Research Assistant (Historical Research and GIS Data – Buffalo NY and Pittsburgh PA) - Contract to Hire

Project Overview I am a researcher seeking a detail-oriented research assistant to support a dissertation project examining the spatial history of Black musical and cultural institutions in: Buffalo, New York Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The project involves building a structured dataset of historical venues and institutions (such as jazz clubs and community spaces) to support spatial and historical analysis.

Responsibilities

You will: Identify historical cultural institutions (jazz venues, music spaces, community organizations) Collect and organize: Institution names Historical locations (as precise as possible) Approximate years of operation Use sources such as: Newspapers City directories Archival materials Record sources clearly for each entry Prepare a clean dataset in Excel or CSV format suitable for mapping and analysis Key Research Areas Buffalo, New York: Michigan Street Corridor area Colored Musicians Club Surrounding cultural institutions Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Hill District Jazz and cultural venues referenced in historical sources (including Jazz in the Hill) Black press sources such as the Pittsburgh Courier Deliverables Clean dataset (Excel or CSV) Source citations for all entries Notes on estimated or uncertain information Organized and consistent formatting Required Skills Strong historical or archival research experience Ability to work with incomplete historical records Attention to detail and documentation Preferred Skills Familiarity with GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS, or similar) Background in urban history, cultural research, or related fields Experience using historical newspapers or directories Important Notes All data must be based on verifiable sources Do not assume or fabricate missing information Clearly label estimates or uncertain entries To Apply Please include: A brief summary of relevant experience Any example of similar research or data work Your approach to working with incomplete historical data Include the word “Corridor” in your response to confirm you have read the full description.

Compensation

Flexible and based on experience and scope Apply tot his job Apply To this Job