Job description template

Historian Job Description Template

A copy-ready historian job description with responsibilities, qualifications, skills and pay guidance: customize it for your company in minutes.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
How to use this template

Copy the template below, replace the bracketed fields and tailor duties to your workplace. For pay, national BLS data shows historians earn a median of $76,750 ($36.90/hour); the middle 50% earn $57,290–$99,990.

Job title

Historian

Job summary

[Company name] is seeking a dependable historian to join our team in [city, state]. In this role, you will research archives, conduct oral histories and support our team’s commitment to safety, quality and service.

Responsibilities

  • Research archives
  • Conduct oral histories
  • Write reports
  • Develop exhibits
  • Preserve records
  • Answer research requests
  • Present to the public
  • Follow company policies, safety procedures and applicable regulations

Required qualifications

  • Master's degree
  • Working knowledge of historical research and archival methods
  • Curiosity and storytelling
  • [Add role-specific requirements, such as driver’s license or ability to pass a background check, if job-related]

Preferred qualifications

  • Master’s in history
  • Ph.D.
  • Archives certificate
  • Experience with archival databases

Skills

  • Writing
  • Oral history
  • Exhibit development
  • Historic preservation
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication

Work environment and schedule

Historians work in offices, archives, museums and historic sites. Full-time business hours.

Pay and benefits

$[min]–$[max] per [hour/year], depending on experience. [List benefits: health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, training and certification support.]

Equal opportunity

[Company name] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law, and we provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Tips for a historian job posting that attracts applicants

  • Use the title candidates search for. “Historian” is the clearest; alternates include Public Historian, Research Historian, Archival Historian.
  • Show the pay range. Postings with pay get more qualified applicants, and a growing number of states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
  • Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Long requirement lists discourage qualified candidates, especially career changers.
  • Describe a real day. Borrow from our day in the life of a historian so applicants self-select accurately.
  • Mention training. Highlighting structured onboarding: such as Historian training: widens your applicant pool.

Next steps

Screen and interview with our Historian hiring guide, then onboard with the 30-60-90 day plan.

Team pricing