The Digital Assets Manager for the Illinois State Museum Society (ISMS), a non-profit entity and friends group for the Illinois State Museum (ISM), is tasked with joining the ISM team in the ongoing implementation and transfer of collections data to a new digital assets management system (DAMS). This system will serve the diverse needs of collection management staff as well as support digital assets from the Illinois Legacy Collection (ILC) of 13.5 million objects. The ILC includes cultural objects, artifacts, and art related to the history of the state of Illinois with extensive collection holdings in the fields of Anthropology, Art, Botany, Geology, History, Library Science, Paleontology, and Zoology. The Digital Asset Manager must possess research skills and substantial research experience and knowledge in the fields of anthropology and ethnography.
The Digital Assets Manager reports to the ISM Curator of Anthropology. This position will be focused 50% on the role of Digital Asset Manager and 50% on the role of research assistant to the Curator of Anthropology. This is a two-year term position with the possibility of renewal. This position is full-time (40 hours per week); salaried with benefits.
Key Responsibilities:
- Play a key role in the future of online ISM curated digital experiences and collections data served online
- Implement digitization of approximately 8,000 objects in the ethnographic collection.
- Produce object inventories
- Produce research on ethnographic collections and assist research in Anthropology
- Photograph objects, scan, or otherwise digitize supplemental information associated with the ethnographic collection
- Assess object condition, and rehouse objects as necessary according to museum safe storage best practices
- Serve as the lead staff member overseeing the process of data conversion to the new DAMS
- Work with the DAMS Company’s digital conversion expert(s) and ISM information technology curator in consultation with and support of the various Museum collections curators and registrars
- Responsible for monitoring databases and helping to oversee future upgrades
- Provide future training for new system users
- Assist with this process of migrating created and documented metadata, digital object images, workflows of cataloging and all data from the various collections that will be migrated to the new DAMS
- Provide technical support and advice to Collections Management team
- Provide input into department’s goal setting process
- Serve as point of contact for DAMS
- Create work that is visible to the people of Illinois and nurture a team work ethic across ISM locations.
Basic/Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Anthropology or similar associated subject; an emphasis on ethnographic studies is preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Information Technology or 3-5 years of prior digital management software experience in a museum or similar cultural collections settings such as libraries, historical societies, zoos, aquariums is required
- Strong research skills
- Strong problem solving and analytical skills
- Must possess excellent communication, organization skills, and be detail-oriented
Anticipated Salary Range: $35,000 to $55,000 This job description is subject to change at any time.
To Apply: Please submit your cover letter, resume or CV, and three references to:
Marilyn Sabo
Illinois State Museum Society
502 S. Spring St.
Springfield, IL 62706
msabo@ismsociety.org
No calls, please