Acquisitions Archivist

Acquisitions Archivist

The Washington State Archives preserves and provides access to millions of legal and historical records of our state and local governments. To meet the needs of our transferring partners, improve discoverability of records, and increase access to the collection, the Archives is expanding its staff and currently hiring for several positions, including three Acquisitions Archivists. These Archivists will focus primarily on electronic records and work at one of our five regional branches located in: Bellevue, Bellingham, Cheney, Ellensburg and Olympia.

These Acquisitions Archivist positions play a critical role in appraising and facilitating the transfer of digitized and born-digital records using the Archives' custom developed system. These positions will attain a complex working knowledge of the system and help train others to use the applications that support transfer, collection management, and access. These positions report to the Digital State Archivist and may collaborate with the branch managers on description metadata to improve access to the electronic collections. We welcome applications from qualified candidates who are excited to join us in ensuring the preservation, and improving the discoverability, of archival records for present and future research.

This recruitment will be used to fill multiple vacancies. We are currently filling vacancies in the following locations: Olympia, Bellingham, Bellevue, Cheney and Ellensburg. Interviews for this position will be conducted on an ongoing basis. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply as soon as possible. The hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at any time.

Day to Day Acquisition Operations Tasks

• Facilitates the transfer of electronic records from client agencies to the Archives for accessioning. Tasks include; conducts virtual and on-site appraisals based on Records Retention Schedules, Digital Archives system requirements, and Archives policies and practices; serves as senior-level consultant on preparation of records for transfer; evaluates, corrects, or creates transmittals for archival records to ensure intellectual control of the records and ensure availability; creates Digital Archives system metadata; troubleshoots problems that occur during ingestion.
• Builds and maintains effective working relationships with government agencies to schedule and facilitate seamless transportation of complex records, electronic records, to the Archives.
• Participates in agency visits. Delivers hard drives to agencies when the Archives' ingestion system cannot support a transfer, and processes records upon return of the drive(s).
• Prepares and delivers virtual and on-site training to government agencies and internal staff on the use of transfer, access, and collection management tools. Manages user accounts and permissions for the tools and applications.
• Maintains inventory of portable media discovered in stacks and evaluates, appraises, processes, catalogs, and preserves archival records.

Collection Management Tasks

• Improves discoverability of records using archival description standards. Tasks include: creates and improves description metadata; creates or updates Archives catalog entries; and identifies needed enhancements that increase access to online collections.
• Collaborates in the development and maintenance of procedures for accessioning and managing collections.
• Complies with all state and federal laws pertaining to the accessibility of records ensuring that restricted materials are identified and documented in the system.
• Follows arrangement and description standards, policies and internal manuals to process archival records.
• Reviews paper collections to incorporate them into description with related electronic collections.

Outreach Tasks

• Creates and coordinates special projects, initiatives, workshops, presentations, and displays which publicize the role and holdings of the Archives.
• Seeks out and speaks at allied professional and target audience functions.

Miscellaneous Tasks

• Stay up to date with current trends in the archives and records management profession, particularly those related to technologies for the preservation of and access to born digital records.
• Assist with day-to-day branch operations, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree involving archives and records management, history or related field and three years' experience as a professional archivist including duties such as appraising and selecting records, arranging and describing records, making records accessible, digitizing, managing digital records, or records management activities such as establishing retention schedules, organizing and classifying records and ensuring accessibility and retrieval OR 9 years of professional, full-time experience appraising, accessioning, cataloging, arranging, and preserving digital and analog archival records, improving access to digital item- to collection-level records using standard description metadata, and interpreting and applying records retention schedules may substitute for higher education.
• Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position

Preferred/Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with electronic records, including ingestion and description procedures and best practices, file formats and properties related to their long-term preservation and access.
• Experience working independently, establishing work priorities and adapting to changing business needs, conditions and work responsibilities.
• Experience using standard office software applications such as Microsoft Office Suite.
• Interest or experience in scripting.
• Completion of the Society of American Archivists Digital Archives Specialist Certificate Program.

The Office of the Secretary of State is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We do not discriminate on the basis of religion, age, gender, marital status, color, creed, national origin, political affiliation, military status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any sensory, mental or physical ability. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply. Persons of disability needing assistance in the application process, or those needing the announcement in alternative format, should email View email address on click.appcast.io.