Archivist

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for an Archivist at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement, based in our Northbrook, Illinois, office.

The Archivist is essential to the preservation and activation of the 132-year history of UL Research Institutes (ULRI) and UL Standards and Engagement (ULSE) – two organizations which evolved from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) founded in 1894. This individual will execute archival processing, collection management, reference, research, and outreach services drawing upon the breadth of the UL Archives’ physical and digital holdings. The Archivist will possess a deep working knowledge of standards and best practices in archival appraisal and selection, accessioning, arrangement and description, collection management, and preservation of various physical and digital records and other historical materials.

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI) and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk, created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

What you’ll learn and achieve:

As the Archivist, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Appraise, select, accession, arrange and describe archival collections and materials in all analog and digital formats according to best practices and national/international standards.

• Support the continued development and maintenance of the digital archival repository by adding digitized and born-digital records for long-term preservation and access.

• Collaborate with colleagues on communications, public relations, social media, community engagement, brand, and other teams on projects and initiatives that involve the organizations’ history.

• Collaboratively assess and prioritize the physical and digital archival processing backlog.

• Collaboratively assess archival collection storage space, recommend improvements, and reorganize materials to best utilize available space.

• Respond to reference questions from internal and external stakeholders covering a variety of complex subjects in a timely and organized manner.

• Conduct oral histories with long-standing employees and retirees regarding their work experience and promote donation of their papers and materials to the archives.

• Speak to small groups and lead tours of the archives for employee and external audiences.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

What you’ll experience working at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

• People: Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require.

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You’ll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation based on the level of the position. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Demonstrated experience managing archival collections through appraisal, accessioning, arrangement, description, preservation, and access activities in accordance with established archival standards and best practices.

• Familiarity with national and international standards of archival description (DACS/ISAD-G) and best practices in archival management.

• Demonstrated experience with social media to promote the archives to internal and external audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in small team environments.

• Strong project management skills for individual and small group projects.

• Ability to develop work plans with measurable results and achievable deadlines.

• High degree of curiosity to learn about the organization’s mission and history.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate historical and archival information to diverse audiences.

• Strong advocacy for the organization’s history and value of archival services.

 Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Master’s degree in library and information science (MLS/MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program with a concentration in archives, or a master’s degree in history/public history with significant archival experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum of 2 years of archival processing experience.

• Significant experience with archival collection management software (i.e. ArchivEra, ArchiveSpace), Microsoft 365 products (e.g. Excel, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Photoshop.

• Experience with digital preservation repository platforms (i.e. Preservica) preferred.

• Certified Archivist designation by the Academy of Certified Archivists preferred.

• Certificate or significant coursework in digital archives preferred.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.

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