Archives Apprentice at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
Michelle Koo, Staff Curator
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
Applications for Fall 2024 are closed for this project.
The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) is a vibrant research and informatics center for the campus and the natural history communities around the world. The world's natural history museums are responsible for documenting over 1.8 billion species known as a result of 300 years of biological exploration of the planet. The information contained in museums include observational and specimen-based data, text, images, sound and video and form the foundation of what we know about life on earth. The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) on the Berkeley campus, is no exception, holding over 820,000 vertebrates and their archives from around the globe. Read more: https://mvzarchives.berkeley.edu/
The MVZ Archives Apprentice will aid in the care, research, and management of the MVZ Archives. This position does not require a biology background and we welcome any student with interests in history, sociology, philosophy, curation, field work, and of course, natural history. We offer an opportunity to work with a unique collection.
Role: We seek an apprentice for several project, and returning apprentices may choose to develop their own. We have many in-person tasks, such as inventorying of new accessions, cataloging, and archival material management. The successful candidate's duties will grow in responsibility as the apprentice learns archival procedures and protocols. The student will learn how archives fit into the data-driven tasks of a natural history museum. Examples of tasks may include: responding to external research requests for primary source material (e.g., field notebooks, original photos), organizing and digitizing field notes and correspondence for access, re-housing materials in need of conservation, inventorying new accessions, and other assigned tasks.
At the end of the semester, the apprentice is expected to write a short blog post on an aspect of the MVZ Archives that interests them. (See past student submissions here: https://mvzarchives.berkeley.edu/category/uraps/)
Qualifications: Attention to detail is a requirement, especially necessary for the care and handling of irreplaceable data and objects. Ability to work in a team and independently.
Familiarity with web-based tools such as Google Drive, Box.com, etc, and databases; facility with graphic tools, e.g., Adobe Creative Suite required. Willingness to learn new technologies.
Strong communication skills (verbal and written) are necessary.
All majors are welcomed!
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Carlie Magill, Staff Researcher
Hours: to be negotiated
Related website: https://mvzarchives.berkeley.edu/
Related website: https://mvzarchives.berkeley.edu/