Collections Assistant 2 or 3

This is a 2-year fixed term position and is posted at Collections Assistant 2 and 3 level. Work will be conducted on-site in Stanford, California.

Stanford Libraries and the Doerr School of Sustainability Geoscience Specimen Collection are seeking a  full-time Geoscience Specimen Collections Assistant to perform a variety of tasks and functions in support of the long-term preservation, enhancement, and access to a significant collection of rock, mineral, fossil, and other geological specimens housed in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS). The Libraries values are rooted in a commitment of mutual respect, the idea that every member of the staff has something to contribute, and that learning is constant. We are seeking a team member who is ready to share their skills and perspectives.

About the Geoscience Specimen Collections

The Geoscience Specimen Collections include a wide variety of rock, mineral, fossil, soil, water, and other geological samples, and associated field notes, maps, publications, and other metadata. The collections date back to the founding of Stanford University and have continued to grow through the research of Stanford’s faculty, students, and staff, and are global in scope. The collections are housed within the Doerr School of Sustainability and serve as important and irreplaceable research and teaching infrastructure that support the school’s mission to generate knowledge, innovate, and drive impact for a sustainable future.

About Stanford Libraries

Stanford Libraries is a network of over 15 libraries with over 400 employees. We are committed to fueling teaching, learning and research across Stanford by acquiring, stewarding, and making available a robust collection, currently in excess of 12 million items. Everyone in the organization plays a vital role in fulfilling that objective. Our dedication to discoverability and information management also has us engaged in dynamic global partnerships. We are constantly building and strengthening our organization, and we recognize striving for excellence is a marathon and not a sprint. We are constantly trying to strike the right pace and admit there are times when we find ourselves at a fast jog. While we hope to always find candidates who fit within our organization, what we truly seek is someone who will add to our culture, our profession as well as the greater academic arena. We are invested in the success of our teams and the individuals who represent Stanford Libraries.

About the position

The Specimen Collections assistant will work closely with collections staff, faculty and students to assist with management, preservation, and relocation of the SDSS Geoscience Specimen Collections. The Specimen Collections assistants will be responsible for carrying out aspects of this work including, but not limited to, contributing to a comprehensive inventory of collection holdings, cataloging specimens and conducting data entry into the collections database, georeferencing locality information, identifying specimens in need of conservation, and rehousing, packing, and physically relocating specimens into a new collections storage facility. The Specimen Collections assistant may also contribute to specimen metadata cleaning, specimen imaging, workflow development, and may assist with providing access to collections for research, teaching and outreach.

This position is based at Stanford University’s main campus. Work will be conducted on-site Monday through Friday during standard business hours unless otherwise arranged in advance. Work may also be conducted two or more days per week at an off-site storage facility. This position is a two-year term position with a possibility of extension.

Core duties under general supervision at the Collections Assistant 2 level:

●      Provide basic collections reference assistance to SDSS faculty, students and staff

●      Perform routine collections tasks such as cataloging, rehousing, and organizing specimens

●      Perform routine data entry and database maintenance

●      Compile basic inventory lists

●      Collect and maintain collections statistics; may produce reports for supervisor

●      May be responsible for providing access to collections

●      May assist in supervising hourly employees

Core duties under minimal supervision at the Collections Assistant 3 level:

●      All duties listed under the Collections Assistant 2 level (above)

●      Provide reference and research assistance to SDSS faculty, students and staff

●      Perform complex collections tasks including conducting quality control and cleaning of collections metadata

●      Assess specimen integrity and implement conservation measures to ensure long-term preservation of collections

●      Assist in the development and implementation of collections processing workflows

●      Produce project and activity reports for supervisor

●      Assist with the training and supervision of student workers.

●      Assist with collections events, exhibits and programs

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.