Katz Family Archivist Librarian, Special Collections

Special Instructions to Applicants: Applicants should attach a resume in PDF format to the Supporting Documents section of the application.

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in how we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — which stands for Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary

The Katz Family Archivist Librarian will primarily preserve, arrange, and describe archival collections in the Joan and Stanford Alexander South Texas Jewish Archives (STJA), which represent Jewish history and experience in the Houston area and in southern portions of the state. This staff member will provide first-line reference service and search guidance, primarily in the STJA collections, to on- and off-site researchers. He/she will work with the Head of Special Collections and the Curator of the Joan and Stanford Alexander South Texas Jewish Archives to identify material appropriate for digitization and presentation on the web, and participate in user education, lectures, and tours. He/she will also train and supervise processing assistants in collaboration with the Curator of the STJA. This position reports directly to the Director of the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, where the South Texas Jewish Archives are preserved, and will work closely with the Curator of the STJA, whose position forms part of the Rice University Program in Jewish Studies. 

The ideal candidate must have experience working in a team environment, managing multiple tasks, and prioritizing deadlines. 

Workplace Requirements

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, with a proposed annual salary range of $69,948 to $71,000, depending on qualifications and experience. This position is also term-limited for 5 years, with the possibility of extension pending funding. Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s Degree – Library, Information Studies, Archival Studies, or other closely related degree
• In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis. 
• Two or more (2+) years of related experience
• In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.   
• In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis. 
• In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.   

Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking skills.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service and remain calm and flexible in stressful situations
• Ability to do precise, detailed work quickly and accurately

Preferences

• Working knowledge of archival software such as ArchiveSpace and Archivematica, and digital asset management systems.

Essential Functions

• Provides in-depth collection interpretation for researchers and coordinates reference service/search guidance provided by support staff
• Processes (appraises, preserves, organizes, arranges, describes) manuscript collections and archival record groups to provide intellectual access to these holdings through the preparation of collection‐level descriptions using nationally accepted archival formats
• Identifies manuscript and archival material appropriate for digitization and placement on the web using nationally accepted archival formats
• Provides reference service and search guidance in South Texas Jewish Archives (STJA) collections to on-/off‐site researchers
• Identifies material appropriate for digitization and presentation on the web 
• Perform preservation operations 
• Participates in user education, lectures, and tours for university users and outside groups
• Performs all other duties as assigned 

Additional Functions

• Ability to lift 30+ lbs. boxes
• Very limited travel to workshops and occasional evening or weekend talks to groups

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits 

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Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.bs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.