CRS Museum Documentation Specialist Chaco Canyon NHP & Aztec NM

The Great Basin Institute is hiring a Museum Documentation Research Associate to work cooperatively with National Park Service Staff and under the direct supervision of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park/Aztec Ruins National Monument Museum Curator to support the Parks’ Museum and Archives Program. NPS will move approximately 4.5 LF of related documentation remaining at AZRU to the NPS Chaco-Aztec Museum & Archive Facility in Albuquerque, where the physical review, organization of data, and creation of updated documentation will occur under the guidance of the AZRU/CHCU Museum Curator. The primary role of the Museum Documentation Specialist is to complete research into legacy accession and loan documentation for museum collections held primarily by Aztec Ruins National Monument (AZRU) with some work on Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CHCU) collections. This work will be completed in support of general museum operations and compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)regulations.

Museum Documentation Specialist responsibilities will have primary emphasis in addressing needs raised by the publication of new NAGPRA regulations in January 2024. Addressing related requests to the new regulations as well as completing the current repatriation effort in process for AZRU has demonstrated the poor condition of basic accession and loan documentation going back nearly 100 years. It will be extremely difficult to resolve some of the NAGPRA-related issues without simultaneously addressing the documentation issues. The primary focus will be on AZRU accessions related to early investigations by the American Museum of Natural History, approximately 5 accessions. The final products will include updated accession descriptions reconciling data in the physical Accession Files, Collection Management Database accession records, and custodial documentation; updated loan

documentation for materials owned by other institutions and physically held by AZRU and CHCU; identification of additional materials potentially eligible for repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA); and preparation of documentation for NAGPRA-related tribal consultation.

The position will work from the AZRU/CHCU main curatorial facility located on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque, NM. Occasional travel for day trips to both CHCU and AZRU.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Reconciles discrepancies between paper accession files and the Museum Collection Management System (MCMS) entries, supporting reconciliations with documentation.
• Produces updated paperwork for authorized signatures.
• Reviews primary field documents and reports from early excavations at AZRU and compares object information with object information in MCMS, associating original field catalog numbers with current museum catalog numbers.
• Compares reconciled catalog numbers to early custody documentation to produce a report of objects with problematic custody paperwork.
• Assists with preparing responses to NAGPRA-related tribal inquiries.
• Identify additional objects for tribal consultation or NAGPRA repatriations.
• Completes Accession Inventories.
• Attends staff meetings, safety trainings and briefings, and other park-related opportunities.

Contract Timeline:

• 12-month appointment beginning January 2025
• Full time (40 hrs/week)
• Position may be extended if additional funding is secured.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Wage: $29.05/hr
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance available at no cost
• Paid leave and federal holidays
• Eligible to enroll in company 401k with matching contributions (following 90 days)

Training opportunities

Job Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Museum Studies, Anthropology, Native American Studies, or related field with minimum 6 months work experience in anthropological museum context.

Technical Requirements:

• Knowledge and experience working with museum registration documentation, specifically accessions and loans.
• Experience with applying law, regulation, and policy and institutional guidance to complex contexts.
• Experience with primary document research in archival archeological field documentation.
• Experience collaborating with staff of other museum institutions.
• Sensitivity to respecting Indigenous Knowledge.
• Familiarity with historic and modern information formats.

Additional Desired Skills:

• Knowledge of NPS museum documentation systems desired, but not required.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Adaptability to changing project needs.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with co-workers and park staff, external museum institutions, and the general public.
• Ability to work independently or with limited supervision to resolve problems, demonstrating of self-direction and sound judgement.
• Academic background in anthropology or Native American studies desired.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and lift boxes up to 35 lbs. on a routine basis.
• Ability to sit at a computer and focus for long periods of time.
• Knowledge and technical proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Successful applicant must complete a Department of Interior (DOI) Background Investigation prior to beginning the position in order to utilize government network and computer equipment.

Successful applicant must possess a valid state issued driver’s license and clean driving record.