Consulting Archivist

Role Summary

Consulting Archivist – Illinois Humanities. Part‑time contract position (approximately 20 hours per week). The role will develop a digital archive of the organization’s 50‑year history.

Base pay: $40.00 per hour (not to exceed $40,000 for the full project term, anticipated through January 2027).

Reports to: Senior Director of Development and Communications.

Location: Chicago, Illinois (office in the Loop).

Status: Part‑time Contract.

• Platform Evaluation & Selection
  • Assess organizational needs and archival materials to determine appropriate digital archiving solutions.
  • Collaborate with the Senior Director to research, evaluate, and recommend archival platforms based on usability, scalability, and budget.
• Archive Implementation & Management
  • Catalogue materials (program photos, audio, film, marketing materials, grant records, press clippings, educational materials, selected correspondence, etc.) and ensure proper documentation, indexing, and tagging for discoverability.
  • Refine a comprehensive timeline of the organization’s history.
  • Oversee the set‑up, configuration, and architecture of the chosen archival platform.
  • Develop workflows and metadata standards for ingesting and managing archival content.
  • Coordinate digitization (if needed) and migration of existing materials.
• Preservation & Access
  • Implement best practices for long‑term preservation of digital assets.
  • Set appropriate access controls and user permissions for different archive users.
  • Ensure compliance with copyright, privacy, and data security standards.
• Project Coordination & Reporting
  • Maintain regular communication with internal stakeholders on project progress.
  • Develop timelines, benchmarks, and documentation for archival processes.
  • Train relevant staff on use and maintenance of the archive system.
  • Develop policies and procedures to sustainably manage physical assets and the digital archive beyond project launch.

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS), Archival Studies, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated experience selecting and implementing digital archival platforms.
• Knowledge of metadata standards.
• Familiarity with content management systems and archival software tools.
• Excellent project management, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks with minimal supervision.

• Experience working with nonprofits, cultural institutions, or academic settings.
• Knowledge of scripting or database management (e.g., SQL, Python) a plus.
• Background in digitization workflows or audiovisual archiving.

Applicants should have at least 2+ years professional experience as an archivist, preferably in the cultural sector and knowledge of digital collections management platforms.

Flexible schedule to be agreed upon with supervisor; approximately 20 hours per week. Most work will take place at Illinois Humanities’ office in Chicago’s Loop.

Part‑time contract compensated at $40/hour, not to exceed a total of $40,000 for the full project term (anticipated through January 2027). Rate is negotiable, commensurate with experience. We are looking to begin this work as early as November 2025 and continue through the launch of the archive.

Please upload a resume and cover letter that communicates why you are interested in the position and what unique skills and/or experience you will bring to the role.

• Step one:
  All submissions will be reviewed. The initial candidate pool will be formed after phone screenings. Not all submissions will make it into the candidate pool.
• Step two:
  Candidates in the pool will participate in an interview with members of the Illinois Humanities team via Zoom or in‑person.
• Step three:
  Interviews with finalists will be held in‑person, include a tour and overview of Illinois Humanities’ collection of materials, and applicants will be asked to submit a written proposal (1‑2 pages) assessing the scope of the work, outlining their approach and a timeline for the project, from start to completion, and providing a breakdown of any technical or logistical support required.