Job ID: 36702
Agency: Department of Education
Location: Pierre, SD
Salary: $23.56-$26.50/hr, depending on qualifications
Pay Grade: H
Closing Date: 07/27/2026

The Digital Archivist is responsible for evaluating, acquiring, arranging, describing, preserving and providing access to electronic records of the South Dakota State Historical Society-State Archives. Duties include: the development of policies and procedures for electronic records; selecting and transferring electronic records from private donors and state agencies to the archives; preparing and ingesting electronic records into a digital repository; providing reference services; and improving access to digital collections. The Digital Archivist also maintains statistics and reports to the State Archivist.

The State of South Dakota offers paid employee health insurance plus ten paid holidays, generous vacation leave accrual, and medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. 

This full-time permanent position will be working with archival materials which includes exposure to dust. Applicant must also be able to lift boxes weighing up to 50 lbs. and climb ladders. Some travel is required.

For more information on the South Dakota State Historical Society-State Archives, please visit https://history.sd.gov. 

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• one year of experience working with born-digital records in an archives;
• knowledge of metadata standards such as EAD, Dublin Core, MODS, METS, etc;
• working knowledge of archival and/or digital content management systems, preferably ArchivesSpace and Preservica;
• project management experience;
• experience with arrangement and description of archival materials;
• familiarity with XML;
• familiarity using Python and/or using AI software to generate/troubleshoot code;
• master’s degree from an ALA accredited university in Library and Information Science or the equivalent, with successful completion of relevant coursework in electronic records and digital preservation. 

Knowledge of:

• modern archival theory, standards, and practices and their implementation. This knowledge includes a thorough understanding of appraisal methods, arrangement and description, cataloging, preservation, access, and outreach;
• current electronic records management theory, standards, and practices and their implementation, including hardware/software needs, naming protocols and migration plans;
• United States and South Dakota history;
• historical research methods in both primary and secondary sources;
• electronic information systems and specialized technology related to archival cataloging and patron information retrieval systems;
• digital formats, their preservation and access issues and issues related to security/authenticity;
  • information storage systems;
  • standards such as technical, preservation, structural, packaging, and transfer metadata schemes;
  • copyright and data protection issues.

• Skill to: 

  • prioritize day-to-day tasks;
  • collaborate on the most cost-effective and timely means to preserve and provide public access to records;
  • determine how and at what level collections should be arranged and cataloged;
  • identify materials requiring supplemental preservation and determine the priority of electronic records collections for processing, based on knowledge of research needs, agency priorities, historical significance, and professional standards;
  • work with the archives team, provide on-site and electronic reference assistance regarding archival and manuscript collections to researchers.

• Ability to:

  • build partnerships between representatives in various state agencies;
  • communicate effectively with both IT specialists and non-technical users about technology topics related to digital archiving;
  • communicate both simple and complex ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, to people with various degrees of knowledge of archival theories and historical research methods;
  • successfully work with a variety of people and assist patrons while maintaining a professional demeanor;
  • pick up and deliver records from donors;
  • answer requests for information regarding the archival collections;
  • prepare monthly status reports;
  • participate in communication efforts to inform the public about the historical society and archival collections;
  • participate in continuing education and professional development opportunities as needed to maintain required skills;
  • conduct site visits to historical organizations and collecting institutions to provide technical advice and assistance on archival practices and preservation issues upon request.

• Additional Requirements: To be considered, please attach a cover letter to your online application that describes your interest and addresses your qualifications for this position, a resume showing your work history, including dates of employment and relevant coursework, and a writing sample.

  
  

  Must apply online:   https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=4E9
  You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
  South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration
  Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us