The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.
Why join the Oakland Public Library?
The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill one Archivist vacancy at the African American Museum and Library of Oakland, a division of the Oakland Public Library (AAMLO). The ideal candidate will possess archival experience pertaining to African American history and culture to curate best-in-class collections and to generate exhibitions and presentations that expose and share the wonders of these collections with the public. The Oakland Public Library seeks to hire a candidate who values all aspects of dynamic learning using technology, public forums, sensory experiences, scholarly research, and other tools to support and stimulate the curiosity of patrons who seek to discover the rich cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in Oakland and Northern California. The ideal candidate operates with a high level of enthusiasm and integrity, demonstrates cultural competence, and has a track record of responsiveness to diverse communities, staff, and stakeholders.
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Organized: You will possess exceptional organizational and management skills to successfully procure, archive, and preserve historical collections, adhering to federal, state, and local statutes relating to collections management.
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A Strong Relationship Builder with Excellent Communication Skills: You will engage with diverse clients, both orally and in writing, in the procurement of collections and represent the museum as an expert in the area of collection management and access.
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Proficient in Preservation Techniques: You will utilize technical knowledge in the preservation of documents and records, including handling techniques, technology migration, appropriate laboratory treatments, and/or recommending referral to technical experts.
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Creative: You will design and maintain organizational systems to correctly preserve, track, and easily retrieve archived materials. You will create exhibitions and presentations to showcase collections to the public.
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Analytical: You will analyze the physical condition of collections, including documents, film, and electronic materials, and make retention recommendations by appraising characteristics such as their legal, fiscal, administrative, informational, and/or intrinsic value.
What you will typically be responsible for:
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Collecting, analyzing, organizing, and preserving archival resources about African American history and culture in Oakland and Northern California.
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Analyzing the current condition of donor materials including film, documents, maps, etc., to determine the appropriate preservation standards.
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Designing and maintaining systems to preserve, track, and easily retrieve archived collections.
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Communicating effectively with internal and external partners.
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Creating archival presentations that highlight the cultural experiences of African Americans in Oakland and Northern California.
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Collaborating with a variety of stakeholders including donors, staff, community members, and outside organizations to curate the best-in-class collections.
Working for the City of Oakland
A few reasons you might love this job:
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You love serving Oakland’s community by sharing information and resources that highlight and reflect their lived experience, ancestry, and history.
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You value the preservation of history and want to share the stories that archival materials represent.
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You thrive on engaging with others and helping to meet their needs and achieve their research and education goals.
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You are excited to inspire others and tell stories through archival mediums.
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You seek to encourage and spread a deeper understanding of the history and culture of African Americans in Oakland and Northern California.
A few challenges you might face in this job:
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You will need to manage your time wisely to complete your duties.
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You will often work independently and maintain a high standard of self-motivation and accountability.
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You will need to work effectively within a modest budget.
Competencies Required:
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Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
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Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
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Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
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Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
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Professional Impact: Presenting self as a positive representative of the organization
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Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.
This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.
Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualification may be acceptable.
A bachelor’s degree in archival studies, history, library and/or information sciences, public administration, political science, or a related field with coursework in archival methods and theory and library systems. A Master’s degree in a related field is highly desirable (but not required).
Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in archival administration, preferably with experience in digital and print document collections utilized by museums and/or archives. Note: A Master’s degree in a related field may substitute for up to two (2) years of experience.
License or Certificate / Other Requirements
Possession of a professional designation as a Certified Archivist (CA) is highly desirable.
Successful incumbents in this position may be expected to operate automotive vehicles in the performance of assigned duties. Due to the nature of the assignment and the hours worked, public transportation may not be a cost effective or efficient method for traveling to the various locations required. Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Driver’s License throughout the tenure of employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as required in the performance of duties.
Desirable Qualifications:
Deep knowledge and understanding of the history and culture of African Americans in Oakland and Northern California.
Ability to create artistic, attractive, and clear exhibits and displays utilizing interactive technology and beautiful design.
A vision for how this position might help the City of Oakland maintain diversity, eliminate racial disparities, and achieve racial equity.
The Recruitment Process:
The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position.
Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.
Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.
In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final.
For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the structured interview (sometimes referred to as an Oral Exam) (weighted 100%), which will be evaluated and rated by subject matter experts. The structured interview will be conducted as a one-way video interview, where you will record your responses to a set of questions. You will have 7 days from the time you receive the interview link to complete and submit your video responses. The tentative date of the structured interview is the week of
August 17, 2026.
Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf. Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Christina Dennis at
[email protected].
Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you’re applying to a “restricted” posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.
The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
15 paid holidays
Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.
- Benefits described here do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.
All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca/default.cfm.
If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).
Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Christina Dennis, Human Resource Analyst, at [email protected].
