Short-Term Position to Inventory Osteology and Archaeological Collections at Columbia University

The Departments of Anthropology and Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
(E3B) invite applications for a research position at the rank of Staff Associate II to
inventory and research their human osteological collections.

The appointment may be filled as full time for 3 months (from July 8, 2024 to October 8,
2024) or for 6 months at half time (and may begin prior to July 8). The position will be
based at Columbia University in New York City.
Salary Range or Pay Grade $3657.33 a month part-time; $5322.50 a month full-time
[Approximately $20,000 for the project]

Position Description
The staff associate will be expected to complete an inventory of the EEEB teaching
collection, and Anthropology research collections. Columbia stewards a small number
of human ancestral remains under NAGPRA; these would not be part of the inventory.
Research into the provenience of the osteological remains will be carried out at
Columbia’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, the Columbia University Irving Medical
Center Archives, and other archives as required (e.g. at AMNH’s Gottesman Research
Library, Anthropology’s William Duncan Strong Collection). We anticipate that the
project will be broken down into three blocks of time, starting with the EEEB laboratory
(estimated 4 weeks), moving on to Anthropology’s collections (estimated 2-3 weeks)
and finishing with archival research (estimated 5-6 weeks).

Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a higher degree (minimum MA) in bioarchaeology or
biological anthropology with expertise in both archival research and human osteology,
including constructing a biological profile. This may include ancestry estimation. Though
we recognize that ancestry estimation is a problematic and imprecise process, we view
this as a starting point for better understanding the nature of the collection and the
possibilities for future ethical stewardship and repatriation where appropriate.

Application Instructions
All applications must be made through Columbia University’s Academic Search and
Recruiting (ASR) system: http://apply.interfolio.com/147325
Please upload a cover letter, curriculum vitae, transcripts, and
a list of references. Before uploading documents, applicants will be asked to input a
name and valid email address for each reference provider. The application to this
position requires a minimum of two reference letters. The application system will
automatically email the reference provider, politely requesting a letter of reference and
offering a secure link to the recommendation website where a letter can be uploaded
quickly and easily.

Pay Transparency Disclosure
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran