University of Southern California, Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education

Seeking Hebrew Indexers for Holocaust testimonies

USC Shoah Foundation Hebrew Holocaust Indexing Project

USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education is seeking candidates for the Institute's Hebrew Holocaust indexing project. This is an opportunity for Hebrew and English speakers. The project will start immediately and run through June 2024. The work is remote and open to scholars who have the ability to work legally in their country of residence. Please apply as soon as possible for full consideration.

Candidates with an MA-level or higher degree in European History, Political Science, Judaic Studies, Holocaust Studies, Genocide Studies, or related fields are preferred.

Indexing allows the audiovisual testimonies in the Institute’s Visual History Archive--which represents nine genocidal events--to be highly searchable. Indexers assign subject terms to one-minute segments of every testimony in the Visual History Archive, matching what the interviewee is talking about at that increment of time. 

The indexing training takes up to 8 weeks to complete. Upon successful completion, participants will index testimonies in Hebrew. Indexing work created by the program graduates will be included in the Visual History Archive. The candidates must be available to work for 20-30 hours per week. Computer with internet access is required.

Job Description

The USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education is seeking candidates to index Visual History Archive Holocaust audiovisual testimonies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Using judgment and discretion, index the audiovisual interviews of Holocaust survivors and witnesses in English and foreign languages using the USC Shoah Foundation Institute’s proprietary cataloging software and methodology:

• Transcribe information taken from pre-interview questionnaires

• Watch the audiovisual testimonies and assign keywords from VHA Thesaurus

• Conduct research to resolve specific indexing issues

• Complete the cataloging and indexing of the testimonies and any associated research

• Successfully complete online Holocaust indexing training

• After the training period, work hours are flexible

QUALIFICATIONS

We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications:

• Fluency in English

• Fluency in Hebrew.

• Preferably MA-level or higher degree in European history, Political Science, or Judaic Studies with coursework in Holocaust history and/or genocide studies, or equivalent knowledge

• Excellent research skills

• Attention to detail

• Computer proficiency. Experience with the Windows environment operating system and applications, Word processing experience

• Ability to take constructive criticism

• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team

• Ability to view and work with Holocaust-related material on a sustained basis

• Library science background and/or cataloging or indexing experience

• Familiarity with relevant names (geographic and proper.)