The Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) seeks a part-time (20 hrs/week) digital archivist to work with and maintain the Karen Barker Documentary Archive, a collection of foodways materials that includes audio interviews, films, photographs, artwork, and ephemera.

General Notes

This part-time, contract professional archivist position will preserve, arrange, describe, and deliver born-digital archival materials; upload digital materials to the SFA Omeka S platform, and create finding aids for materials. Most work may be performed remotely.

Required Application Materials

• Resume
• Letter of Interest
• List of 3 references

Application materials may be sent to marybeth@southernfoodways.org. The deadline to apply is July 15, 2026.

Essential Functions

• Provides strategic planning for the development, infrastructure, and updates for the Southern Foodways Alliance Karen Barker Documentary Archive, access systems and tools, digitization, and related technical issues.

• Advises on policies and procedures that facilitate the acquisition, transfer, arrangement, description, preservation, and access to born-digital and analog materials in accordance with emerging standards and best practices, consulting with and advising creators of born-digital content when necessary.

• Develops and documents workflows to support these activities; recommends and utilizes digital processing tools and advises on preservation strategies and storage needs for digital materials.

• Coordinates workflows for the management and archiving of institutionally created media (i.e., web pages, images, moving images, and audio).

• Stays abreast of best practices, issues, and tools related to the stewardship of digital materials.

• The position reports to SFA Co-Director Mary Beth Lasseter.

Remuneration

The digital archivist will work 20 hours per week. The pay rate is $35/hour, paid biweekly.

EEO Statement

The Southern Foodways Alliance is an institute of the Center for the Study of

Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. The University of Mississippi provides equal opportunity for qualified individuals in employment and education programs and activities. The University complies with all applicable laws regarding equal opportunity and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee, student, or applicant.

Questions?

Contact Mary Beth Lasseter at the Southern Foodways Alliance.

marybeth@southernfoodways.org

(662) 915-3368

www.southernfoodways.org

https://archive.southernfoodways.org/

Required qualifications

Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited university, a Digital Archives Certificate from an ALA-accredited institution, a Digital Archives Specialist Certificate from the Society of American Archivists OR one or more years of demonstrated professional experience preserving, processing, describing, and delivering digital and hybrid archival materials in an academic or research library setting. Demonstrated experience in creating finding aids. Must have specific knowledge of Omeka S and OHMS systems.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated knowledge of archival theory and practice; demonstrated knowledge of technologies and systems developed or adopted by the archival community for the management of and access to digital materials; demonstrated experience and skill using technologies and strategies related to digital forensics and digital preservation; demonstrated knowledge of metadata and other standards relevant to the control of digital materials such as OAIS, EAD, DACS, Dublin Core, MODS, and PREMIS; demonstrated ability to work creatively, independently, and collaboratively; experience working with oral history collections; strong written and oral communication skills.