Contract Archivist
Heritage Professionals

Location: National Capital Region, Ontario
Compensation: $26 -$ 32 hr.

Heritage Professionals (HP) is a heritage consulting firm situated in Toronto. It was established in early 2012 and specializes in a variety of different heritage services in the areas of archives, information management and curatorial work. For more details, please consult the corporate website below.

Description and Duties    

Heritage Professionals is seeking two archivists to take part in a project for our Ottawa-based client, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). This initiative represents phase II of a two-year project.

The first phase involved archiving 90 linear metres of records housed in CUPW's archival room in the HQ building. The materials that were deemed archival were arranged, preserved, and described according to archival standards, captured within the Union's InMagic database, and moved to their new state-of-the-art, purpose-built archival facility in Nepean.

This initiative will involve appraising, selecting, arranging, processing, preserving, and describing approximately 120 linear metres of records - in a variety of media and formats - recently transferred from HQ and some of their regional offices. The work will be carried out in a professional manner and in accordance with archival standards.

The archivists will report to the HP President and project manager, Ellen Scheinberg, who will be available to provide guidance to staff, oversee quality control, and ensure that the project is progressing according to the timeline. A senior archivist will be on site to provide expertise and answer any archival questions that arise. Our special advisor, Iona McCraith, will be involved in providing her expertise when it comes to preservation and conservation issues. The project will be conducted from February to November 2023 at CUPW's archival facility, located on Colonnade Road in Nepean. The contract is full-time and will run for approximately eight to ten months.

Successful applicants may be relied on for future initiatives undertaken by Heritage Professionals. The client has also expressed a commitment to creating a permanent position after the project ends. The archivists involved would be considered first for this opportunity.


Qualifications

The preferred candidates will have a completed master’s degree in Archival Studies, Information Studies, Public History or the equivalent background and training.  Previous practical work experience in an archive would be a an asset.  

Some of the required qualifications, skills, and characteristics that the successful candidates must possess include: 

• Familiarity with multi-level archival arrangement and description according to RAD;
• Proven research skills and experience;
• Knowledge of archival processing procedures and preservation;
• Experience working with both textual and graphic materials. Some experience with AV materials and artefacts would be an asset;
• Proven expertise working with Microsoft Suite software;
• Familiarity with scanners and digitization protocols is beneficial;
• Experience with archival databases such as DB Textworks is an asset;
• Strong communication (written and oral) and time management skills is essential;
• Proven capacity to manage multiple tasks at once and meet strict deadlines;
• Be detail oriented and have a high level of accuracy vis-à-vis work products;
• Capable of working with a team as well as the ability to take and respond effectively to direction from the supervisor and senior staff;
• Facility to conduct work in an independent fashion when required;
• Ability to lift boxes and items up to 30 lbs.

Compensation

The salary base for the successful candidates will range from $26 to $32 an hour and will be commensurate with their credentials and experience.

Health & Safety Provisions

Staff are expected to always act in a safe manner and ensure that those around them do not put themselves or others at risk. Safety is everyone's responsibility. This includes protocols around the coronavirus virus - vaccinations, personal spacing, masking and isolation when ill -- depending on external mandates.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume with a minimum of three references via email by 5 pm (EST), 28 February 2023.

Heritage Professionals
Attention: Ellen Scheinberg, President/Principal
heritageprofessionals@yahoo.ca
Website: http://www.heritageprofessionals.net
Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
Application Deadline: February 28, 2023 5:00 pm

Job Poster:

86589542_cupw_assistant_archivist_job_poster_-_feb._2023.pdf