ICAA Research and Metadata Development Fellow

ICAA Research and Metadata Development Fellow

Job Category
:
Curatorial

Requisition Number
: ICAAR
001731

• Full‑Time

Academic Level
:
PhD student in art history or related field OR recent graduate of an MLIS program (conferred between June 2025 and June 2026)

Department
:
International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA)

Fellowship Term
:
September 2026—August 2027

Work Location
:
Remote

Final date to receive applications
:
July 31st, 2026

Organized by the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA), ¡Aquí Estamos!:
Latinx Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is a multi‑year initiative that opens pathways for the study and exhibition of Latinx art and artists. The initiative includes hands‑on training and mentorship for emerging researchers, fostering early‑career exposure to curatorial, conservation, museum interpretation, archival research, and primary source scholarship.

The Latinx Papers Project, a component of this initiative, expands the representation of Latinx art on the ICAA’s Documents of Latin American and Latino Art digital platform. It focuses on the preservation and dissemination of primary source materials—correspondence, manifestos, exhibition reviews, pamphlets, journal articles, and more—selected from key U.S. repositories. Fellows will digitize, research, annotate, and publish thousands of new documents for the public archive.

The Fellow will assist in research, processing, and publication of primary source documents for the ICAA Documents Project. The role develops expertise on major figures in Latinx art, advanced archival research, digital archive best practices, and collaborative research workflows. Fellows will also create cataloguing skills using controlled vocabularies and culturally competent metadata.

• Collaborate with ICAA staff to research and develop cataloguing metadata, generate database records for incoming documents.
• Under guidance of ICAA staff, research selected documents and write synopses and annotations for publication.
• Identify and liaise with potential collaborating repositories as needed.
• Perform on‑site research in collaborating repositories as required.
• Propose, develop, and publish texts resulting from the project research.
• Participate in weekly Latinx Papers Project team meetings, workshops, and enrichment activities.
• Assist with administrative duties related to the project.

• Student currently enrolled in a PhD program in art history or related field. Recent MLIS graduate (conferred within 2025‑2026) are also encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrated background or expertise in Latinx art. Knowledge of modern and contemporary Latin American art is desired.
• Proficiency in Spanish (verbal and written) is required.
• Familiarity with or interest in cataloguing, metadata, and controlled vocabularies.
• Experience with content management systems such as Omeka.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• High attention to detail and organization.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently.
• Prior experience with archives and special collections.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office/365.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.

• Work performed remotely—a home, office, and libraries or archives.
• Collect and analyze research and data to formulate recommendations.
• Work under deadlines, sometimes with changing requirements.
• Job duties include extended sitting, standing, and computer use.
• Must comply with company standards for background and reference checks.

This is a one‑year, full‑time, remote appointment (35 hrs wk). The term is September 7th, 2026 to August 28th, 2027, with minor adjustments as needed.

Schedule is flexible but duties must meet deadlines and milestones set by the ICAA.

Stipend: $35,000 plus $3,500 travel allowance. Eligible for MFAH benefits.

Benefits include: paid time off, holidays, voluntary time off; group health, dental and vision insurance starting the first of the month following employment; professional development support and museum membership.

Equal Opportunity Employer. This organization is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.