Processing Archivist - Change, Inc. records

Duration: Full-time; 12-month term
Reports to: Assistant Archivist

About the Foundation

The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation (RRF) builds on the legacy of artist Robert Rauschenberg, emphasizing his belief that artists can drive social change. Rauschenberg sought to act in the “gap” between art and life, valuing chance and collaboration across disciplines. As such, the Foundation celebrates new and even untested ways of thinking.

Position Summary

Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is seeking a dedicated Processing Archivist to process and digitize the records of Change, Inc, a philanthropic initiative founded by the artist in 1970 to provide emergency financial assistance to professional visual artists.

Beginning January 2027, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Archives will undertake a major initiative to expand its access to physical materials and digitize its archival collections. Over the past five years, we have seen significant growth in both the number and scope of research inquiries related to Rauschenberg. This interest expanded further during the Centennial, with scholars increasingly examining not only his artistic practice, but also the broader cultural networks that informed his life and work, including his collaborations with other artists, philanthropic endeavors, political engagement, and travel. As a result, the Foundation is making a significant investment in the accessibility, digitization, and preservation of archival materials that support these expansive areas of research.

Among the collections that will be a focus of this initiative are the records of Change, Inc., Rauschenberg’s first formal foray into philanthropy. Established in 1970 to provide emergency financial assistance to professional visual artists, Change, Inc. has awarded thousands of grants to artists until the program closed in 2018. Spanning over 60 linear feet, once processed and digitized the archival records offer an important resource for understanding Rauschenberg’s longstanding commitment to artists and the role of philanthropy within his broader practice as well as providing access to nearly 2,500 non-confidential artist grantee files, including resumes, statements, newspaper clippings, flyers, and correspondence, often handwritten.

The above work reflects a broader priority of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation: to ensure that the myriad records surrounding Rauschenberg’s life, work, and legacy are preserved and made increasingly accessible to scholars, artists, students, and the public. As research on Rauschenberg continues to evolve, the Foundation recognizes the importance of facilitating access to collections that illuminate less-studied dimensions of his practice and the remarkable range of his interests and activities.

Under the direction of the Assistant Archivist and Director of Archives, the Processing Archivist will be responsible for surveying, arranging, describing, preserving, and digitizing the Change, Inc. records, employing archival standards and best practices.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Conducts research on Change, Inc. including reviewing existing materials.

• Surveys the collection and drafts processing plan.

• Assists in arrangement and description of archival and manuscript collections of varying formats.

• Perform basic rehousing and apply basic preservation techniques to archival records, as assigned, including enclosing fragile and oversized material.

• Responsible for following local and national best practices to create DACS-compliant finding aids for collections in ArchivesSpace.

• Digitization of archival materials in accordance with policies and best practices, including file-naming and metadata entry.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• ALA-accredited Masters Degree in Library Science, Information Science, or a related field with a concentration in Archives.

• 3+ years of experience processing and describing archival collections.

• Familiarity with standard archival metadata schemas (DACS, Dublin Core, EAD) and controlled vocabularies.

• Functional understanding of privacy and sensitivity regulations and standards, e.g. FERPA, HIPAA, or institution specific restrictions.

• Effective oral and written communication skills; attention to accuracy and detail.

• Strong organization and time-management skills; ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

• Previous experience digitizing archival collections.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework and/or familiarity with 20th Century Art History.

• Experience working with CMS and DAM systems; preferably ArchivesSpace, FileMaker, and/or ResourceSpace.

• Experience or knowledge about intellectual property issues in primary and secondary resource collections.

Work Environment

This is a fully in-person role based primarily at RRF’s Mount Vernon location, with work at the Foundation’s 381 Lafayette Street (NY) location as needed.

ADA Specifications

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time

• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing

• Ability to use standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers

• Ability to move around the office or work environment as needed

• Ability to lift objects weighing up to 40 lbs (e.g., archival supplies, files)

• Ability to traverse stairs as needed

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Compensation & Benefits

The anticipated compensation for this position is between $62,000 and $70,000 per annum, depending on experience and level of education. The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation offers a highly competitive benefits package, including 100% employer-paid medical and dental coverage for employees and their eligible dependents. We also provide generous employer contributions for vision coverage, life insurance, STD, LTD and exceptional retirement savings options with an industry-leading employer matching contribution. Additionally, the Foundation offers a robust charitable giving matching program, tuition reimbursement and generous time-off policies to support work-life balance.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following materials:

• A cover letter outlining their research interests and relevant experience.

• A current CV/resume.

• Finding Aid records or similar.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Foundation is committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive. As an equal opportunity employer, we value diversity in all its forms and actively seek to attract a wide range of talented individuals. We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from communities historically underrepresented in arts organizations.

To learn more about the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, please visit our website: http://www.rauschenbergfoundation.org