Researcher and Archivist

Job title: Researcher and Archivist

Job type: Full-time, temporary project-related contract

Location: The Palestinian Museum- Birzeit

Department: The Palestinian Museum Digital Archive (PMDA)

Scope of work: Research and archiving of archival materials
 

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

The researcher and archivist will work to present, document, classify, evaluate, and prepare the archival collections; participate in completing the digital archiving process; and carry out the following tasks and responsibilities:

  1. Carrying out field and office research tasks to identify and retrieve Palestinian archival material, including endangered materials. Materials include but are not limited to photos, documents, and audio and video recordings. The researcher and archivist will also contribute to their evaluation and archiving per project requirements and established protocols. Work may be undertaken in the West Bank and/or any other areas required by the project’s interest and the requirements of the workflow.
  2. Storing and preserving archival materials and collections throughout the archiving process until they are returned to their owners.
  3. Sorting, reviewing, auditing, organising, classifying, documenting and arranging the materials and collections, and preparing them for photography by the photography and digitisation team per the approved instructions and procedures.
  4. Archiving archival collections, including (but not limited to) archiving photos, documents, digital materials, and audio and video recordings.
  5. Add and modify Meta Data for collections and archival materials using available programmes, and carry out the field and office research required to collect and document this data.
  6. Writing research reports with academic standards on the archived collections and materials, for use by project management in publications, media, or any other mediums as seen fit.
  7. Assisting and guiding researchers, curators, and artists to search within archival collections and materials, and answering research inquiries posited to the researcher and archivist.
  8. Carrying out research and archiving tasks per the project’s priorities and planning in any location the Museum deems appropriate, locally or internationally.
  9. Any other related tasks and responsibilities at the request of the direct supervisor

Scope of Prerogatives and Supervision

The Researcher and Archivist position holder is responsible for searching through personal and institutional archival materials and collections, acquiring them from their owners and returning them upon task completion, and documenting and archiving them within the agreed-upon work plan for project completion.

  • Direct subordinates: None
  • Internal relationships: The project team and other related Museum staff members.
  • External relationships: Owners of archival collections, donors of archival materials, and external researchers.

Job Requirements

  1. Academic qualifications and work experience
  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in library science, history, humanities, social sciences, or any related major.
  • Documented practical experience in the field of archiving and content writing, or related fields, for no less than 3 years
  • Documented practical experience in the principles of research, collecting information, and conducting interviews for no less than 3 years.
  1. Skills and Capabilities
  • Excellent knowledge of workplace principles, field research, information gathering and interviewing.
  • Familiarity with the basics of museum work, historical research methods, and academic production about Palestine and Palestinian culture.
  • Mastering digital archiving methods and practices, especially in the field of visual and audio archival materials.
  • Advanced knowledge of Meta Data standards and methods for preserving and managing archives.
  • Knowledge of the basics of digitisation, restoration, and preservation of archival materials and how to deal with them.
  • Knowledge of information and communication technology (ICT) and digital image processing programmes.
  • Proficiency in using databases and office work programmes such as Microsoft Office and Outlook.
  • Working knowledge of Arabic and English, reading, writing and speaking.
  1. Personal Characteristics
  • Excellent communication skills, written and spoken.
  • The ability to analyse and implement project requirements and tasks.
  • The ability to work within a multi-tasking team.
  • The ability to work and live in Palestine permanently and legally, and the willingness to travel and move locally and internationally to accomplish the tasks assigned per project requirements.
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