Background:
Located in Beacon, New York, Dia Beacon presents Dia Art Foundation’s renowned collection of art from the 1960s to the present as well as special exhibitions, new commissions, and educational and public programs. Occupying a former box-printing factory on the banks of the Hudson River, the contemporary art museum spans nearly 300,000 square feet and features installations of works by some of the most significant artists of the last half century.
Position Summary:
Supervised by the Archivist, the Temporary Archives Assistant will join the Archives at Dia Beacon for approximately 10–12 weeks to address immediate needs identified by the Archivist and to assist in laying the groundwork for ongoing research, processing, and digitization to support the processing and perseveration of photographic collections documenting Dia’s history of exhibitions, public programming, and artist projects.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assessing unprocessed photography collections for conservation needs
- Developing a processing plan and identifying items at high risk
- Determining extents of various photographic formats and making recommendations for rehousing supplies
- Conducting targeted rehousing of at-risk items; developing workflow for collection-wide rehousing
- Digitizing photographic documentation of exhibitions, public programs, and artist projects
- Embedding metadata in preservation masters and access copies
- Uploading and managing assets in NetX assets management system
General Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist the Archivist in assessing the extent and condition of photographic collections in Dia’s archives
- Address the immediate needs of items identified as at risk due to age, condition, or format
- Lay the groundwork for ongoing processing and digitization of the collections
Education, Certification, Experience:
- Coursework or equivalent experience towards an MLIS or MSIS in Archives and Preservation
- Familiarity with standards and best practices for handling and preserving photographic media
- Familiarity with creating FADGI-compliant digital preservation masters and embedding descriptive, preservation, administrative, and rights metadata
- Experience using Adobe Creative Suite and MS Office
- Experience using NetX, Qi, and/or ArchivesSpace is a plus
- Background in museum studies and art history, particularly of the late-twentieth century and on is a plus
- Currently enrolled and recently graduated students of archives graduate programs are encouraged to apply
Working Conditions and Physical Demands:
- This is a temporary position based in Dia Beacon’s offices in Beacon, New York
- Work done in a standard office environment, with up to one remote day per week, as well as the archives area located in the building’s basement; the current archive facility climate is generally cold (60–65 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Computer work which may require repetitive motion and prolonged periods of sitting
- Lifting, bending, and filing
- Please note that to provide a safe workplace free of recognized hazards and to take every possible step to reduce the transmission of COVID among our employees, Dia requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination and booster upon hire, except for those who obtain an exemption due to a medical condition, religious belief, or pregnancy
Qualified candidates are invited to apply by emailing a letter of interest and resume to archives@diaart.org with “Temporary Archives Assistant” as the subject heading.
Dia Art Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, Dia will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and supports a neurodiverse workplace.
