Archivist

Library Systems & Services LLC•Beltsville, MD

About The Position

LAC Federal is seeking a motivated Archivist to support archival collections and special collections management for a federal agency located in Beltsville, Maryland. The Archivist will assist in the arrangement, description, preservation, and access of archival materials documenting the history of agriculture, agricultural science, and related federal programs. Working under the guidance of senior archivists and library leadership, the Archivist will support the processing of archival collections, creation of descriptive metadata and finding aids, digitization preparation, and reference services for researchers. The position supports the mission of the agency to preserve and provide access to historically significant materials related to agricultural research, policy, and innovation in the United States. This position is ideal for an early-career archivist with foundational training in archival theory and practice and 1–2 years of professional experience in archives, special collections, or cultural heritage institutions.

Requirements

Master’s degree in library and information science (MLIS) or equivalent graduate degree with coursework in archives management from an ALA-accredited program, OR a graduate degree in history, public history, archival studies, or a related field with formal archival training.
1–2 years of professional or internship experience working in archives, special collections, or cultural heritage institutions.
Knowledge of archival principles including arrangement, description, and preservation practices.
Familiarity with archival description standards such as DACS and metadata schemas such as EAD or Dublin Core.
Experience creating finding aids and working with archival collections.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to handle fragile materials carefully and follow preservation protocols.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a federal library, research library, or scientific archive.
Familiarity with agricultural, scientific, or environmental history collections.
Experience using archival management systems (e.g., ArchivesSpace, AtoM, or similar platforms).
Experience supporting digitization and digital preservation workflows.
Knowledge of controlled vocabularies and authority files used in archival description.

Responsibilities

Arrange, describe, and process archival and manuscript collections in accordance with archival best practices and institutional policies.
Develop and maintain collection-level and series-level descriptions using archival description standards such as Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS).
Create and update finding aids and collection inventories to support discovery and access.
Rehouse archival materials in appropriate preservation enclosures including archival boxes, folders, and protective sleeves.
Create descriptive metadata for archival materials using established metadata standards such as Encoded Archival Description (EAD)Dublin CoreDublin Core, or other institutional schemas.
Enter and update records in archival management systems and digital repositories used by the National Agricultural Library.
Assist with quality control and metadata normalization to improve discoverability of archival collections.
Assist with the identification and stabilization of fragile or at-risk materials.
Prepare archival materials for digitization workflows, including scanning preparation, metadata capture, and quality control review.
Apply basic preservation techniques and follow established environmental and handling guidelines for archival materials.
Provide assistance to researchers, historians, and federal staff using archival collections.
Support reference inquiries by identifying relevant archival materials and retrieving collections from storage.
Contribute to outreach activities that promote awareness and use of the library’s archival holdings.
Maintain documentation of processing activities, collection status, and workflow metrics.
Support reporting requirements related to collection processing progress and digitization activities.
Assist with collection surveys, inventories, and backlog reduction initiatives.