Conservation Summer Worker (Temporary)

The Weissman Preservation Center at Harvard Library is pleased to offer 2 eight-week summer work appointments. We welcome applications from conservation graduate students in book, paper, and photograph specialties. Summer worker(s) will report to the respective format specialist (Senior Paper Conservator, Senior Photograph Conservator, Senior Rare Book Conservator), and gain practical experience in a busy and collaborative conservation lab that serves special collections from twenty-five libraries under the Harvard Library umbrella. 

Summer workers will gain treatment experience within their chosen specialties. Every effort will be made to provide a well-rounded experience through exposure to diverse collection materials and other preservation activities such as surveys, consultations, and emergency response procedures. The graduate student’s interests and goals will be considered as part of their experience. The summer worker(s) will be asked to share their experience(s) through giving an informal talk to Preservation Services and/or writing a blog post to be shared on Preservation Services’ blog and social media channels. 

The Weissman Preservation Center manages a comprehensive conservation program for the care and treatment of Harvard Library’s expansive and diverse special collections. Its staff currently consists of 13 conservators and 8 technicians who work together and across Harvard Library with faculty, librarians, curators, and archivists to ensure the Library’s collections are accessible for students, scholars, and others far into the future.

Established in 1638, Harvard Library is the oldest library system in the United States and the world’s largest academic library with over 400 million physical and digital items. Its purpose is to ‘champion curiosity for the betterment of the world,’ and its mission is to advance the learning, research, and pursuit of truth that are at the heart of Harvard. 

To learn more about the Weissman Preservation Center, including taking a virtual tour, visit: https://preservation.library.harvard.edu/take-tour. 

To learn more about Harvard Library, visit: https://library.harvard.edu/visit-about/about-harvard-library. 

Term, Compensation, and Benefits

Temporary summer appointment(s) are full-time, 35 hours/week, compensated at $20/hour, with start and end dates negotiable June through August 2025. During this time, there will be two days off without pay, Juneteenth and July 4th. Earnings will be taxed with a W2 mailed at the end of 2025. Summer workers will have access to Harvard Library and LinkedIn learning for professional development opportunities. 

EEO Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law. Qualifications

The 2025 summer work appointment(s) are designed for graduate students in an accredited master’s degree program in conservation. Applicants must be US citizens to qualify.

Full/Part Time

Temporary

Education

BA/BS

Salary$20.00  / hour

Closing Date

How to Apply

To apply, please send a letter of interest, describing how a summer work experience at the Weissman Preservation Center will support your training and career goals, and CV by December 4, 2024 to: Erin Murphy, James Needham Chief Conservator: [email protected]