Published: October 19, 2021 by Melissa Prunty Kemp

Internship Position

Seeking help to prepare the files of labor and environmental history of Silicon Valley for placement into the San Jose State University Archives

We are seeking a motivated student intern to work with Amanda Hawes and Ted Smith,  founders of the Santa Clara Center for Occupational Safety and Health (SCCOSH) and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) to help organize and augment the voluminous files accumulated since the 1970s in preparation for placement in the San Jose State Special Collections. See http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt2b69r7hf/entire_text/ for a description of the first half of the records documenting the early years of high-tech development in Santa Clara Valley.   

These records document the rise of the high-tech industry in Silicon Valley and its impact on the health of its workers who were exposed to hazardous chemicals as well as its impact on the environment as the chemicals were discharged from the high tech factories into the local environment.  Later records document the global expansion of the electronics industry and its ongoing impacts on workers and communities in the “supply chain” in the “production countries” where most of the current production of high-tech gadgets occurs. Included in these records are documents related to the formation of the Electronics TakeBack Coalition (ETBC) and the International Campaign for Responsible Technology (ICRT) as well as other related organizations.  

The intern’s principal duties will involve the  “selection” and preliminary physical arrangement and general description of the materials by container so that the records  are significantly prioritized and condensed in preparation for delivery to the SJSU archives. The intern will also be asked to compare these potential additions to the already processed records on the finding aid to guard against duplication: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt2b69r7hf/entire_text/.  

Terms of employment:

The intern will be paid $20-$25  per hour, depending on experience and motivation/interest.  Hours are flexible and negotiable. 

Contact:  

Ted Smith: Send a CV and statement of interest (not to exceed 100 words) to tsmth@igc.org