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George Washington's Mount Vernon

Digital Washington Papers Editor Job at George Washington's Mount Vernon in

George Washington's Mount Vernon, Mt Vernon, VA, United States


Digital Washington Papers Editor
Full-Time, Exempt


The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon is hiring a Digital Washington Papers Editor, a new position that will add to the team in its growing Center for Digital History (CDH).
Reporting to the manager of the CDH, the Digital Washington Papers Editor will collaborate closely with the Papers of George Washington editors at the University of Virginia and Washington Library staff to plan and implement new born-digital editions of the papers of Washington's family members and other digital projects involving the Washington Papers and primary sources held by the Library. This position will play a key role in managing and planning for the materials generated by the Papers of George Washington when they are brought to the Library following the conclusion of that project.
This position will also act as the Associate Editor of the Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington. With over 10 million views since its creation in 2012, the Digital Encyclopedia is the flagship project of the CDH and is heavily used by students, teachers, scholars, and members of the general public.
The successful applicant will be passionate about sharing the history of Mount Vernon and George Washington's life and times with the general public. Expertise in eighteenth-century United States history and a demonstrated ability to perform research in historical sources is essential for this position, as is familiarity with digital humanities tools and concepts. Experience with digital collections and documentary editing best practices is preferred.
To apply, please provide a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three references.

Compensation:
Salary range $59k-$70k, commensurate with experience.

Expected Hours:

40/week

Position-Specific Responsibilities:
  • In collaboration with the Washington Papers editors at UVA and CDH staff, plan and implement new born-digital editions of the papers of Washington's family members and other digital projects involving the Washington Papers and primary sources held by the George Washington Presidential Library
    • Includes work on the forthcoming Washington's Networks project, currently in progress, which will allow users to view the geographic extent of Washington's networks of correspondence and its change over time
    • In collaboration with Library staff and the Papers editors, develop plans to transition papers materials to the Library and make project resources such as the document catalog more accessible
    • Develop plans for storage, implementation, and maximizing use of papers once they arrive at Library
  • Working closely with Manager, act as Associate Editor of the Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington
    • Copyediting, fact-checking, and soliciting new articles
    • Planning and implementing changes following insights from 2023 audit
    • Creating, updating, and maintaining style guides
  • Copyedit and fact-check articles submitted for other CDH projects, including the ARGO: American Revolutionary Geographies Online maps portal
  • Assist in overseeing interns
  • Support additional CDH projects as needed, including the development of podcast series as appropriate (particularly the creation of show notes, research, and assistance with scripts) and crowd-sourced transcription projects
Requirements:
  • MA or PhD in history or a related discipline
  • Familiarity with digital humanities tools and concepts
  • Background in 18th century history required; specific knowledge of George Washington and his world a significant plus.
  • Must be able to read and transcribe 18th century handwriting to a high degree of accuracy
  • Demonstrated ability to perform historical research in primary and secondary sources
  • Experience with digital collections and documentary editing best practices preferred
  • Demonstrated writing and editing skills and ability to write to a deadline
  • Able to work collaboratively as part of a team
  • Communication and project management skills
Benefits:
  • 403(b) Retirement plan with employer matching
  • Employee recognition at 5 years of service
  • Monthly employee events
  • Employee referral program
  • On-site Library
  • Discount on Public Event Tickets
  • Discount in the Mount Vernon Shops
  • Discount at the Mount Vernon Inn and Food Court Pavilion
  • Free parking
  • Health, Vision, and Dental insurance
  • Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance
  • Paid leave for Sick Time, Vacation and Holidays
  • Flexible spending account for medical care

Mount Vernon is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to building and retaining a team that represents a variety of skills, experiences and perspectives. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, performance, and qualifications without regard to race, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, gender/sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, veteran and military status, family or parental status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. Mount Vernon will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.