"NAGPRA Collections Assistant"

NAGPRA Collections Assistant

Job Number: 252703

Organization: Okla Museum of Natural History

Job Location: Oklahoma-Norman-Norman Campus

Work Schedule: Schedules will vary with regular museum operating hours, events, evening, holiday and weekend hours will be required. Museum is open during all OU holiday breaks and employees are expected to be available during those time periods.

Work Type: Onsite

Salary Range: Targeted salary $16.71/hr, based on experience

Benefits Provided: No

Required Attachments: Resume, Cover Letter

Job Description

The Sam Noble Museum Archaeology Department seeks a part-time Collections Assistant to aid in cataloging information into spreadsheets and the archaeology collections database, inventorying the collection against the catalog, and rehousing archaeological material, as needed. This role will support the NAGPRA Program Coordinator and NAGPRA Collections Assistant with the maintenance of the collection and the assistant may also contribute to the identification and bioarchaeological documentation of Tribal ancestral remains, as needed, under the supervisor of the NAGPRA Bioarchaeologist. The Collections Assistant can expect to learn (or further develop) skills in collections management, particularly archival management and preventive conservation, collections rehabilitation, NAGPRA compliance, human osteology, and the identification of associated funerary objects. Primary duties include but are not limited to data entry, filing records and documents, inventorying collections, and rehousing materials. Opportunities may arise for the Collections Assistant to participate in tribal consultations, prepare documents for Tribal review, and assist in writing NAGPRA notices for publication in the Federal Register.

Additional Duties:

• Inventorying and rehousing archaeological collections.
• Working with sensitive NAGPRA collections.
• Participating in consultations.
• Creating catalog records in a database management system for archaeological collections and associated documentation.
• Assisting with project management, writing reports, and maintaining records
• Assisting with the supervision of students, interns, and volunteers.
• Assisting with the day-to-day activities of the Archaeology Department.

Job Requirements

Required Education: Bachelor's degree.

Equivalency and Substitution: Will accept 48 months of museum-related work experience in lieu of the Bachelor degree.

Skills:

• Exhibit cultural sensitivity and be able to work respectfully with tribal representatives/organizations.
• Must be detail oriented and capable of managing multiple complex projects at once.
• Experience with data entry and management.
• Experience with an archaeological collection at a museum or other cultural institution.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn human osteology.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn Plains/Southeast/Southwest archaeology.
• Familiarity with the federal Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) legislation.
• Able to communicate well and build rapport quickly with students, faculty and staff.
• Good presentation skills (verbal and written).
• Demonstrated knowledge of acceptable museum practices and standards for collection care, collection management, documentation, conservation, and registration methods for collections.
• Ability to work independently and in teams.
• Must use established occupational health and safety practices.

Certifications: None

Advertised Physical Requirements:

Physical:

• Required to be mobile, agile, bend, stoop, squat, climb, lift (15-44 pounds) and carry.
• Ability to engage in repetitive motions.
• Able to read handwritten documents

Environmental:

• Frequent exposure to safety hazards from chemicals and onerous odors.

Departmental Preferences:

• Bachelor degree in Anthropology with an emphasis on archaeology or physical anthropology.
• Archaeological experience in the field, museum, or lab setting.
• Museum experience, especially working with archaeological collections.
• Working knowledge of NAGPRA legislation and an interest in deepening this knowledge.
• General knowledge of the pre-contact and historical archaeology of the Plains or Southeast US.

Supervision: None

Special Instructions: If you are selected as a final candidate for this position, you will be subject to The University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Tuberculosis Testing policy. To view the policy, visit https://hr.ou.edu/Policies-Handbooks/TB-Testing.

Hiring contingent upon a Background Check?: Yes

Special Indications: Hiring contingent upon police records check

Job Posting: Dec 11, 2025

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