Senior researcher/Head collector Latin America

IISH job announcement

International Institute of Social History

The International Institute of Social History (IISG) is the largest documentation and research centre in the world in the field of Social History. Since its foundation in 1935 the institute has dedicated itself to collecting, preserving and ensuring public access to the legacy of social movements from all around the world. It is an independent and reputable institute and thus an obvious safe haven for the often-threatened cultural legacy of the worker's movement and other emancipatory groups and movements. The institute's research department focuses on the history of industrial relations and organises international projects based on this theme. The collection (archives, library and audiovisual material) totals 50 km in shelf space. The IISG falls under the umbrella of the Royal Dutch Academy of Science (KNAW).

For its research and collection activities the IISG is looking for a

Senior researcher/Head collector Latin America Dept. (m/f)
(30.4 hours a week)

Organisation:
The post of Senior researcher/Head collector falls under both the Collection Dept. (Collection building task group) and the Research Dept. The Collection building task group consists of 12 employees and is engaged in the acquisition of paper and digital archives, books, periodicals and audiovisual material. The Research Dept. is made up of around forty historians and social scientists and works on the development of the research programme "Global Labour History." The Research and Collection building departments have combined regional offices on several continents.

Job description:

  • Independent historical research, as set out in the Global Labour History programme [url]http://www.iisg.nl/publications/globlab.pdf[/url], in which the history of Latin America plays an important part; publication of results; initiation and directing of research projects and/or task groups; contribution to the formulation of research policy; sourcing of finance for projects; participation in Research Dept. meetings.
  • Determining the collection profile for Latin America and, after its approval by the Management Team, drawing up and implementing annual plans for collection acquisitions; participating and contributing to Collection building meetings; directing the regional representative and regional office in Latin America; establishing and maintaining contacts with archivists in the region; creating and supporting networks of local correspondents and regional archives in order to ensure the safekeeping of collections locally; selecting book and journal titles; organising (web)expositions based on items from the IISG collection; raising funds for the digitisation and the description of collections.
  • Responsible for the Latin America acquisition budget.

Requirements:

  • PhD in history or social sciences.
  • Thesis on a social or economic historical topic.
  • Proven (research) experience and networks in Latin America.
  • Experience in leadership and project management.
  • Willing to take courses/workshops in the creation of archival finding aids and in digitisation.
  • Fluency in English and Spanish and/or Portuguese.

Appointment and salary:
Appointment by the KNAW is for an initial period of 5 years with a contract based on 30.4 hours a week.
Salary ranges from € 3.872 to € 4.970 pre-tax (scale 12 CAO-Nederlandse Universiteiten) based on a full working week (38 hours) and depending on relevant work experience.
IISG offers excellent fringe benefits, such as 8.3% year-end bonus, 8% holiday allowance, a good pension, 6 weeks annual vacation and the option of buying/selling leave days.

To apply:
Send written applications (letter and CV) before 31st of July 2010 to the IISG, f.a.o. Marjoleine Cornelissen, IISG, PP Box 2169, 1000 CD Amsterdam or via e-mail to [mailto]sohvla@iisg.nl[/mailto]. You can find more information about IISG on our website: [url]http://www.iisg.nl[/url]Further information can be obtained from the director of collections, Titia van der Werf (e-mail: [mailto]twe@iisg.nl[/mailto]) or the director of research, Marcel van der Linden ([mailto]mvl@iisg.nl[/mailto]) or via tel. (0031)-(0)20-6685866.
The initial selection will be made on 5th of August and interviews will be held on 19th of August 2010.
Owing to the composition of the research and collection departments, female candidates are expressly invited to apply.