The Belkin is now accepting applications for the following position:

Young Canada Works in Heritage Institutions

Collections intern – 1 position (35 hrs per week)

The Collections Intern position is a temporary 7-month internship opportunity at the Belkin from September 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.  The intern will work with the Belkin’s Registrar and Archivist on a variety of activities related to the administration, management, preservation, and access of collections and archives, and have an opportunity to work with digital materials and a newly developed database. The position is 35 hours per week.

The Belkin’s collections and archives of post-war avant-garde art and records are used extensively for research and exhibition purposes in local and international contexts. The Belkin Gallery maintains and manages the University’s growing art collection of over 5,000 objects, including the Outdoor Art Collection, and an archive of over 30,000 items, all of which require extensive care and management. The Belkin has recently undergone a major multi-year database development project, which aims to improve online accessibility and expanded opportunities for research and a variety of users. In addition, many of our administrative and managerial systems have been integrated into this system, offering the intern an opportunity to work with many aspects of collections management, such as copyright, accessions, acquisitions, image reproductions for publications, and loans.

The Collections Intern position is an opportunity to gain professional experience with collections, registration, and archival work, which will assist the Gallery with increasing and managing access to the artworks and archives. These duties may include assisting with processing artwork and archival acquisitions; rehousing for preventative preservation; organizing and uploading digital assets; researching and requesting copyright permission for items in the collections and image reproduction requests for publications; data cleanup in the new Collective Access database; handling and condition reporting of artwork; administrative documentation through the database; archival arrangement and description; ensuring descriptive compliance with a variety of local and international standards; and participating in Gallery programming and outreach. All activities are aimed at improving the safety and longevity of artworks and archives in the collection for future use such as academic research, private study, publications, exhibitions, and public programming.

The intern will have the opportunity to work directly with collections management data on this crucial component of our project — ensuring the descriptions of our materials meet current standards and are consistently inputted, linking digital images for online display, and validating relationships within the new system. The intern will also gain an understanding of gallery administrative processes and records management by working with data relating to exhibitions, loans, accessions, contacts, copyright, and condition reports.

Required: Recent graduate from a library, archival, or information studies program (or equivalent). Master of Archival Studies or a Master of Library and Information Studies preferred. Computer skills, including exceptional typing skills and experience working with databases. Understanding of archival practice and archival hierarchy. Knowledge of the Rules for Archival Description (RAD) and other cataloguing standards. Advanced verbal, written, analytical, organizational, and time management skills. Ability to communicate effectively with gallery staff. Must be comfortable working in a storage area and able to lift boxes weighing up to 20 kilos. Excellent attention to detail, including the ability to maintain attention to repetitive tasks for long durations, and to balance speed and accuracy with a high-volume workload. Ability to work with limited supervision, adapt to a variety of work scenarios, exercise initiative and judgment, meet deadlines, and work under time pressure.

Preferred: Experience with PastPerfect and/or CollectiveAccess and familiarity with arts organizations are preferred, but not required.

All duties will be performed following WorkSafe BC guidelines and UBC Safety Plans and are subject to change. Depending on Provincial Health Authority restrictions in place at the time of the internship, flexibility may be required to work a mix of on-site and remote working.

Wage: $22.23 per hour

https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/Opportunity/ProjectDetails?projectId=13630&showBackToSearch=true

Deadline for applications is July 25, 2021 at 9 am

To apply please email a cover letter and resume to the attention of:

Teresa Sudeyko, Registrar
Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery
The University of British Columbia
1825 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC  V6T 1Z2
Email:  teresa.sudeyko.ubc.ca

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

The Collections Intern position is dependent on funding from the Canadian Heritage Young Canada Works program. Please note that in accordance with program eligibility criteria, applicants must be 30 years of age or younger at the start of employment, legally entitled to work in Canada and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have been granted refugee status in Canada.