Quilt Alliance Oral History Indexing Contractor positions

The nonprofit Quilt Alliance is seeking oral history indexers to summarize, describe, and annotate interviews from their collection of audio-recorded conversations with American quilters, collected from 1999 to 2021.

Indexers will use the Oral History Metadata System (OHMS) to add interview time-stamps, summarize interview sections, add tags and subject headings that describe the interview contents, and make other edits to interview transcripts and information as necessary. View an example of a completed interview index and learn more about the QSOS oral history project to get a sense of the indexing process. Training for the OHMS system and a complete style guide and other training documents will be provided.

This position is a time-limited contract position. All work is remote and requires a consistent internet connection and updated web browser. Contractors will track their hourly work and provide updates and reports to project manager Emma Parker weekly, or as requested. Awarded contracts will consist of 100-150 hours, which must be completed by August 31, 2022.

Compensation: $15/hr, paid in two installments upon satisfactory completion of work

Required qualifications

  • -Strong writing and editing skills with the ability to synthesize information in a clear, concise way
  • -Close listening and attention to detail
  • -Ability to work independently and problem-solve
  • -Basic computer literacy and data processing skills: working knowledge of Google file sharing, spreadsheets, and flexibility to learn new software

Preferred qualifications

  • -Familiarity with or interest in quilting, textiles, textile history, folklore/folklife, traditional arts and crafts, or oral history studies – in or outside of academic settings
  • -Previous experience applying and editing metadata
  • -Previous experience with the Oral History Metadata System or other oral history indexing/description

Anticipated Timeline

• May 20th, 2022 (5:00 PM ET) – Application Deadline 

• June 13th, 2022 – Contract period begins 

• August 31st, 2022 – Contract period ends

Application materials

Email the following materials to qsos@quiltalliance.org with the subject line QSOS contract indexer:

  1. A cover letter detailing:
  • -Your interest in the position
  • -Relevant education and experience
  • -Anticipated work schedule for completion of 100 hours during the contract period
  1. Current resume or CV
  2. 1-2 page writing sample

Deadline for receipt is 5 pm ET on Friday, May 20th. Questions? We’d love to hear from you: send an email to Emma Parker, Quilt Alliance project manager at qsos@quiltalliance.org

The Quilt Alliance is committed to equal employment and volunteer opportunity without regard to age, ancestry, disability, national or ethnic origin, race, religious belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, political belief, or veteran status.