Overview:
The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation (RRF) is seeking an Archivist to provide leadership and management in the creation of RRF’s first formal archive since the transfer of all property to the Foundation. Additionally, the Archivist should establish a vision and plan to increase use of the archives and support for scholars, students and curators toward scholarship of Rauschenberg and his contemporaries.
Job Description:
RRF is looking for a full-time Archivist to develop, oversee and activate the foundation’s archives. The Archivist will work closely with the Assistant Archivist and other related RRF staff to establish a strategic plan and establish policies for the archives. The Archivist will then direct the processing of the archival materials. The archives, now consolidated in New York, are drawn from the artist’s homes and studio and are comprised of materials collected over the course of Rauschenberg’s life and career as well as relevant materials collected since his death in 2008.
Media includes: books; audiovisual materials: 16 mm film, DVDs, VHS tapes; clippings; project and exhibition files; financial and legal documents; personal papers (correspondence, notes, etc.); studio sketches; artist writings; interviews; artist collection of personal objects; documentary photography: prints, slides, negatives; photographs of Rauschenberg artworks: prints, slides, transparencies, negatives; photographs and negatives by the artist for source materials; papers related to individual artworks to be integrated into the Object Files.
Beyond the archive as a physical and digital resource, RRF has a goal to increase our programmatic accessibility to the core audience of scholars, curators and students. Working with the Curator, the Director of the Residency in Captiva and Director of Philanthropy, the Archivist should work to define programs which increase use, exploration and scholarship coming from the archive.
Specific responsibilities in the establishment of the archive will include, but are not limited to, the following:
-Provide leadership for a coordinated vision and mission for the archive and the audience we are to serve and support
-Develop and manage a prioritized processing plan based on surveying existing materials
-Establish archival housing, preservation procedures and processing guidelines both physical and digital. Maintain a view of web-based use and digital tool adoption to increase global access to archives
-Establish Policies for Archives such as: Collections Policy; Acquisitions Policy; Access & Use policies; Preservation policy; Digitization guidelines; Disaster plan. Additional policies for keeping Foundation Records and correspondence.
-Outline a strategy to annex or acquire related archives to enhance scholarship
-Coordinated leadership across staff on new database management system
-Recommend and oversee work of specialized consultants or professional services
-Establish schedule, staffing needs, beyond RRF staff if necessary, and budget based on the size and requirements of the materials that need processing
-Define scholastic partners to activate RRF archival use – physical and digital
-Provide leadership for programs, which may cross-over other RRF resources, to enhance scholarship of RR artwork and archives.
The Archivist should help manage staff in the following areas:
-Management of Rauschenberg press, exhibition ephemera and archival material
-Artwork image management
-Processing of copyright reproduction requests for documentary photography
-On-going development of the Foundation’s web-site and digital tools
The ideal candidate will possess the following:
-A degree in library science or archival studies
-Knowledge of 20th century art, specifically post-WWII American
-Strong knowledge of digital and media’s influence on archives and interest in defining new programs to explore new territories of education and scholarship
-Attention to details
-Possession of excellent visual and communication skills
-Strong project management and problem-solving skills
-Proactive working style
-Proficiency in Word, Excel, Photoshop, and Filemaker along with the ability to use and learn computer programs with ease
Please include a cover letter, CV or resume, and complete the following
candidate questionnaire:
Experience Questions (300 total word limit)
1. What interests you in this opportunity?
2. Briefly describe your most relevant experiences and skills for this position.
Visioning Questions (500 total word limit)
1. What are some of the opportunities you see for RRF to increase scholarship of
Rauschenberg and his contemporaries?
2. What digital tools are interesting to you in the field of archives and scholarship?
Details:
-This is a full-time position in New York City. It includes a competitive compensation
package. Salary is commensurate with experience.
-RRF is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, or any other protected class.
To Apply:
Please email your cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, resume, and salary history to employment@rauschenbergfoundation.org with Archivist in the subject line. No telephone calls please. Applications will be accepted until August 8, at 5pm.
About the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg formed the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation in 1990 to work toward his vision that art can change the world. With his death in 2008 and the transfer of his estate to the foundation, the foundation’s activities now include: increasing access to Rauschenberg’s work; promoting the artist’s legacy through exhibition and scholarship; growing the philanthropy program which speaks to our mission and values; and fostering the use of the artist’s home and studio as an artist’s residency program.
