Graduate Student Assistant - Secretary of State - California State Archives

Conditions of

Employment

This is a part-time, temporary, non-benefited, student position. Employment in all positions with University Enterprises, Inc. is dependent upon the mutual consent of University Enterprises, Inc. and the employee. This means that either University Enterprises, Inc. or the employee can, at any time, terminate the employment relationship at will, with or without cause.

Depending on the type of position you are applying for, a pre-employment background check consisting of one or more of the following may be conducted: employment history, professional references, criminal check: educational verification (degree, license, or official transcript) or DMV clearance. Applicants will be required to pass required pre-employment checks to the satisfaction of University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) and the hiring Agency or Department.

UEI does not allow students to hold more than one UEI Job at a time, or work in more than one account per pay period. UEI employees who are considering leaving their current UEI student assistant position for a different UEI student assistant position should inform their supervisor in writing and provide at least a week’s notice.

UEI is not a multi-state employer. UEI only employs candidates who live and work in the state of California. If selected for the position you must reside in California and all work must be performed in the state of California throughout the course of employment.

Prerequisites

Must be a Graduate Student attending classes during the regular term (Fall, Spring and Winter, if applicable), at one of the accredited colleges or universities on our affiliation list. To view our current affiliation list please paste the following URL into your browser:

Graduate Students must be enrolled in at least: four-semester units or six quarter units for graduate students.

Graduate Students declared major must match the major(s) listed in the job posting.

Majors/Fields of Study

Graduate Program in Library Science, Public History, History, or a related field.

Work Schedule

Flexible workdays and work hours, Monday – Friday, between 7:30AM – 5 PM.

Must include a shift of 9:30-12:30 OR 12:30-4:00 at least once a week.

Schedule will be finalized in coordination with the supervisor.

Additional Work Schedule

Student Assistant and Graduate Assistant employees generally work up to 24 hours per workweek (Sunday – Saturday) during the academic year and up to 40 hours per workweek during breaks; (winter, spring, and summer).

Compensation

$21.49 to $30.57 per hour.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in at least four-semester units or six quarter units for graduate students.
  
• Must be able to make a one-year commitment, during which their student status must be maintained.
  
• Must be seriously considering a career in archival work.
• Experience with Microsoft Office software, in particular, Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook.
  
• Ability to pay close attention to detail.
  
• Ability to work both independently and with other staff.
• Good writing and research skills.
  
• Excellent customer service skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with historical records.
  
• Knowledge of California history and government.
  
• Completed coursework in information science or history.
  
• Pursuing a career in archives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under direction of professional staff, students will:

• • Review records transferred from State Government entities to determine appropriateness of materials for inclusion in the State Archives collections.
  • Create indexes and catalog information for archival collections.
  • Work within the State Archives’ collection management system to input catalog information and conduct searches of the collections.
  • Performs basic preservation work.
  • Provide in-person and remote reference services to the public.
  • Depending on circumstances and after appropriate training, students may participate in preservation, digitization, or outreach projects. Please see the Program Overview document below for more information about the objectives of this internship position.

Physical Requirements

Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment including computer workstations, telephones, calculators, copiers, printers, and scanners with or without reasonable accommodation.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office environment.

Application Instructions

Please complete all fields of the employment application. Include your educational history in the “Educational Experience” section and any employment history in the “Employment Experience” section of our application.

Please upload the following documents:

• A resume with your full name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, related higher education including grade point average, other relevant education (workshops, seminars), applicable work experience, and current professional affiliations (Upload in “Applicant Documents” section of the online application).
• A writing sample, preferably a research paper in history that demonstrates your writing ability and your use of primary sources (Upload in “Applicant Documents” section of the online application).
• Answers to the following questions with typed responses (no more than 3 pages total for all 5 questions). It is recommended that you answer these questions in a Word document, and copy and paste your responses into the appropriate fields of the application form (In the “Supplemental Questions” section of the online application).
• • What are your long-term career goals?
  • What is your experience doing historical research, research with primary sources, or working in an archive, library, or other research institution?
  • What do you hope to gain or learn from this internship program?
  • What strengths do you feel you bring to an archival career? What professional weaknesses do you hope to improve?
• Letters of Recommendation: We require two letters of recommendation from each applicant. These letters should be from someone who is familiar with your academic work, such as a graduate advisor, professor or similar professional. These recommendations should be sent to the intern coordinator at GradInterns@sos.ca.gov directly from the individuals who are writing them for you. Letters must be signed, scanned, and sent as an attachment.

Apply by: September 18, 2026

Graduate Students Only. Undergraduate Students Will Not Be Considered.