Municipal Archives Work Study Intern

This is an exciting opportunity for a Washington State work-study-eligible undergraduate or graduate student to gain hands-on experience in a collaborative environment within the Office of the City Clerk (OCC) in the Legislative Department.

About the role

As a Municipal Archives Work Study Intern, you will assist with several essential aspects of the City-wide archives program. This includes supporting customer service by pulling and re-shelving records, providing access to records by inventorying historical records, scanning and cataloging photographs, and performing data entry to maintain accurate archival information. This position reports to Sarah Shipley, City Archivist.

The Office of the City Clerk welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, including non-traditional students who desire to work in a fast-paced, friendly, service-oriented organization.

Education benefit to student

• Gain a better understanding of historical records created by the City of Seattle.
• Gain basic knowledge of archival functions and uses of archival records.
• Learn more about the history of Seattle and municipal government.
• Learn the basic techniques of digitization.

Responsibilities

A general description of duties includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Retrieve and reshelve records and occasionally photocopy requests.
• Enter data in archives databases.
• Provide support in the processing of large textual collections.
• Provide support in digital preservation access projects.
• Scan photographs.
• Other related duties or special projects as assigned by the Seattle Municipal Archives staff.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student in Washington State with a major concentration in one of the following areas: Political Science, History, Law, Library/Information Science, Public Affairs, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a comparable field of study.
• Currently eligible for Washington State Work Study. Students must provide proof of eligibility to work in an off-campus job to be considered for employment.
• Undergraduate students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 throughout the duration of the internship. Graduate students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 throughout the duration of the internship.
• Must have a commitment to being a punctual/reliable team member.
• Ability to lift 35-pounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with historical research.
• Knowledge of scanning documents or photographs.

Student will receive training in archives databases, scanning equipment, and basic processing after hire.

Skills

You will be most successful in this position if you:

• Embody the Office of the City Clerk Mission, Vision, and Values (Public Service, Accountability, Respect, and Stewardship).
• Are passionate about City government and are eager to dive into new challenges and opportunities with an abundance of positivity and urgency.
• Have good written and verbal communication skills.
• Enjoy helping others and providing customer service.
• Can proficiently use Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel), photocopiers, and other office equipment.
• Have an aptitude for learning new software.
• Have a commitment to identifying issues important to the local community through an equity, social justice, diversity, and inclusion lens.
• Have good attention to detail.
• Work well independently.

Work Environment

The Legislative Department is located at Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave., 3rd Floor, Seattle, WA. This position requires a minimum of four days in the office, with flexibility based on operational needs.

Schedule

Intern will work a flexible schedule that can be up to 19 hours/week during the school year. Schedule will be dependent on the intern’s school schedule, work study award, and department budget.

Pay

Undergraduate students will be paid $22.56 per hour. Graduate students will be paid $27.67 per hour.

Additional Information

The internship is anticipated to start in October 2026. The end date of the internship is conditional on department budget and student’s work study award amount.

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services.