Job Opening Title:
Collections Cataloger
Name of Employer:
Minnesota Historical Society
Job Site Location (City AND State):
St Paul
Application Deadline:
02/20/2026
Minimum Degree Requirement:
Bachelors degree
Years of experience required:
4 years experience
Salary Range:
Typical starting range $53,414.40 – $57,512.00 annually
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Include instructions for how to apply:
JOB TITLE: Collections Cataloger
LOCATION: History Center – 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102
COMPENSATION: Typical starting range $53,414.40 – $57,512.00 annually
STATUS & HOURS: Full-time, regular (approximately 2,080 annual hours) position.
BENEFITS: Eligible to participate in State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution. Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays.
DESIGNATION: Bargaining Unit AFSCME Local 3173
POSTING DATE: February 6, 2026
DEADLINE DATE: February 20, 2026
TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a resume and cover letter by the application deadline date.
DESCRIPTION: This position exists to process, inventory, and catalog museum collections in a variety of physical and digital formats (principally 3D objects, photographs, film and audio recordings, fine art), in accordance with Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) procedures and professional standards and best practices.
SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Works across collection formats, including 3D objects, photographs, audio and video recordings, and fine art, to create catalog records and other finding aids in accordance with relevant national standards and MNHS guidelines to ensure collections accessibility for the public at MNHS and throughout regional, national, and international networks; 2) Assures that access points and subject headings are assigned in a consistent manner so that related materials may be retrieved effectively through the MNHS catalogs and other external databases to which MNHS cataloging records are contributed; 3) Prepares cataloging records in accordance with MARC standards so that the record may be entered in machine readable form in the MNHS catalogs and bibliographic networks.; and 4) Keeps catalog records and other finding aids current so that they accurately reflect the MHS collections.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in a related field plus four years experience cataloging archival collections OR an ALA-accredited Masters degree in library science or equivalent masters-level education.
Practical experience handling archival and museum collections and creating controlled metadata.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Experience working collaboratively and independently with varied groups within a complex organization and rapidly changing team environment.
Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technology and a commitment to ongoing learning and growth.
Excellent organizational and time management skills.
DEMONSTRATED SKILLS IN OR KNOWLEDGE OF:
Ability to create and enter accurate metadata in an integrated library or collections management system (CMS).
Multitasking, working effectively to meet deadlines, prioritizing and adapting to changing priorities.
Solid computer skills with office productivity software such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Google Applications.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience with or familiarity in ArchivesSpace (ASpace).
Navigation of online database searching, technical processing, bibliographic utilities, and physical processing and preservation.
The ideal candidate combines bibliographical expertise with historical insight to accurately present and contextualize items for researchers, scholars, and the general public.
Prior processing and cataloging experience with historic and contemporary photographic, moving image, and sound recording formats; fine art; and material culture (or say: historical artifacts; or 3D objects; or museum objects)
Experience handling and researching 3D objects, fine art, photography, moving image and sound recordings.
Understanding of the following cataloging standards: RDA, MARC21 (including LC Guidelines, and Descriptive Cataloging Manual DCM Z1), EAD, AMIM, DACS, Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus (ATT) and Library of Congress Subject Headings Manual.
Familiarity with LCNAF, LCSH and NACO parameters.
Familiarity with Indigenous data sovereignty
Should you have questions with the application process, email humanresources@mnhs.org or call MNHS Job Line at 651-259-3181.
At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.
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