Archives and Records Management Extern - Expression of Interest
San Francisco, CA
Archives & Art Resources /
Externship /
On-site
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.
Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.
Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.
Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure.
Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.
SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.
Schedule: At least three hours/week
Department Description
The SFMOMA Archives collects, preserves and provides reference access to the records that document the curatorial, educational and administrative activities of the museum. The SFMOMA Archives houses the institutional records of the museum dating back to 1935. The department is also responsible for the museum’s Records Management Program. In this capacity, the Archives staff develops strategies, plans policies, and implements guidelines to ensure the orderly transfer and disposition of museum documentation so that the museum's historical record is complete.
Position Description
The Archives and Records Management externship aims to provide experience with the digitization of archival cultural material and offers an opportunity to learn more about the archives and records management profession. The Archives extern will work one-on-one with the Archivist/Records Manager to lightly process and perform holdings maintenance for archival materials in preparation for digitization, complete scan requests for internal and external research requests, upload digitized assets to the digital asset management system (DAMS), and develop and improve procedures relating to digitization standards and practices for the Archives and Records Management department.
The length of time for the externship will be based on candidate availability and enrollment. This is an unpaid externship – applicant must provide proof for receiving school credit.
Project Plan
Get to know the SFMOMA Archives & Records Management Department
· Learn about the archives’ role and collections, as well as its policies and procedures as it pertains to digitizing material
· Meet the team and learn about each person’s role and path to SFMOMA
· Learn the tools that will be used as part of digitizing physical archives materials and making them accessible to internal and external audiences
Begin and complete scanning requests and small-scale digitization projects as assigned
· Perform holdings maintenance on material queued and pulled for scanning as needed
· Scan material following existing archival digitization standards
· Upload and input descriptive metadata for scanned material to digital asset management system
· Track request progress in Asana
· Deliver completed scans as assigned
By the end of the externship, the Archives & Records Management extern will have:
· Complete a metrics report of digitization work
· Created and/or updated digitization SOPs and standards documentation
Educational Objectives
· Gain experience in processing and digitizing archival materials.
· Collaborate with colleagues within the Archives and Art Resources department
· Develop research, information management and problem-solving skills.
· Introduce the intern to core competencies of the archives and records management professions through a combination of the assigned project and mentoring.
Qualifications & Skills
· Must be a current student in a Masters-level program in library science, records management/administration, museum studies, or related program.
· Detail-oriented and extremely organized
· Interest in archives and records management, specifically in a museum setting
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft 365 (including Teams and SharePoint), and task-management applications such as Asana and Airtable
· Experience with handling fragile objects, particularly paper
Application Requirements
· Extern application on SFMOMA website
· Resume
· Cover letter. Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the externship.
· Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or former employer.
· College transcript: Transcripts can be unofficial but need to be legible.
This externship is located at the museum’s Collections Center in South San Francisco.
Job posting open date: 3/26/24
All jobs posted will remain open for at least five business days.
We encourage all interested applicants to apply within the initial open posting period as the application close date may or may not be extended beyond that initial period. Applications will not be accepted after a posting has been closed.
Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.
COVID-19 Environmental Factors: In keeping with city, county, and state regulations regarding large gatherings, and to contain the spread of coronavirus, the museum is following the city of San Francisco guidelines. As a part of our commitment to health and safety, COVID-19 vaccination is required for all current and newly hired employees and contractors.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.
You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.
You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People team at talent@sfmoma.org.
