Indigenous Collections Assistant (YCW)

  • CompanyMuseum of Ontario Archaeology
  • Education / Credentialspost-secondary
  • ResumeRequired
  • Cover LetterRequired
  • Application Deadline05/16/2022

Job Description

The Museum of Ontario Archaeology is seeking an Indigenous Collections Assistant for the summer season (12 weeks, 35 hr/week, $15/hr. Start date: June 6, Anticipated end date: August 26). The Indigenous Collections Assistant is a position created for a First-Nations, Métis, or Inuit Youth. Do not apply for this position unless you self-identify as FNMI.

 

Our Indigenous Collections Assistant will assist with collections repackaging, cataloguing, data entry, and other collections management tasks. The MOA’s new Interpretive Plan encourages the museum to seek a diversity of voices for interpretation, while we also do not wish to speak for Indigenous peoples. This Indigenous Youth hired for this position will also be given the opportunity to create and deliver interpretive materials (based on the museum’s galleries and collections and the Lawson Archaeological Village) through their own Indigenous lens. This material may be delivered through pre-booked programs onsite or through social media, and care will be given to respect the student’s own voice while acknowledging their place as a museum employee.

 

Please note: The Museum’s vaccination policy requires all staff to be fully vaccinated, according to provincial definitions, against Covid-19. Depending on circumstances, this job may require a combination of working from home and working on site at the Museum of Ontario Archaeology in London Ontario.

The Indigenous Collections Assistant will:

  • Assist with collections repackaging and inventory
  • Integrate collections records into Argus CMS, including creating new collections records
  • Digitization of collections objects using 3D scanning technology, digital photography.
  • Provide logistical support for other ongoing collections projects taking place at the museum
  • Assist with the delivery of interpretation of Ontario’s cultural and natural heritage through public tours and activities of the museum galleries, grounds, the Indigenous Lawson archaeological village site and Medway Valley Heritage Forest. Depending on circumstances, this may include digital presentations.
  • Develop and deliver interpretive materials of MOA’s collections and the Lawson site through the student’s own Indigenous lens
  • Assist with the creation of social media posts promoting collections and collections management initiatives

The Indigenous Collections Assistant position will provide Indigenous youth with an interest or background in Museum Studies, Anthropology/Archaeology, Canadian History, First Nations/Indigenous Studies, or related program, with experience in museum collections management, heritage interpretation, object care, data entry and record keeping. They will have the opportunity to develop skills in public engagement and problem-solving and deepen their knowledge and experience of Ontario’s cultural heritage.

The successful candidate must self-identify as First-Nations, Métis, or Inuit , and must meet the criteria of the Young Canada Works job program. An ideal candidate will have a background in Anthropology, Public History, Education, Museum Studies, First Nations studies, or similar University program and possess both a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Prior work or volunteer experience at a museum or historic site would be an asset.

Characteristics of City/Region:

The Museum of Ontario Archaeology is located in the northwest corner of the City of London, the traditional territory of the Munsee-Delaware, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee Peoples and their Ancestors who have lived here from Time Immemorial. First named as a settler village by John Graves Simcoe in 1793, London has a rich and deep archaeological past, with evidence of human occupation from the period of glacial recession approximately 13,000 years ago, to the vibrant city that it is today. Adjacent to the Museum is a 500-year-old village once inhabited by approximately 2,000 Indigenous agriculturalists, today known as the Lawson Site. This site is considered one the region’s largest settlements before European contact.

Museum of Ontario Archaeology website: www.archaeologymuseum.ca

London is situated in the Western part of Ontario, Canada. The city hosts the seat of Middlesex County, and it is located halfway between Toronto and Detroit.

City of London website: http://www.london.ca/

You must include in your covering letter how you meet the Young Canada Works eligibility requirements.

Applications will be due by Monday, May 16, 2022

Please e-mail resume and cover letter to:

Heather Hatch, Collections Manager

Museum of Ontario Archaeology
[email protected]