YCW : Assistant Archivist OJA

YCW Job Posting:
Assistant Archivist at the OJA

This is an 18-week summer internship partially funded through Young Canada Works (YCW) at Building Careers in Heritage, a youth initiative program of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria:

• Are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada (non‑Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent status are not eligible).
• Are legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Are between 16 and 30 years of age at the start of employment.
• Are willing to commit to the full duration of the work assignment.
• Will not have another full‑time job (over 30 hours a week) while employed with the program.
• Are unemployed or underemployed.
• Are a college or university graduate.
• Are not receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits while employed with the program.

At UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, our vision is to lead the most vibrant Jewish community in North America – a community characterized by its diversity, unity, compassion, generosity and commitment to Jewish values. Together with our philanthropic, volunteer and professional leadership, we’re changing lives.

As one of North America’s leading Jewish non‑profits, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto works to preserve and strengthen the quality of Jewish life in Greater Toronto, Canada, Israel and around the world. UJA advances this mission through fundraising, programs, and research focused on our strategic pillars: fighting poverty and improving well‑being, growing Jewish education and identity, countering antisemitism and hate, and strengthening connections with Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.

Founded in 1973, the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre (OJA) is the largest repository of Jewish life in Canada. The OJA is uniquely positioned to collect, preserve and share the records of the Jewish communities of Ontario, providing evidence of differing lived experiences and ensuring that the Jewish experience is included in the broader municipal, provincial and national narratives.

The OJA’s collections span all segments of Ontario’s Jewish community, including families, businesses, cultural organizations, and synagogues. These records date from the community’s earliest days in the province in the 1850s to the present. The OJA supports a wide range of researchers through its vital work. Through exhibitions, programs, research assistance, and walking tours, the OJA tells the stories of Ontario’s Jewish community.

• Assist with reference services by responding to webform, e‑mail, and telephone inquiries, assisting visiting researchers under the direction of an Archivist.
• Accessioning new archival acquisitions from intake and description through to digital preservation.
• Ongoing physical control work in the primary storage vault.
• Developing content for the OJA’s 50th anniversary website.

• Master of Information in archival studies or related field.
• Ability to lift / carry boxes up to 25 lbs.
• Basic understanding of archival principles and theory.
• Ability to conduct research.
• Good technical understanding and can pick up new tools quickly.
• Ability to think strategically and execute tactically.
• Excellent communications skills (verbal, written, and oral).
• Ability to respond quickly and tactfully to requests from the public.

* This is an 18‑week contract opportunity (34 hours per week @ $22 per hour).
No Benefits
. The successful candidate will work on‑site Monday through Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Friday. Engagement and connection are key to supporting the best employee experience and we want to ensure that this puts balance and well‑being at the forefront of our approach to ways of working. UJA’s offices are closed on all Jewish holy days (yom tov) and we support early office closures to observe the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat).

We look forward to connecting with you to understand what you can bring to the UJA team and how we can support your career goals. Qualified…