Collections Associate

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is the leading institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history and culture of Chinese in America. On January 23, 2020, a 5-alarm fire tore through MOCA’s Collections and Research Center located at 70 Mulberry Street, severely damaging MOCA’s archive. MOCA has since retrieved 95% of its Collections. Given the rarity and fragility of the Collections, the retrieval is only the beginning of an anticipated long-term restoration and digitization process.

MOCA is seeking a Collections Associate to ensure best practices in our archival and collection’s management. You will report to the Director of Collections & Research and work with the Project Conservators, Student Interns, and Volunteers. You will assist in the implementation of a comprehensive archival and collections’ fire recovery and preservation plan for our entire collection, which comprises 4,000 linear feet and 85,000 objects that we have accumulated over the past 40 years. Tasks will include, but are not limited to acquiring, sorting, preserving, conserving, digitizing, describing, and cataloging, researching, and publishing on paper, photographic, 3-D, electronic, and other record format materials. You will be expected to work primarily on-site Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with occasional extra hours. You will be paid $20-$30 per hour, commensurate with experience.

Responsibilities:

• Participate in collection advisory group discussions and receive scholarly consultations on Museum collections’ expansion and content development\
• Work with Director of Collections and Project Conservators on collections assessment, inventory, and preservation
• Sort through collection boxes, rehouse and label materials, record conditions, and locate boxes in collection storage
• Ship and receive boxes between the main building and the Collections Center for exhibitions and other purposes. Research collection materials to best describe a collection and its objects
• Create MARC records and EAD finding aids for collections in ArchivesSpace, applying DACS archival descriptive standards
• Digitize collections and archival materials in high resolution, and adjust them to lower resolution using PhotoShop, applying MOCA digitization standards
• Cataloging collections’ items in PastPerfect
• Timecode, summarize and create metadata for oral history interviews via OHMS
• Communicate with collection donors and lenders, keep donation and loan information in registrar files, identify records recommended for access restrictions, analyze copyrights, privacy policies, and issues
• Participate in writing grant applications and reports
• Conduct research on collections and archives, answer researchers’ questions, access boxes, and accommodate researchers on site
• Other duties as assigned

Necessary Qualifications: College or graduate level coursework in Collections Management

• 1-3 years of experience in processing and cataloging of medium and large archival collections [at least 500 linear feet] of complex or hybrid collections in multi-formats such as paper, 3-D, electronic, audiovisual, and photographic materials

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Collections Management or Master’s degree in
  – Archives and Record Administration (MARA)
  – Archival Studies (MAS)
  – Museum Studies with a concentration in collections management
  – Library or Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited library school
• Demonstrated experience with application of archival theory, knowledge of best practices for all facets of archival processing, and national standards that govern the arrangement and description of archival materials such as EAD, DACS, and MARC
• Familiarity with an archival content management system, such as ArchivesSpace, Archivists’ Toolkit, or Archon
• Experience on a museum collection management system, such as TMS or PastPerfect
• Experience on Library of Congress Subject Headings, and familiar with Dewey Decimal classification system
• Fluency in Chinese a plus
• Ability to lift and move boxes up to 50 pounds in weight, and reach up or down to place or retrieve boxes

Please apply via MOCA’s hiring portal here. Applications will be accepted from May 7th until May 21st.

Candidates who advance to second and third round interviews will be compensated for their time with a small stipend.

MOCA is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.