Collection Management Archivist

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Position Summary

Caltech Library seeks a Collection Management Archivist committed to continual learning and collaboration. The Collection Management Archivist will steward our physical archives and special collections, including papers, photographs, film, audio and videotape, rare books, fine art, and scientific instruments. They will play a key role in a small university library, leading our efforts to improve preservation and efficiently utilize collection storage, and sharing expertise in these areas with colleagues.

Job Summary

The Collection Management Archivist functions as a member of the Archives and Special Collections department under the direction of the University Archivist. This is a benefit-based, overtime-eligible position, working 20 hours per week.

The mission of Archives and Special Collections is to facilitate understanding of Caltech’s role in the history of science and technology, and of the research and lives of its community. The four archivists in the department each play multiple roles, contributing to collection development, processing, reference and access, and events and exhibitions. Other collaborators across Caltech Library include an oral history interviewer, a facilities coordinator, software developers, digitization staff, and repository and liaison librarians. Beyond the Library, we work with administrators and student organizations to transfer records and understand institutional history, teach special collections class sessions with course instructors, and curate physical and digital exhibitions for the campus community and beyond.

Among our priorities for this position are improving preservation storage of photographs, paintings, drawings, and other visual material, and reappraising and deaccessioning portions of manuscript and other collections that fall outside our collection development policy. This role does not include responsibility for digital collections, which are managed by our Digital Archivist.

Essential Job Duties

Collection Management

• Engage in archival appraisal, accessioning, arrangement, description, and rehousing of collections across physical formats, including paper records, photographs, art, film, scientific instruments, and others.
• Improve preservation of collections using rehousing, environmental monitoring, refrigeration and freezing of film, and other techniques.
• In collaboration with the University Archivist, develop and maintain a plan for emergencies that damage or jeopardize collections, and implement it if necessary.
• Apply archival ethics and departmental policies with regard to privacy, confidentiality, copyright, and reparative description in providing and restricting access to collections.