Research Specialist
Turn your passion for collecting into a career at Collectors Universe. We're the leader in third-party authentication and grading services for high-value collectibles including trading cards (Professional Sports Authenticator), coins (Professional Coin Grading Services), video games (Wata), event tickets, autographs, and memorabilia. If you’re a collectibles enthusiast, or if you want to help us in leading the global expansion of the collectibles market through our values of integrity, teamwork, and innovation, we’d love to hear from you.
Summary:
Physically reviews, identifies and classifies sports and non-sports cards, tickets, packs, pins and coins for entry into the PSA specification database.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Identify sports cards and associated varieties (baseball, football, and all other major sports card releases)
- Identify non-sports cards (vintage cards such as R145 Gum, Inc. Superman to Wacky Packs to modern releases like Pokémon and Yu-gi-oh)
- Identify event tickets (sporting events, concerts)
- Research by means of trade magazines, books and internet
- Communicate effectively with other divisions
- Communicate with manufacturers such as Topps, Upper Deck & Panini
- Communicate with customer service and customers
- Maintains and updates database
Competencies:
To perform the job successfully, each Research Specialist should demonstrate the following:
- Firsthand knowledge of trading cards, tickets and other sports collectibles
- Strong research and cataloging skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Effective problem-solving skills
Qualifications:
Research Specialists must be able to read, research and understand a variety of periodicals pertaining to the ticket, pack and trading card industry. Applicant must possess the skills needed to perform effective research on the web, standard catalogs and any other methods necessary to conclusively determine the release origins of a trading card, pack, or event ticket.
Education and/or Experience:
B.S. or B.A. degree in history or related field preferred; 1 to 3 years of experience in history or research. This field requires a firsthand knowledge of all types of sports cards, non-sports cards, event tickets and packs.
Language Skills:
Must be able to speak, read, write and correspond with co-workers and supervisors in person and via email.
Computer Skills:
Excel, Word, 10 Key, Company Software
Reasoning Ability:
As a Research Specialists, employee must be able to make decisions based on the data they have collected from different information sources, including Collectors Universe’s grading program. They must be able to give the year, manufacturer, name and/or description of card for the card to be graded.
Physical Demands:
Employee will spend most of their time seated at their desks. They will occasionally need to lift and move trays of cards varying from five to twenty pounds each.
Work Environment:
The work environment is typically very comfortable, quiet and clean. There is room to perform necessary duties and responsibilities.
About Collectors Universe
Collectors Universe, Inc. is the leading provider of value-added services to the collectible’s markets. We authenticate and grade collectible coins, trading cards, video games, event tickets, autographs, and memorabilia through our subsidiaries, which include Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA), Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS), Certified Coin Exchange (CCE), Wata, Collectors Corner, Set Registry, Collectors.com, and the Long Beach Expo collectibles trade show. Since our founding in 1986, we have graded and authenticated more than 80 million items. We employ over 1,000 people across our Santa Ana, CA headquarters, New Jersey, Hong Kong, Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo. For more information, visit http://www.collectorsuniverse.com.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, or other class protected by applicable law. We believe that a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills will better service the diverse community of collectors we support.
If you require an accommodation to apply or interview with us due to a disability or special need, please email [email protected].
If you are based in California, you can read information for California residents linked here.