Project Archivist

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive. Why join the Harvard Radcliffe Institute? The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, known colloquially as Harvard Radcliffe Institute, is one of the world’s leading centers for interdisciplinary exploration. We bring together students, scholars, artists, and practitioners to pursue curiosity-driven research, expand human understanding, and grapple with questions that demand insight from across disciplines. The Fellowship Program annually supports the work of 50 leading artists and scholars. Academic Ventures fosters collaborative research projects and sponsors lectures and conferences that engage scholars with the public. The Schlesinger Library documents the lives of American women of the past and present for the future, furthering the Institute's commitment to women, gender, and society. The Emerging Leaders Program is a youth leadership development program partnering local high school sophomores with Harvard undergraduates in a mentoring relationship. The Institute’s work is shaped by its history as the former Radcliffe College—a school founded to ensure that the standard of education embodied in Harvard was accessible to women, who were then excluded from the University. But the legacy of Radcliffe College is not simply coeducation at Harvard; it is the recognition that universities will always be greater when they draw wisdom and talent from the widest possible pool. Take a look at this video to get different staff perspectives on working at Harvard Radcliffe Institute!

Job Description

This is a 2-year term limited position starting in May, 2026 and ending on April 30, 2028 Job Summary: The Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America documents the lives of women of the past and present for the future and furthers the Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s commitment to the study of women, gender, sexuality, and society. The Archival Technical Services unit at Schlesinger Library fosters the discovery, use, and care of archival and manuscript materials through various activities including accessioning, processing, description, metadata creation, preservation, and collection management. Archival Technical Services’ priorities reflect the Library’s ongoing work to document the history and contributions of women and organizations currently under-represented in our collections. The Library has recently acquired the papers of a prominent Black feminist critic, writer, and publisher. The approximately 164 linear feet collection documents the Combahee River Collective, Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, Black lesbian and gay writing and activism, and many other related topics. To process and make accessible this significant new acquisition, we seek a Project Archivist for a two-year term who is passionate about archival processing and its crucial role in fostering discovery and accessibility, and who is committed to equitable representation and inclusive description in archives. The Project Archivist processes this newly acquired collection, arranging and describing the papers according to national standards and best practices to provide widespread public access to the collection. This is an opportunity for a critical thinker to join an experienced unit of passionate archivists who are working collectively to evaluate and improve our practices while reaffirming our existing strengths. Reporting to the Lead Processing Archivist, they will participate in a team committed to ongoing reflection and improvement. Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Appraises, arranges, describes, preserves, and catalogs the papers, in both analog and digital formats, of a prominent Black feminist critic, writer, and publisher. This includes creating a processing plan and achievable timeline for the project, and consulting with conservation staff regarding fragile materials.
• Creates DACS-compliant archival description, including catalog record and finding aid, following national standards and Schlesinger Library procedures and applying best practices for inclusive and reparative description.
• Determines appropriate levels of arrangement and description, using a range of approaches to ensure flexible and efficient processing.
• Adheres to procedures outlined in departmental processing manuals and contributes to the improvement and documentation of departmental workflows and practices.
• May supervise student assistants and interns, including planning and assigning work. Working Conditions:
• Work conditions involve a climate-controlled, indoor environment with specific temperature and humidity levels to preserve materials. The archivist may encounter dust and mold, necessitating the use of p

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