Historical collections assistant (student wage)

Federal Work Study preferred: Work-Study (FWSA) eligibility during Fall/Spring semesters is preferred. Work-Study employment is effective 2026-2027.

This is a part-time position (up to 10 hours per week) paying $16.71 per hour and is available beginning September 15, 2026, and may end no later than May 14, 2027. Setting and reliably maintaining a work schedule is important for success in this role. The work area’s temperature is generally below 65 degrees Fahrenheit to better preserve the collections, so employees should dress accordingly. Passing of a background check is required for this position, and I-9 documentation must be available to complete the hiring process.

All scheduled work hours must fall between 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday. For more information about Historical Collections & Services, please visit https://hsl.virginia.edu/historical.

Main duties:

• Assist with processing archival collections and enter information into the ArchivesSpace database.
• Inventory the vaulted rare book collection and create shelf tags.
• Inventory, organize, and re-house artifacts and other collection materials in a variety of formats.
• Assist with the shifting of boxes and books in the stacks and reshelving materials.
• Create social media content and blog posts highlighting the collections.
• Support additional projects and duties as assigned.

Work will be performed under supervision of the Archivist and training will be provided for skills/programs listed above. In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Currently Enrolled UVA student, undergraduate or graduate.
• Successful passing of a background check.
• Ability to handle rare and special materials with care.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Interest in history, rare book preservation, photographs, and personal papers.
• Experience using Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to focus on tasks and finish them in a timely manner.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Students who are eligible for Federal Work Study are preferred.
• Experience working in a special collections library or archives, or any library work experience.
• Familiarity with archival principles and practices.
• Data entry experience or experience working with databases.
• Experience reading 18th-20th century handwritten documents, including cursive.
• Familiarity with the Library of Congress Classification system.
• Familiarity with the history of medicine, especially in Virginia and at UVA.
• Foreign language skills are a plus.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Resume required.

Education: Current UVA student

Experience: None

Licensure: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.