Archivist
Join us to learn about the upcoming recruitment for GS 7/9 Career Seasonal Archivist at Springfield Armory National Historic Site!
APRIL 26, 2022, 5:00pm (Eastern): https://doitalent.zoomgov.com/j/1614268804
Meeting ID: 161 426 8804 Passcode: 123456, Join by phone: 1 646-828-7666
APRIL 27, 2022, 12:00pm (Eastern): https://doitalent.zoomgov.com/j/1603177881
Meeting ID: 160 317 7881, Passcode: 123456, Join by phone: 1 646-828-7666
Do you have archival management and/or museum curatorial experience and are looking for career seasonal placement at the biggest little park in the country? If so, Springfield Armory National Historic Site cordially invites you to join us for an information session for our vacant Archivist position! This session will cover what you will need to qualify and apply for this opportunity.
Photo: The Main Arsenal at Springfield Armory NHS
The incumbent of this position serves as the archivist for Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The archivist, supervised by the museum curator, serves as the park’s expert on all aspects of archival collections care and records management, with special focus on digitization, digital asset management, web-based public access to historic materials. The archivist will have or develop a strong working knowledge of government documents and records disposition procedures. Many of the historic archives of Springfield Armory are official government documents, as are the National Park Service resource management records generated by park staff. The archivist will be responsible for the appraisal, description and arrangement of archival collections in a wide variety of formats, such as personal papers and manuscript collections from former workers, oral histories, rare books, blueprints, motion pictures, and photographic prints and negatives. As part of the museum operations team, the archivist assists in overall collections protection with environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, and museum housekeeping duties.
The archivist works directly with archival collections, working with the curator to develop preservation plans, conservation projects, and funding requests. The position manages the park’s research library, cataloging new titles, and making them available for use by researchers. The position accommodates onsite research and use of archival resources by both internal and external researchers. The archivist supervises interns as part of a program that prepares the next generation of museum and archive professionals for careers in the field.
This position is duty stationed in Springfield, Massachusetts. The position reports to the museum curator at Springfield Armory National Historic Site. Starting salary for the position will be between $50,131 (GS-7) and $61,320 (GS-9) for employees new to federal government employment. The position is career-seasonal and will be subject to at least two weeks of unpaid furlough per year.
Photo: Springfield Armory Museum, ca. 1920
A Great Opportunity:
- Immerse yourself in a variety of rich historical topics, including military history, industrial and manufacturing history, and labor history.
- Be on the leading edge of the effort to preserve, organize and make accessible over half a million archival documents, photographs, books, and manuscripts in multiple formats.
- Develop knowledge and expertise in Springfield Armory, its community, and impact around the world
- Collaborate on research, exhibits, and other special projects and supervise interns and volunteers
- Be a part of a park team that consistently ranks among the highest in the National Park Service in the annual Employee Viewpoint Survey Best Places to Work Index.
- Join a park team that values collaboration, teamwork, and learning.
- Work with a team that is small enough to know everyone on staff by name but complex enough to offer real and varied challenges.
- Enjoy the professional collaboration with outstanding partners at both parks and a strong network of museum professionals throughout the National Park Service
- Enjoy benefits and status of permanent Federal Employment. During furlough status between two and 26 weeks per year, opportunities may be available to work at other park sites and collections.
- Springfield is located in the locality pay area for Hartford, CT, which rates a 30.2% cost of living adjustment above base federal pay schedules.
About the Park:
Springfield Armory National Historic Site tells the story of the nation’s first manufacturing arsenal in a deep history that covers almost two centuries with an impact that spans the globe. While the historic museum collection is one of the largest military small arm collections in the world, the archives housed on site tell a rich story of the Armory and the community of Springfield, Massachusetts for 200 years. After 20 years as a continental arsenal built to support the American Revolution, President George Washington established Springfield Armory in 1794 to manufacture arms for the US Army. Early innovations in manufacturing at Springfield led to interchangeable parts, mass production, and the American Industrial Revolution. Expansion of Springfield Armory and the growth of the city in the 20th century brought a diverse workforce in support of the US military in all engagements, particularly World War II when Women Ordnance Workers made up a large proportion of the 14,000 employees laboring 24 hours a day for Allied victory.
Today, the National Park Service stewards the museum and archival collections on a 54-acre historic site (32 acres of which is managed as Springfield Technical Community College by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) with many historic structures and landscapes.
Photo: A Woman Ordnance Worker at Springfield Armory, 1943
Area Information:
The position is duty stationed at Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Armory is an urban park, nestled in the third-largest city in the state, with requisite amenities including a diversity of restaurants and dining, cultural and entertainment districts, powerful and reliable mobile and data, and well-placed transportation networks with limited congestion. In the heart of Western Massachusetts, Springfield is a short commute from smaller residential communities with unique styles – including Northampton, Amherst, Westfield, and the renowned Berkshires. The area is an academic hub with opportunities for training and growth at institutions such as the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and a plethora of local and community schools, such as Springfield Technical Community College on the grounds of the historic site.
The climate includes four distinct seasons, including fragrant springs, warm summers, colorful autumns, and moderate winters with countless opportunities for outdoor activities. Springfield is positioned about 2-3 hours away from regional destinations including Boston, New York City, and northern New England.
Information Session:
Applying for a job with the federal government is different than applying to a job with a non-profit or city/state operated museum. You will need more than a CV to be found qualified. Applicants for federal employment must have a federal resume that includes key information about work experience, education, training, awards/recognition, etc. This information session will provide prospective candidates with the necessary information and tools for submitting your resume for this position.
In addition, there are multiple pathways that may allow candidates to qualify for this position. This information session will allow us to evaluate how candidates might qualify for this position and then advertise the position accordingly.
Paths for qualifying for this vacancy include:
- Current students in a masters or Ph.D. information and library science program.
- Recent graduates of a masters or Ph.D. information and library science program.
- Recent completion of an internship with Public Lands Corps appointment authority.
- Recent completion of a two-year overseas assignment with the Peace Corps.
- Eligibility as a military veteran under Veterans Readjustment Act authority.
- Eligibility as a current or former permanent federal employee with reinstatement eligibility.
- Eligibility as a well-qualified United States citizen under and open, competitive recruitment.
For more information about applying for this position, please contact:
Alex MacKenzie, Curator – alex_mackenzie@nps.gov – (413) 271-3971