Digitization Indexing Project and Program Support and Historical Research Support

Work Schedule and Flexibilities:
Student volunteers will serve 8-20 hours per week on a part-time basis for a minimum of 90 days aligned with academic term calendars.
In office (or work site) only
Number of Positions: 10
Preferred Term(s): Fall 2026

The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) proposes a structured project-based student volunteer initiative within the Digital Center of Excellence (DCE) located at the American Indian Records Repository (AIRR). This initiative directly supports agency priorities related to historical preservation and records modernization by advancing digitization indexing and research efforts associated with Indian Affairs records. Student volunteers will contribute to clearly defined outcome-driven projects including the digitization of archival materials enhancement of indexing accuracy and metadata quality and targeted research to improve contextual understanding and accessibility of historical records. These efforts address a legitimate agency need to increase the usability discoverability and long-term preservation of records while supporting broader federal data and records management objectives.

The project is designed to align with student learning objectives by providing hands-on experience in archival science digital records management data stewardship and historical research while strengthening technical analytical and critical thinking skills. Work will be scoped for completion within a single academic term and will include structured milestones such as onboarding and training midpoint progress reviews and final deliverables. Deliverables may include digitized record sets meeting quality standards enhanced indexing and metadata outputs research summaries and process documentation that can be operationalized by BTFA staff.

The government-wide Semester of Service Student Volunteer Program as authorized under 5 U.S.C 31114 and 5 CFR Part 3085 enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid project-based assignments of limited duration. These assignments are designed to align with each agencys strategic priorities offering participants practical experience within Federal operations while supporting the advancement of targeted initiatives.

To participate in this Program you must:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S National studying in the U.S. or abroad. Any remote work must be completed domestically within the United States.
• Be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited junior college college university or other accredited educational institution throughout the 90 day Semester of Service opportunity. Students graduating before December 1 2026 are not eligible.
• Qualifying educational institutions must be located within the United States.
• Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution.
• Commit to volunteering 8 - 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.
• Complete all required onboarding documentation assigned by the Department of the Interior and your academic institution.
• Agree to volunteer. This position is unpaid. No compensation stipends or hiring preference will be granted from this work. You may use this volunteer experience to qualify for future jobs you choose to apply for.
• Agree to understanding volunteers are not Federal employees.
• Not be a current federal employee. Current federal employees can reach out to the contact below to inquire about job detail opportunities.

Applicants will be considered based on their knowledge skills or abilities related to project needs. Specifically applicants should possess:

• Strong attention to detail
• Research capabilities
• Interest in historical preservation and digital records management

• Students pursuing degrees in history business library and information science archival studies data analytics public administration or related fields
• Familiarity with scanning technologies metadata concepts or Microsoft 365 tools (e.g. Excel SharePoint)