2025-2026 The Preservation Society of Newport County Archives Fellowship 

Job Status:  Full-Time 

Location:  Newport, Rhode Island 

Job Summary 

The Preservation Society of Newport County offers annual Residential Research Fellowships to scholars and emerging professionals, designed to provide dedicated time and resources for comprehensive projects relevant to the organization’s current needs. The Preservation Society of Newport County Residential Fellowship is an opportunity to advance scholarship and gain specialized training/experience needed for future and emerging professionals seeking to pursue careers in academia, museums, historic preservation, historic houses and landscapes, or other cultural institutions. 

Our Collections 

The Preservation Society of Newport County protects, preserves, and presents a remarkable collection of eleven historic house museums spanning the history of Newport from the Colonial period through the Gilded Age. Our properties include Hunter House (c.1748), Kingscote (1841), Chateau-sur-Mer (1852), Green Animals Topiary Garden (c.1860), Chepstow (1861), Isaac Bell House (1883), Marble House (1892), The Breakers (1895), The Breakers Stable and Carriage House (1895), The Elms (1901), and Rosecliff (1902). Housed within these architectural masterpieces are more than 60,000 artworks from all around the globe, dating from ancient times to the modern era. The archives collections include papers, photographs, and audiovisual media documenting these properties, the families who lived in them, and the history of Newport, as well as organizational records. 

Position Description 

The inaugural Archives Fellow will process archival materials from the collection of Alletta Morris McBean (1912-1986) and her Newport home, Chepstow. The collection includes papers and photographic media related to the life of McBean and her ancestors, among whom are members of the Morris, Lorillard, and Bailey families prominent in early American history. Parts of the collection are stored both in the archives and within the house; the Fellow will aggregate, arrange, and describe these materials for the first time.  

The Fellow will write and encode a finding aid for the collection, which will be published in Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online (http://www.riamco.org). Additionally, the Fellow will catalog the collection in the Preservation Society’s collections management system, Re:Discovery Proficio. The Fellow’s findings and research in processing the collection will serve as a foundation for future reinterpretation of Chepstow. In addition to working with the Archivist, the Fellow will work closely with members of the Museum Affairs team on preserving, conserving, and understanding the collection. The Fellow may also assist the Archivist with short-term projects and will have the opportunity to develop additional archives management skills according to their areas of interest. 

Successful candidates will be curious and independent researchers who demonstrate a high level of attention to detail in processing archival collections. All Fellows must present a public lecture and write a 2,500-3,000-word essay based on their area of research. Proven ability to work independently, organize and manage multiple projects, and meet rigorous deadlines is necessary, as are strong research, writing, and public speaking skills. 

Basic Qualifications 

To be considered for the 2025-2026 Archives Fellowship, candidates must have the following qualifications:

• MSLIS or equivalent in Library and Information Science, Archives Management, or related field. The degree should have been conferred within five years from the start of the fellowship.  
• Experience processing large or complex archival collections according to Describing Archives:  A Content Standard (DACS). 
• Experience encoding finding aids using Encoded Archival Description (EAD), particularly without archives management software. 

Additional Qualifications or Skills 

• Second MA in History, American Studies, or related field preferred. 
• Additional expertise in researching and writing about history. 
• Dedication to exploring and promoting paths to understanding the social histories and collections of the PSNC. 

Environmental Conditions 

Fellows may be exposed to dust and mold during their work within the historic houses. The houses have varying levels of ADA accessibility, and moving through them can require climbing stairs and navigating narrow or non-standard stairways and passages. Candidates may need to move boxes of archival materials weighing up to 30 lbs. 

Application Procedures 

Please apply online with a cover letter indicating interest and suitability and a résumé or curriculum vitae. Complete applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, starting February 10, 2025 

Zoom interviews will be conducted with preferred candidates. Successful interview candidates will be asked to provide two academic or professional references, an academic writing sample, a finding aid written by the candidate, and one personal reference. 

Additional Information 

The fellowship term is September 7, 2025, to August 15, 2026, with the possibility of an additional 6-month extension. Residential Fellows receive $24,000 in annual compensation, a dedicated research and travel budget, and housing at no cost in the Berwind-Stautberg Scholars Center.