Digital Curator

Description

Reporting to BHS Archivist, the Digital Curator will oversee both content development and project management for a digital exhibition about the history of Packer Collegiate Institute. The website will include a metadata-rich image gallery of select materials from BHS’s recently acquired Packer Collegiate Institute records. The site will also include short essays placing the history of Packer, the oldest independent school in Brooklyn, in the larger context of the history of the borough, and highlighting some of its notable alumnae.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Leon Levy Foundation, Brooklyn Historical Society has acquired and processed the Packer Collegiate Institute records and moved the collection to BHS and to off-site storage. Materials from the collection are now available to the public for research. The final deliverable for the project will be this digital exhibition, which seeks to make the materials even more accessible for public interaction.

The ideal candidate will have a background in in American history, American studies, or a related field, particularly the history of U.S. education, as well as practical experience in the field of digital humanities. He or she should also be highly organized, and have excellent web-writing skills and project management experience.

The project is expected to begin in February 2016 and be completed within 9-12 months.

Responsibilities
• Work with both BHS and Packer to define the scope, audience, tone, and message of the website
• Work with BHS staff to determine appropriate content management system
• Work with BHS staff to select a designer and serve as the liaison between design team and BHS staff
• Conduct historical research related to content development for the website
• Select images for the image gallery and work with the Library & Archives on digitization and metadata
• Write all content for the site in web-friendly, accessible language
• Oversee and complete the data entry for site's metadata
• Oversee communications with all partners for and completion of the site

Required qualifications
• M.A. or higher in history, urban studies, American studies, or related field.
• Experience using web publishing software like WordPress or Omeka
• Understanding of the themes and practices of digital humanities
• Project management experience
• Demonstrable research and writing experience; excellent writing skills
• Excellent attention to detail, communication and problem solving skills

Preferred qualifications
• Understanding of and interest in the history of New York and Brooklyn
• Experience working in a historical society, museum, or related institution

Compensation
Independent contractor position paid at $8,000 paid as per work deliverables scheduled. Benefits include free access to regional museums, free tickets to BHS and partner’s public programs.