About the Position
Gizmo Art Production is seeking an experienced Researcher / Oral Historian to support the development of a confidential nonfiction book project involving a significant civic art and cultural project on the West Coast.
The project brings together public art, artists, architecture, engineering, fabrication, construction, government, and the people behind the work.
The subject and specific project details will remain confidential during the initial hiring process. A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be required before detailed project information, participant names, research materials, and the author's firsthand experience are shared.
We are looking for an independent researcher who can uncover the story behind a complex creative and civic undertaking through archival research, investigative research, and firsthand interviews.
What You'll Do
Research
- Conduct historical, archival, and documentary research.
- Research people, organizations, artists, artworks, events, and institutions connected to the project.
- Locate and review newspaper and magazine coverage, public records, project documents, photographs, correspondence, and other source material.
- Develop a detailed project timeline.
- Verify important facts and document sources.
- Identify gaps, inconsistencies, and conflicting accounts.
Interviews / Oral History
- Identify and contact potential interview subjects.
- Develop interview questions and interview strategies.
- Conduct recorded interviews with artists, administrators, designers, engineers, contractors, fabricators, public officials, and other participants.
- Establish rapport with interview subjects and encourage substantive firsthand accounts.
- Follow up on leads and stories that emerge during interviews.
- Organize interview recordings, transcripts, notes, and releases.
Research Organization
- Build and maintain a searchable research archive.
- Create profiles of key participants.
- Organize interview transcripts and recordings.
- Maintain a master chronology.
- Catalog source documents and photographs.
- Track important quotations, stories, unresolved questions, and conflicting accounts.
Book Development
- Work directly with the author to identify significant themes, characters, events, and potential chapters.
- Recommend additional people to interview.
- Identify areas requiring additional research.
- Help distinguish documented facts from recollections and interpretation.
- Contribute to the development of the book's overall research and narrative structure.
The researcher will not necessarily be responsible for writing the final manuscript, although strong writing and storytelling skills are highly desirable.
Ideal Background
Candidates may come from a variety of professional or academic backgrounds, including:
- Journalism
- Oral history
- Art history
- Public history
- Museum studies
- Cultural anthropology
- Architecture
- Urban planning
- Arts administration
- Documentary filmmaking
- Investigative research
- Long-form nonfiction
Experience with public art, artists, architecture, museums, civic projects, construction, design, or San Francisco/Bay Area history is particularly valuable.
A graduate degree is welcome but not required. Demonstrated ability to conduct excellent research and interviews is more important than academic credentials.
What We're Looking For
Strong interviewer
You know how to get people to tell stories—not just answer questions.
Curious and investigative
You naturally ask, "What happened next?" and "Who else should I talk to?"
Independent
You can take a broad research assignment and develop your own plan for pursuing it.
Highly organized
You can manage interviews, documents, photographs, names, dates, sources, and research leads without losing track of the details.
Discreet
You understand the importance of confidentiality when working with unpublished material and potentially sensitive firsthand accounts.
Narrative-minded
You recognize that the most interesting material may be found in the unexpected details, disagreements, challenges, decisions, and personal stories behind a project.
Confidentiality
The selected candidate will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) before receiving detailed information about the project.
The NDA will cover confidential project information, unpublished documentation, private interviews, participant identities, research materials, and other information provided during the course of the engagement.
Initial Engagement
The position will begin as a part-time contract engagement, with the potential to expand as the research progresses.
The initial research phase will focus on:
- Understanding the project and existing documentation
- Establishing a research strategy
- Building a project chronology
- Identifying key participants
- Developing an interview list
- Conducting initial interviews
- Identifying major research gaps
- Establishing the research archive
Qualifications
Required:
- Demonstrated research experience
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interviewing and interpersonal skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Proficiency with common research, document, and digital communication tools
Preferred:
- Experience conducting oral-history or recorded interviews
- Experience with archival research
- Experience researching artists, public art, architecture, museums, or civic projects
- Journalism, nonfiction, documentary, or storytelling experience
- Familiarity with the San Francisco Bay Area
- Compensation
$38–$45 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
Part-time contract position. Hours and schedule are flexible and will be determined based on project needs and candidate availability.
To Apply
Please submit:
- Resume or CV
- Brief description of relevant research and interviewing experience
- Examples of previous research, oral-history, journalism, documentary, or nonfiction work
- Your availability
- Desired hourly rate
About Gizmo Art Production
Gizmo Art Production is a San Francisco-based art fabrication and production company with more than 30 years of experience working with artists, architects, museums, cultural institutions, public agencies, and other organizations to transform ambitious ideas into physical reality.
Our work encompasses public art, exhibitions, sculpture, custom fabrication, interactive experiences, architectural elements, and complex installations.
This is an unusual opportunity for a researcher interested in discovering how ambitious civic and artistic projects actually come together—and the people, decisions, challenges, and stories behind them.
Pay: $38.00 - $45.00 per hour
Expected hours: 8.0 – 10.0 per week
Benefits:
Experience:
- in research, journalism, oral history.: 3 years (Preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in San Francisco, CA 94103
