Digital Archivist

Job Description Summary / TWC Summary

The Mickey Leland Center on Hunger, Poverty & World Peace houses the Mickey Leland Archives, a collection of the late Congressman Mickey Leland’s papers, audiovisual materials, artifacts, and related collections dating from 1970 to 1989. The Center is part of the Texas Southern University Archives Collection and aligns with its mission to preserve and provide access to Congressman Leland’s legacy.

The Mickey Leland Center seeks a dedicated and knowledgeable Digital Archivist to manage, preserve, and provide digital access to archival materials related to Congressman Mickey Leland’s life, legislative work, and humanitarian service. The Digital Archivist will play a key role in maintaining the integrity, preservation, and accessibility of both physical and digital collections for research, education, and public engagement.

Essential Duties Summary

Collection Management

• Acquire, catalog, and preserve archival materials, including manuscripts, photographs, audiovisual content, campaign memorabilia, legislative files, and born-digital materials related to Congressman Mickey Leland’s legacy and global impact.
• Oversee the conservation and physical integrity of archival collections in accordance with best practices in archival science.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures for access, secure storage, preservation, and backup of digital assets.
• Ensure high-quality digitization standards, consistent file naming conventions, and application of appropriate metadata; monitor digital file integrity and manage format migration and upgrades as needed.

Digital Archiving

• Lead digitization initiatives to enhance accessibility and ensure long-term preservation of selected archival materials.
• Manage digital assets using archival management systems and metadata standards such as Dublin Core, EAD, and MARC.

Research and Outreach

• Assist faculty, researchers, students, and members of the public in accessing archival collections.
• Develop interpretive content including exhibits, presentations, and online features that highlight archival holdings.
• Collaborate with faculty, students, and community partners to support curricular and co-curricular programming.

Education and Programming

• Support the development of educational programs, resources, and public events aligned with the mission of the Mickey Leland Center.
• Conduct workshops, lectures, or training sessions on archival practices, digital preservation, or historical research.

Administrative Duties

• Prepare reports, grant proposals, and budget requests related to archival operations and projects.
• Supervise interns, student workers, and volunteers engaged in archival and digitization activities.