Careers at American Ancestors

The Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center (JHC) at American Ancestors, a research and educational center located in Boston, Mass., whose archival collections specialize in the Jewish history of New England, is seeking candidates for a Historian in Residence position in the 2025-2026 year.

This part-time position (15 to 20 hours a week) is an exciting opportunity for a post-doc, adjunct faculty member, public historian, or teacher. The Historian in Residence works in collaboration with JHC staff to create content, programs, and resources for a range of audiences and settings. Mining the JHC’s archival collections, which specialize in the history of Jewish individuals, families, institutions, businesses, and communities in New England, the Historian in Residence will highlight and contextualize this history, while also developing articles and public talks about related topics in American Jewish history; developing research and resource guides for the JHC website; and helping connect the JHC to, and build use of its resources among, the scholarly/research community.

Responsibilities  

• The Historian in Residence’s responsibilities include research, writing, and presentations using the JHC’s collections and other repositories. The historian will:  
• Write two articles for publication in  American Ancestors magazine and contribute occasional blog posts to the JHC and American Ancestors websites.
• Develop online and/or in-person presentations for the public.
• Work with archives staff to create online resource guides for JHC collections.
• Provide consultation to JHC staff about American Jewish history as/when needed.
• Conduct and recommend outreach to communities of scholars and researchers.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will:

• Have at minimum a Master’s degree in history, American Jewish history, or a related field.  Knowledge of Boston and/or New England Jewish history a plus.
• Demonstrate superb writing, research, and presentation skills.  
• Have experience in public history setting(s) and/or in interpreting and presenting historical content for a wide variety of audiences.
• Be able to work both independently and collaboratively with the JHC team. 

Terms and Stipend

Reporting to the JHC Programming and Outreach Manager, this part-time, grant-funded position begins on or after September 1, 2025, and ends June 30, 2026, with the possibility of extending the funding for a second year. While the exact schedule is flexible and shall be mutually agreed-upon, the preferred arrangement entails a regular schedule of 17.5 to 21 hours a week. The Historian should be based in the Greater Boston area and is asked to spend at least one day (7 hours) each week working onsite. The annual stipend for the position is $30,000, paid over ten months. The Historian in Residence and the JHC may have the option to renew the position beyond the 2025-2026 year.

To Apply

Candidates should submit a cover letter expressing why the position interests them and what they might be interested in exploring while at the JHC; a resume and/or CV; and two references to:

Rachel King, Executive Director 
Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors 
97 Newbury Street 
Boston, MA 02116 
rachel.king@jewishheritagecenter.org

To learn more about the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center, visit JewishHeritageCenter.org.

The Historian in Residence position is funded by Richard Schilder and the Schilder Family, in honor of Justin L. Wyner.

American Ancestors is seeking a Database Projects Manager to oversee the acquisition, structuring, indexing, and publication of genealogical databases that enhance our online collections. This role ensures timely, accurate, and engaging content for our members and involves significant collaboration across departments and with external partners.

In addition to project management, this person will produce webinars, articles, and other educational materials to support member engagement and database discovery. They will work closely with the Marketing and Communications team to promote new and updated content.

This is a full-time, exempt, hybrid position, with regular onsite responsibilities at our beautiful headquarters on Newbury Street in Boston.

Why Work with Us?

American Ancestors offers an outstanding benefits package including:

• Generous paid time off and paid holidays
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan
• AFLAC supplemental benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• A collaborative, mission-driven work environment

Core Areas of Responsibility

Relationship Management

• Build and maintain relationships with existing and prospective data partners.
• Ensure communication and timelines are maintained throughout the publication process.

Data Publishing

• Evaluate, clean, and structure genealogical data to prepare it for online publication.
• Review existing databases to ensure all information is fully and accurately indexed, allowing users to successfully locate relevant genealogical content.
• Collaborate with the Director of Database & Search Technology to enhance internal tools and workflows; provide input and suggestions to third-party service providers to improve functionality and efficiency.
• Oversee the movement of data from internal servers to cloud-based storage and long-term archival systems.
• Supervise and mentor team members responsible for database customer service, user-submitted corrections, and quality assurance.

Data Indexing

• Oversee the indexing of database collections by managing the Database Services Volunteer Coordinator and a team of 150+ online volunteers, ensuring that the right data is captured and made easily accessible to users.
• Manage contracts, timelines, and quality control for third-party indexing vendors.
• Assign and prioritize indexing projects to both volunteers and contractors based on project scope, deadlines, and available budget.

Additional Responsibilities

• Manage all digital database projects, ensuring all phases of the project lifecycle are met on time and within scope.
• Use internal tools (e.g., Collections Administration Tool) to publish and update databases.
• Write and execute SQL queries using SQL Server Management Studio for troubleshooting and data processing.
• Collaborate with developers and user experience teams to optimize database search functionality.
• Prepare and deliver internal and external presentations on database search features.
• Work extensively with Microsoft Excel to transform and prepare data for publication.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Proficiency with SQL Server and SQL Server Management Studio
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Meticulous attention to detail and organizational ability
• Excellent communication and customer service skills
• Familiarity with Excel, including advanced functions (VBA macros a plus)
• Demonstrated interest in genealogy, historical data, or archival work

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with digital image processing and related tools
• Familiarity with scripting languages like Python
• Content management system experience (e.g., WordPress, Drupal)
• Experience with Photoshop and website or software testing
• Knowledge of search engine technologies such as ElasticSearch

Education & Experience

Bachelors degree in Library Science, History, or a related field or equivalent professional experience.

Salary range $80,000-$85,000

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Michelle Major, Director of Human Resources, at michelle.major@americanancestors.org by 8/15/2025

Please include your last name and Database Projects Manager in the subject line of your email.