Status: Contractor, with possibility to convert to employee status with benefits after 3-months probationary period
Term: Two years, with possibility of extension 
Compensation: Commensurate with experience

About The Wildenstein Plattner Institute:

The Wildenstein Plattner Institute (WPI) is a non-profit foundation established in 2016 by the French dealer and art historian Guy Wildenstein and Hasso Plattner, a leading German entrepreneur in digital technologies. The WPI compiles and publishes digital catalogue raisonnés and provides access to significant archival materials on an innovative new digital platform to advance art historical research.

Position Description:

The WPI seeks an efficient, reliable, and collaborative Cataloguing Specialist for our team. In this position, the Cataloguing Specialist is primarily responsible for original and complex copy cataloguing of digitized print materials, including sales catalogues and exhibition catalogues, in Romance and Western European languages, particularly French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

The successful candidate has extensive knowledge of current metadata standards of all MARC formats, AACR2, RDA, SCIPIO, in addition to LCSH/LC classification and controlled vocabularies. Experience and familiarity with relational databases and OCLC Connexion is preferred. The Cataloguing Specialist performs a variety of basic catalogue record analysis for accuracy and problem resolution. The candidate also provides support to ongoing database maintenance and cleanup projects. Corrects, edits and enhances existing records according to local and national cataloguing and metadata standards, including authority control of database access points.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Temporary position with an expectation of a 2-year commitment to perform original and complex copy cataloguing of the WPI’s collection of digitized print monographs, such as sales catalogues and exhibition catalogues, in Romance and Western European languages, particularly French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
• Consistently and accurately performs cataloguing in accordance with standard national guidelines and systems.
• Responsible for creating original bibliographic records and handling authority control.
• Performs other related duties as assigned, such as providing support to ongoing database maintenance and cleanup projects.
• The position will be partially remote, therefore, having access to high speed internet and a laptop/desktop computer is required. Please note as this is a hybrid position, there will be periodic meetings held in-person at our office in Manhattan.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree or equivalent, preferably an MLS or MLIS from an ALA-accredited institution or recognized equivalent and 3+ years of relevant professional cataloguing work experience required to successfully perform the principal responsibilities,
• Must have experience with performing unrevised original and complex copy cataloguing, 
• Thorough knowledge of RDA, AACR2, LCSH/LC classification, Getty Vocabularies, MARC formats and principles of authority control,
• Proficiency with cataloguing tools, such as OCLC Connexion, 
• Capacity to execute tasks with accuracy, consistency, and meticulous attention to detail,
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload, to execute multiple tasks with time constraints, and to work independently,
• Flexibility in adapting to changeable cataloguing needs,
• Critical judgment skills in cataloguing responsibilities,
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively to meet goals and deadlines,
• ​​Excellent oral and written communication skills,
• Professional demeanor and intellectual curiosity,
• High level of comfort with online databases, office productivity, software, and emergent technologies, including, G-suite applications and Mac operating systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge and awareness of emerging trends in cataloguing and metadata,
• Demonstrated knowledge of one or more non-English languages, especially French, German, Italian, and Spanish,
• Knowledge of or background in art history,
• Proficiency with relational databases.

Compensation:

• Contractor will be paid at an hourly rate for the first three months, with the option to become a salaried employee with benefits upon review and approval.

To apply: 

• Please submit a cover letter, resume and three professional references with contact information to info@wpi.art. In the email subject line, include your “Name” (first and last name) and “Cataloguing Specialist Application.”
• Any questions regarding the application process should be directed to info@wpi-art.org.
• Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
• Proposed start date is February 2022.

Apply online here

Submit specified application materials to info@wpi-art.org.