Jobs

We are pleased to announce two (2) Library Conservator openings in the UC Berkeley Library. The position number is 78916 and is listed on UC Berkeley Careers. The first review will be on June 25, 2025.

We welcome applications from emerging as well as seasoned professionals!

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California’s diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

The mission of the Preservation Department is to maintain the library’s collections in serviceable condition and to ensure that they can continue to be used now and in the future. The Preservation Department, which consists of the Conservation Treatment Division, the Bindery Preparation Division, and the Preservation Replacement Division, is responsible for binding, repair, conservation treatment, protective enclosures, disaster planning, and other preservation services.

Position Summary

In support of the Library preservation program and under the direction of the head of the Conservation Treatment Division within the Preservation Department, the library conservator engages with the preservation needs of paper-based book and document collections in order to ensure their availability now and in the future.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 06/25/2025.

Responsibilities

The library conservator provides the following conservation treatment, stabilization and consulting services for the Library:

• In consultation with conservators, curators and subject specialists, analyzes needs and specifies treatments for special collections materials needing conservation work.
• Signs in and specifies treatments for materials needing conservation work.
• Performs simple through complex treatments on books and paper, exercising a high degree of judgment in applying established conservation principles, ethics and procedures.
• Reviews proposals for treatment involving major resource commitments with the supervisor.
• Executes treatments on a schedule responsive to library needs.
• Makes specialized housing and enclosures for a variety of library materials.
• Helps organize and execute collection surveys to assess preservation needs.
• Documents conservation treatments through reports, photo documentation, and statistics.
• Uses and maintains specialized conservation equipment (e.g., suction table, board shears, guillotine, ultrasonic encapsulator, fume extractor, microscope, environmental monitoring equipment).

Provide administrative support services:

• Participates in the development of the Conservation Treatment Division within the Preservation Department.
• Attends and contributes to staff meetings.

Additional responsibilities:

• Provides training to students and staff.
• Provides program outreach (e.g., consultations, tours, committees, workshops) to the Library, UC community, and California citizenry.
• Other general professional and administrative duties as assigned.

Disaster planning, response and salvage:

• Serves on disaster response and collections salvage team; salvages collection materials using procedures documented in the department manual.

Engages in professional development activities to maintain currency, improve skills and increase performance effectiveness, e.g., attending professional meetings, conferences, and in-service courses and workshops.

Required Qualifications 

• Ability to work 100% on-site Monday through Friday.
• One or more years’ experience as a professional library conservator in a research library.
• Book/paper conservation skills and dexterity to support the preservation of circulating and special collections.
• A thorough understanding and knowledge of historical binding structures, agents of deterioration, and conservation ethics and practices.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to work under the general supervision of the division and department heads, with a high degree of day-to-day independence.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively across a diverse organization.
• English writing skills to document procedures.
• Experience with email and word processing applications such as Google Workspace and Microsoft Office; database applications such as FileMaker; and digital photography equipment and software.
• Bachelor’s degree and completion of a recognized conservation training program, a formal apprenticeship, or similar level of education and training in the conservation of library special collections and/or equivalent experience/training.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Training and experience in the conservation of papyrus, photographic materials, art on paper.
• MLIS from an ALA-accredited library school.

Salary & Benefits 

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California’s Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $28.88 (Step 1) – $35.87 (Step 12); the full salary range for this classification is $28.88 (Step 1) – $46.43 (Step 25).

• This is a full-time (40 hrs a week), career position that is eligible for UC Benefits.
• This is a non-exempt, biweekly-paid position.