Assistant Editor, PAL

Agency : Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 

Position Title : Executive II
Closing Date/Time: 06/28/2024 
Salary:  $5,901 to $8,825/month ($5,901 Anticipated Starting Salary for Non-State Employees)
Job Type: Salaried 
County:  Sangamon
Number of Vacancies: 3
Plan/BU:  RC062

This position is a union position; therefore, provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement/labor contract apply to the filling of this position.

All applicants who want to be considered for this position MUST apply electronically through the illinois.jobs2web.com website. State of Illinois employees should click the link near the top left to apply through the SuccessFactors employee career portal.

Applications submitted via email or any paper manner (mail, fax, hand delivery) will not be considered.

Posting Identification Number 38090  

Join A World Class Agency

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) seeks an experienced Executive II - Assistant Editor for the Papers of Abraham Lincoln (PAL). The Papers of Abraham Lincoln is a documentary editing project dedicated to identifying, imaging, transcribing, annotating, and publishing online all documents written by or to Abraham Lincoln during his lifetime (1809-1865). This position will perform editorial, technical, and administrative tasks related to the ongoing work of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln. The ideal candidate should possess a high level of organization, a demonstrated track record in scholarly research, and a strong foundation in nineteenth-century American history, with a focus on Abraham Lincoln. We invite qualified applicants to apply for the position to help ALPLM to continue to chronicle the life of one of our nation's greatest presidents and the history of Illinois.

Job Responsibilities

1. Performs editorial, technical, and administrative tasks related to the ongoing work of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln.

• Searches for surviving documents within the project’s scope.
• Creates electronic records and accessioning documents into the project’s content management system.
• Scans documents using established technical specifications.
• Creates derivative images of scanned documents.
• Transcribes hand-written documents using an XML editor.
• Tandem verifies transcriptions
• Writes accurate and complete contextual and textual annotations for select documents.
• Composes identifications of events, organizations, persons, and places associated with pertinent documents.
• Verifies the factual claims in annotations and identifications.
• Checks hyperlinks and existing metadata and markup for accuracy.
• Assists the director in the preparation of grant applications and reports.
• Collaborates with other editors in establishing editorial guidelines.

Job Responsibilities Continued

2.  Collaborates with the PAL Director and ALPLM Communications Director on public-facing activities of the project.

• Represents the project at historical, documentary editing, and digital humanities conferences, forums, and symposia.
• Delivers presentations on project findings at public forums and scholarly conferences.
• Serves as a peer reviewer of grant applications to the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
• Submit news about the project for the ALPLM social media platforms.

3. Develops and implements new and innovative ways to utilize digital editing tools.

• Actively monitors electronic media to ensure proper functioning.
• Collaborates with Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) staff and other State agencies to expeditiously resolve issues involving the digital forum.
• Researches and identifies potential digital tools which may aid the digital Papers of Abraham Lincoln (PAL) project.
• Makes recommendations for the purchase and procurement of digital tools to the PAL Director

Job Responsibilities Continued

4.  Collaborates with the PAL Director and the Director of Interpretation and Research in the work of the Research Division of the ALPLM.

• Prepares and edits findings for presentations by senior staff at professional conferences, public forums, and to various media outlets.
• Assists scholars in preparing research findings for publication.
• Transcribes documents for ALPLM exhibits.
• Aids visiting scholars and students conducting research in ALPLM collections.

5. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above. 

Minimum Qualifications

1. Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college, preferably with coursework in business or public administration.
2. Requires (2) two years of responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization.

Specialized Skills

1. Requires two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of documentary editing.
2. Requires two (2) years of professional experience, performing historical research, creating historical content in a digital environment, editing and writing.
3. Requires proven knowledge and/or graduate level course work on 19th century American history, the Civil War era and the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.
4. Requires two (2) years of experience in print and digital documentary editing and in using computer programs for word processing and data analysis.
5. Requires familiarity with Basic XML and XML Editors, MS Office, Adobe, OneDrive, WebEx
6. Requires two (2) years of experience using digital content management systems
7. Requires two (2) years of experience assessing and analyzing manuscripts and documents.
8. Requires experience using web-based digital documentary editing software and desktop documentary editing applications.
9. Requires experience participating in collaborative research and writing.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Prefers two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of documentary editing.
2. Prefers two (2) years of professional experience, performing historical research, creating historical content in a digital environment, editing and writing.
3. Prefers proven knowledge and/or graduate level course work on 19th century American history, the Civil War era and the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.
4. Prefers two (2) years of experience in print and digital documentary editing and in using computer programs for word processing and data analysis.
5. Prefers familiarity with Basic XML and XML Editors, MS Office, Adobe, OneDrive, WebEx
6. Prefers two (2) years of experience using digital content management systems
7. Prefers two (2) years of experience assessing and analyzing manuscripts and documents.
8. Prefers experience using web-based digital documentary editing software and desktop documentary editing applications.
9. Prefers experience participating in collaborative research and writing .
10. Prefers a master’s or doctor’s degree in American History or a related field.

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires the ability to travel.
2. Requires the ability to pass a background check.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About Our Agency

The ALPLM is passionate in or mission to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and sharing with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. As caretakers of a one-of-a-kind collection of artifacts, we consider our work to learn, teach and share history a great honor. The people of the ALPLM strive to employ innovate approaches to create a positive impact for the future, as it can be inspired by the past. As preservationists of Illinois' diverse history, we strive to build, maintain, and make accessible a growing record of history for today's inquisitive explorers as well as those who shall, in the future, rely on our efforts. Our learning-centered agency insists on the values of honesty and integrity, intentional leadership, equitable collaboration and transparent accountability. The ALPLM boasts pristine facilities, a creative environment, and a professional staff with a variety of backgrounds and talents.

As a State of Illinois employee, you will receive a robust benefits package that includes the following:

* A Pension Program

* Competitive Group Insurance Benefits including Health, Life, Dental and Vision insurance

* 12 Paid Sick Days annually (Sick days carry over from year to year)

* 13 paid holidays annually - 14 on even numbered years

* 12 weeks paid maternity / paternity leave

* Deferred Compensation Program - A Supplemental retirement plan

* Optional Pre-Tax Programs such as Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) and more

For more information about our benefits please follow this link

Work Hours: 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday - Friday
Work Location:  112 N 6th St, Springfield, Illinois, 62701
Agency Contact:  Kathleen Love

Email:  

Phone #:

Posting Group:  Leadership & Management

This position DOES contain “Specialized Skills” (as that term is used in CBAs).

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Use the “Apply” button at the top right or bottom right of this posting to begin the application process.

If you are not already signed in, you will be prompted to do so. 

State employees should sign in to the career portal for State of Illinois employees – a link is available at the top left of the  Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon. 

Non-State employees should log in on the using the “View Profile” link in the top right of the  Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon. If you have never before signed in, you will be prompted to create an account.

If you have questions about how to apply, please see the following resources:

State employees: Log in to the career portal for State employees and review the Internal Candidate Application Job Aid

Non-State employees: on Illinois.jobs2web.com – click “Application Procedures” in the footer of every page of the website.

The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your “junk mail”, “spam”, or “other” folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses: