JOB TITLE: NAGPRA and Repatriation Coordinator

LOCATION: History Center - 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102

TYPICAL

STARTING PAY: $66,185.60 - $72,259.20 annually

STATUS & HOURS: Full-time, regular (approximately 2080 annual hours) position.

BENEFITS: Eligible to participate in the State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution. Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays.

DESIGNATION: Bargaining Unit AFSCME Local 3173

POSTING DATE: November 12, 2026

DEADLINE DATE: Open until filled. Priority will be given to applications received before December 11, 2026.

TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a resume and cover letter by the application deadline date.

DESCRIPTION: The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) seeks applicants to be the primary point of contact for MNHS’s Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) compliance and other repatriation requests that may fall outside of NAGPRA. Through outreach, consultation, research, documentation, and other activities, the NAGPRA and Repatriation Coordinator (Coordinator) collaborates across the organization, and with Native American Communities and Tribal Nations, to ensure compliance with all Federal and State laws, support repatriation efforts, and implement MNHS NAGPRA and Repatriation and other policies.

The Coordinator works closely with the curators of Native American Collections and Archaeology; the Vice President of Tribal Nations Relations, and other Collections staff; and with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) and other Native Nations partners, museums, institutions, and government agencies regarding access to and repatriation of Native American and archaeological collections. Other critical partners include the MNHS NAGPRA and Repatriation Committee, MNHS Leadership and Executive Council, the MNHS Indian Advisory Committee (IAC), and the departments of Archaeology, Collections, and Native American Initiatives (NAI).

SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Manage and coordinate MNHS Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) legal compliance and other repatriation efforts; 2) Support ongoing MNHS NAGPRA and other repatriation communications and documentation; 3) Collaborate across MNHS to ensure appropriate stewardship practices for NAGPRA and culturally sensitive materials; 4) Support VP of Tribal Nations Relations in developing and maintaining relationships with Tribal Nations and Native American communities; 5) Provide guidance and assistance to agencies, local museums, history organizations, and partners regarding compliance with state and federal laws governing Native American collections and objects; 6) Provide subject matter expertise and participate in professional communities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, Museum Studies, History, Art History, Native American Studies or closely related field and three years of related experience working with Native American material culture; or equivalent.
Experience implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) or equivalent repatriation legislation.
Two years of experience specifically assisting with NAGPRA and/or the care and preservation of Native American and related collections.
Excellent communication skills.
Experience with collections management systems software.
Demonstrated knowledge of Native American material culture and history.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Master's or PhD degree in Anthropology, Museum Studies, Archaeology, History, Art History, American Indian Studies or closely related field. and two years of experience in a supervisory role in museum collections management or related field.
Three years experience with NAGPRA related issues, including in-service staff training.
Experience working with a variety of Native American material culture categories, particularly from North American Plains and Woodlands regions.
Experience working with print, manuscript, and archival collections related to Native American history and culture
Knowledge of MNHS collections.

Should you have questions with the application process, email humanresources@mnhs.org.

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.

Learn more about this Employer on their Career Site