The Cambridge Historical Commission is the city’s historic preservation agency, 
protecting more than 3,100 buildings in six regulated districts. The Commission 
also maintains a dynamic public archive focusing on the architectural, social, 
and economic history of Cambridge. The department seeks an energetic, 
meticulous, and motivated individual with a demonstrated ability to collaborate 
with others to maximize the value of the archive to the general public.         
              

The Commission seeks a full-time Archivist to organize and maintain its public 
archive and create in-person and online programming that promotes the archive 
and highlights Cambridge history. The archive is founded on an architectural 
inventory containing survey forms, photographs, and documentation on all 
13,000± buildings in the city that is currently being digitized. Other 
collections include both historic and contemporary materials, such as atlases, 
papers and manuscripts, books, objects, and ephemera. The photograph collection 
is estimated to contain more than 60,000 images in all forms. These unique 
resources are used daily by staff, residents, researchers, and building 
professionals. The Archivist will oversee the Digital Projects Archivist, who 
also coordinates the Commission’s social media presence, and supervise relevant 
interns and volunteers.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:


draft and execute a collection policy, disaster response plan, and policies and 
procedures for the archive;


plan and lead outreach activities;


process new donations and existing collections and write DACS-compliant finding 
aids;


oversee the intellectual organization of processed collections, including 
identifying collections for off-site storage;


maintain and update the archives database and research library catalogue;



select and implement metadata standards and create finding aids; and  



recruit, supervise, and mentor part-time archives assistants, interns, and 
volunteers.


The Archivist will also:



contribute to the Commission’s social media platforms;


assist researchers and other members of the public in-person and virtually;


advise other city departments and community organizations on archive management 
and conservation practices as directed;


assist with planning city-wide archives-centered events such as Cambridge Open 
Archives;



work collaboratively with relevant groups and repositories to promote awareness 
of local history collections and develop mutually beneficial policies and 
promotional materials; and


undertake other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:


An ALA accredited Master’s degree with course work or concentration in archival 
procedures, management, and preservation strongly preferred.


Familiarity with current metadata description standards and structural formats, 
through coursework or practical experience, including DACS, Dublin Core, and 
controlled vocabularies.


A minimum of two to four years of work experience in archival services, 
including digitization processes.


Strong writing, communication, and organizational skills.


Strong technical and computer skills.


Familiarity with architectural history and Cambridge history is welcome, but 
not required.


The City of Cambridge’s workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. 
Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with 
individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and 
ideologies.


$50,866-$64,663 plus excellent benefits

Submit both your resume and cover letter via email to: 
[email protected] or to Personnel Dept., Room 309, City Hall, 795 
Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA  02139. Fax 617-349-4312. Resume and cover 
letter requested by 11/01/21.  Position will remain open until filled. We are 
an AA/EEO Employer.


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