today as one of the Top Ten History Museums in the nation. For more information, please visit mohai.org.

To Apply:

Please e-mail letter of interest and resume to Human.Resources@mohai.org. No phone calls, please.

MOHAI is a 501(c)(3) organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a team and an organizational culture that fosters inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We encourage candidates of color to apply.