Project Archivist

Contract:                                 Project Archivist

Position Status:                     Independent Contractor (Form 1099)

Performance Period:              Immediate start through June 30, 2027, renewal options TBD

Primary Work Onsite:             Onsite and Remote (hybrid) as required by project milestones.

Onsite location:                      ICA Watershed, 256 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128

Project Overview:

Founded in 1936, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is one of the oldest contemporary art museums in the country, and its long history is recorded in many years of accumulated ephemera and documents. The ICA/Boston is in the process of a long-term effort to preserve and share this history with the public. As part of this effort, the ICA/Boston seeks a qualified independent Project Archivist to continue developing and building the structural foundation of the ICA Archives. Expanding on previous work completed to rehouse and initially process the Archives, the Contractor’s scope will support future public access infrastructure. This includes developing the Finding Aid in ArchivesSpace and documenting and maintaining records related to the Archives. The Contractor will partner with the ICA’s Curatorial department, primarily with the Curator of Collections as the point of contact.

Scope of Services:

The Contractor will independently oversee and execute deliverables across four core areas:

• 1. Organization and Documentation
• Catalogue collection materials
• Develop cohesive series and subseries structures and physically reorganize catalogued materials into these new series
• Utilize existing finding aids and catalogues to author a definite Finding Aid in ArchivesSpace
• Configure ArchivesSpace and perform necessary data migration and entry
• 2. Digitization Management
• Identify priority materials for digital preservation
• Maintain, adapt, or establish digitization work plans aligned with ICA’s structure and resources to support internal and external digitization
• Fulfill digitization requests from internal staff or external researchers
• Coordinate the collecting, shipping, and saving of audio-visual materials in the ICA Archives for external vendor digitization
• 3. Access Architecture
• Facilitate reference and access requests for ICA staff
• Facilitate reference requests from external researchers, as needed under project scope
• Process, redirect, and document general email queries regarding Archives research

• 4. Policy & Compliance Development
• Identify restricted materials, and document restrictions of materials, implementing physical and digital labeling system to enforce restrictions within asset management and ArchvesSpace
• Draft and finalize an institutional retention policy matching legal, industry, and organizational requirements
• Establish an Archives Collections Management Policy, including Reading Room Policies, to ensure the care, safety, and security of the Archives

Additional Project Tasks and Priorities:

• Track and maintain project workflows, timelines, and statistics
• Conduct independent historical research to contextualize records and creators
• Perform standard archival preservation tasks
• Identify records for future digitization for public outreach, education, or social media
• Provide professional updates on project milestones to curatorial and museum stakeholders

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS/MSLIS) or related graduate program with formal training in archives, archives management, and/or archival studies
• A minimum of two years’ experience working independently and without supervision or oversight in an archive
• Demonstrated knowledge, hands-on experience, and strong command of archival theory, arrangement and description, and the use and application of current national data standards related to the archival control of collection materials such as DACS, EAD, LCSH, and MODS
• Hands-on experience with best practices of archival processing, handling, and preservation standards
• Experience with digital preservation standards, digital formats, and best practices of their documentation, preferred
• Experience processing digital objects and collections, preferred
• Experience in implementing collections management systems; experience with ArchivesSpace is highly preferred
• Background or interest in contemporary art and museum environments is a plus
• Experience with the early stages or establishment of an archive, preferred

Physical & Equipment Requirements:

• Ability to transport, lift, and maneuver standard archival boxes weighing up to 50 lbs. 
• Ability to work stationery at a computer or move throughout museum and storage environments as dictated by physical processing needs 
• Contractor must provide their own standard mobile phone

Project Schedule and Budget

• The contract begins immediately through June 30, 2027
• Anticipated time is approximately 30 hours per week to meet project milestones
• Payment structure is $39.00 per hour upon biweekly submission of invoice, outlined in contract.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should send a resume and letter of interest to jobs@icaboston.org. When applying, please include “Contract Project Archivist” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; applications received by Friday, September 25, 2026 will be prioritized

The ICA is located at 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, and is accessible by public transportation Red and Silver Line.