Processing Archivist

Wheaton Library and Archives seeks a skilled, collaborative, innovative, and enthusiastic professional for a Processing Archivist position. This role plays a critical part in the Archives & Special Collections’ mission to collect, preserve, and make accessible Wheaton College’s institutional archives and special collections, ensuring long-term access, organization, and stewardship of materials and discoverability for diverse users. The Processing Archivist works collegially and collaboratively within the Archives & Special Collections to ensure excellence and integrity in its collections, services, and programs, and across the Library to promote its mission and values.

In partnership with colleagues, the Processing Archivist will plan and manage large and small-scale processing projects, accession new materials, supervise student workers, coordinate with donors, and ensure timely access to archival materials accessioned by Wheaton’s archival repositories. The Processing Archivist will receive all necessary training as well as ongoing mentoring and professional development support. The position is full time and will pay $55-60,000 annually.

• Arrange, rehouse, and preserve archival records, working across diverse physical and digital formats, in accordance with nationally accepted archival principles, standards, and best practices.
• Describe archival collections according to nationally accepted archival standards, generating EAD-encoded finding aids in the repository's collections management database, Archives Space, and creating records in MARC format to upload to the Library's online public access catalog.
• Appraise and accession new collection materials, exercising professional judgement to ascertain the ongoing research value of new collections while faithfully and independently representing administrative, legal, and descriptive information about new materials in Archives Space.
• Contribute to management and control activities, including collections assessment, stacks and equipment maintenance, space planning, and archival supplies monitoring.
• Serve on cross-department initiatives, including digital exhibits and preservation activities, contributing to preservation and reformatting activities.
• Participate in unit-wide meetings, decision-making, and planning activities.
• Supervise, train, and manage archival student workers.
• Provide Manuscripts Reading Room desk coverage on occasion, and support reference and research services as needed.

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned.

• Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited program in hand or in progress, or equivalent combination of advanced degree in a relevant discipline (Museum Studies, Public History, History) and related experience.
• 1-3 years of experience in a library, archives, or museum setting, working with diverse collections and users.
• Ability to build productive working relationships and collaborate effectively across teams and with external partners.
• Capacity to work autonomously, exercise professional judgement, and make independent decisions within the scope of assignments.
• Ability to prioritize work, manage multiple tasks, and complete projects in a timely manner.
• Experience using Microsoft Office suite and comfortable learning new systems and platforms, and applications.
• Superior written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Committed to diversity, growth, and dynamic environments; desire to grow in…