Lead Research Archivist

Full Job Description

The Washington State Archives preserves and provides access to millions of legal and historical records of our state and local governments.

To meet the needs of our transferring partners, improve discoverability of records, and increase access to the collection, the Archives is expanding its staff and currently hiring for several positions, including a Lead Research Archivist for its State and Southwest Regional Collections located on the Capitol Campus in Olympia.

The Lead Research Archivist supports government agencies and the public with accessing records, including an increasing number of digital records.

This position plays a critical role in overseeing delivery of research services at the Archives’ Olympia Branch to connect researchers with records.

This position also supports collection management, serves on Archives teams, and collaborates on planning and development of branch policies and procedures.

We welcome applications from qualified candidates who are excited to join us in ensuring archival records are preserved and available for present and future research.

The Office of Secretary of State (OSOS) offers some of the most unique and diverse job opportunities in state government.

Its critical responsibilities include: ensuring a fair and accurate elections process; registering corporations and charities; connecting Washingtonians through the power of libraries; and protecting our important government records.

Citizens depend on the Archives to research genealogy, state and city history, property transfers, legislative intent, court records, and academic projects.

The Secretary of State also administers vital community programs that inspire giving, document our history, and assist crime survivors in avoiding further abuse.

This independent office under the state Constitution operates from facilities statewide.

The OSOS is looking for top-performing employees who embody its core values of integrity, service excellence, visionary leadership, collaboration and teamwork.

It is committed to both employee growth and work-life balance. The benefits of working in state government also include potential eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

This position directs and oversees delivery of research services in Olympia in support of the Washington State Archives’ mandate to make the archives of the State of Washington available for reference and scholarship and to insure their proper preservation. Day-to-day duties include workflow planning and delegation, supervision of staff, providing complex archival reference and research services, monitoring access to archival materials, records processing and preservation, and occasional outreach opportunities. This position reports to the Managing Archivist for the State and Southwest Collections.

Please note: Interviews for this position will be conducted on an ongoing basis. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply as soon as possible. The hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at any time.

Requirements

Archival Research Services

Tasks include:

• Directs and oversees and manages day-to-day research services provided by staff in Olympia, including developing and implementing policies, procedures, guidelines, workflows, research guides and response templates.
• Develops, updates and enforces collections use policies and procedures to ensure the security of archival records, publications, and archives equipment.
• Reviews and interprets complex state and federal law, statutes and rules, to inform whether records are exempt from disclosure and develops or updates policies and procedures to ensure restricted materials are not made available.
• Identifies, researches, specifies, tests, implements and troubleshoots tools and systems for delivering research services and improving access to collections.
• Applies specialized, expert-level knowledge of government records and the Archives collection to identify appropriate records for responding to research requests.
• Independently provides archival reference and research services to the public and government agencies and leads, or advises lower-level staff, on responses to complex requests.
• Consults collection catalogs, finding aids and inventories to locate archival records and advises lower-level staff on records search.
• Oversees the retrieval and refiling of archival materials and ensures records are returned to preservation storage in a timely manner; provides copies or scans of archival documents to researchers and ensures requests are responded to within the required timeframe.
• Manages large or complex reproduction requests, including procuring quotes, coordinating with service providers, processing payments and delivering copies.
• Stays up to date with current trends in the archives and records management profession.

Supervises and Directs Staff

Tasks include:

• Hires, trains, supervises, coaches and mentors research staff in Olympia, assigns and evaluates their work.
• Corrects performance issues.
• Writes performance development plans, expectations, and evaluations.
• Participates in the selection of student workers, interns and volunteers interested in supporting research services, oversees their orientation and provides direction and guidance on their work.
• Monitors staff, students, and volunteers’ performance to ensure the technical and support function comply with agency policies, procedures, and standards of best practice.
• Writes and updates job description forms.

Planning, Administrative Activities and Outreach

Tasks include:

• Assists in the long-term planning and implementation of goals and objectives of the Archives.
• Assists in the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and standards of best practice to support research and access of the collection.
• Responsible for collecting statistics on research activities, including documenting reference questions, research requests, orders and use of the research room, in addition to analyzing data for trends and opportunities to enhance services.
• Responsible for reconciling accounting tasks to support research services.
• Troubleshoots issues related to online orders for records.
• Conducts tours of the facility.
• Creates and coordinates special projects or initiatives which publicize the role and the holdings of the Archives.
• Seeks out speaking engagements at allied professional and target audience functions.

Collection Management and Records Management
Tasks include:

• Identifies, initiates, and supervises projects to enhance description and accessibility of the collection.
• Performs complex arrangement, description, and weeding projects on archival records and supervises and performs quality control on similar work performed by other staff.
• Identifies high reference records and coordinates reformatting projects to ensure proper preservation, applies professional practices to protect records accessed in response to research requests.
• Participates in appraisal deliberations on the value of incoming records and current holdings.
• Provides direction and advice to customers on routine records management programs, policies and procedures where the answers can be found in record retention schedules, the website, published advice, or has been given before.

Miscellaneous
Tasks include:

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree involving archives and records management, history or related field and five years' experience as a professional archivist including duties such as arranging and describing records, making records accessible, digitizing, managing digital records, or records management activities such as interpreting retention schedules, organizing and classifying records and ensuring accessibility and retrieval OR 11 years of professional experience supervising and directing full-time employees providing public reference and research services in records, archives or special collections; interpreting, developing and enforcing policies; and managing access to digital records may substitute for higher education.
• One year of experience as a lead worker or supervisor performing the following tasks; interviewing, hiring, training, assigning, and directing work and evaluating staff or volunteers
• Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Experience overseeing research and reference services, including reading room operations.
• Experience supervising staff, including coaching, mentoring and correcting performance issues.
• Experience evaluating and implementing procedures, policies, tools and systems.
• Experience enforcing policies, procedures and standards.
• Experience providing archival reference services.
• Experience using cataloging, archives, or records management software.
• Knowledge of pacific northwest history and governmental organizations.
• Experience with electronic records.
• Familiarity with digital imaging software and tools.
• Familiarity with working with restricted records and managing disclosure.
• Experience arranging and describing records.
• Experience using standard office software applications such as Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience working independently, establishing work priorities and adapting to changing business needs, conditions and work responsibilities.
• Certification by the Academy of Certified Archivists and/or completion of the Society of American Archivists Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) or Arrangement & Description (A&D) Certificate Program.

PLEASE READ: If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again. Studies have shown that members of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, specifically women and people of color, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they clearly meet every single qualification.

At the Office of the Secretary of State, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic work force with a foundation of belonging. If you are excited about this role and have relevant experience and skills, but question whether your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply regardless. You may just be the ideal candidate this office needs.

Additional Information

Working Conditions

In this position, the incumbent works in an office environment and temperature-cooled records storage environment.

Willingness and ability to work in adverse conditions (working with moldy or dusty materials or in areas that are cramped and/or somewhat confining) Must be able to handle fragile and photographic materials with care and safety.

Requires the ability to sit or stand for long periods of time.

The standard work hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM though work can be required outside of standard hours to include evenings, weekends, and holidays, particularly when responding to emergency situations.

Travel to local government offices will be required to transport records. Occasional travel statewide with overnight stays and infrequent out-of-state travel for training and professional conferences.

The incumbent in this position must be able to move and maneuver records storage containers, as well as oversize bound volumes and flat documents which may weigh as much as 40lbs; use ladder and other lifting devices to retrieve records as high as 10' in the air, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Communicates information both verbally and in writing primarily with other state and local government agencies and internal stakeholders.

They also must represent the Office of the Secretary of State in a competent, confident, and professional manner, including professional dress, have the ability to communicate effectively with customers, co-workers, and business contacts in writing and orally, and have the ability to multi-task while retaining focus on complex issues for an extended period.

Works with the public and handles financial transactions, ability to work independently, establish work priorities and adapt to changing business needs, conditions, and work responsibilities.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• This position is in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, The Office of the Secretary of State, and the WFSE.
• Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.

How to Apply:

• To be considered for this position you must attach the following:
  • Letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the duties and qualifications of the position.
  • Current Resume
  • Three Professional references. Personal references will not be considered.

You must complete the supplemental questions at the end of this application. Incomplete responses such as "see resume" will not be considered.

In addition, if the employer you identify in the additional information section is not included on your resume or work experience profile and/or you do not identify an employer, you will not receive credit.

• All veterans must include a copy of your DD214 to receive preference in the hiring process. You must black out your social security number before attaching it to your application.

The Office of the Secretary of State is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We do not discriminate on the basis of religion, age, gender, marital status, color, creed, national origin, political affiliation, military status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any sensory, mental or physical ability. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply. Persons of disability needing assistance in the application process, or those needing the announcement in alternative format, should email hr@sos.wa.gov.