Library Assistant II in Los Angeles, California at The J. Paul Getty Trust

The Getty Research Institute (GRI) seeks a Library Assistant II for a twelve-month, limited-term position. Located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the Getty Research Institute is dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts and their histories. Serving an international community of scholars, the Research Library is one of the largest art and architecture libraries in the world, with holdings of more than one and one-half million volumes. Special Collections include rare books and journals; rare photographs, prints, and drawings dating from the 15th century to the present; architectural drawings and models; art multiples, film, audio, and video recordings; digital content; and extensive archives and manuscript collections.

The Library Assistant will work both in partnership and under the supervision of the Project Archivist, in processing the papers of Richard Hunt, acclaimed fine art sculptor and creator of public art who was born and based in Chicago. Executed in welded and cast steel, aluminum, copper, and bronze, Hunt’s abstract creations make frequent references to plant, human, and animal forms as well as classical music, traditional African American spirituals, and African and African American history and mythology.

The archive, estimated at approximately 765 linear feet, contains notes and correspondence, notebooks, sketchbooks, photographic documentation, financial records, research, ephemera, blueprints, posters, prints, and a selection of wax models for public sculptures. At the heart of the archive are Hunt’s project files relating to his commissions, projects, exhibitions, and bodies of work.

The Library Assistant’s duties will include physical processing, description, and re-housing of collection materials according to archival standards and best practices. The position will be based at the Getty Center, with occasional work at a warehouse thirty miles north of the Getty Center. We expect onboarding for this role to begin in August 2026.

• Archival physical processing tasks such as: foldering, labeling, sleeving slides, cleaning, and re-housing of delegated series within the Richard Hunt Papers
• Ensures proper handling, care, storage, preservation, and tracking of collection items
• Contributes to the development of a DACS-compliant finding aid and bibliographic record for the collection based on current standards, best practices, research, and analysis
• May identify conservation concerns and liaise with conservation staff
• May retrieve, assess, and track collection materials for digitization

• Undergraduate coursework in art history or related discipline preferred

• Minimum 2 years related experience

Please note: This position is not eligible for employer-based immigration sponsorship. Applicants must have authorization to work for Getty in the United States without the need for sponsorship, currently or in the future.