Associate for General Archives

International Committee of the Red Cross; Genf; On-site; CHF 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) invites applications for an Associate in the General Archives in Geneva. You will contribute to ongoing digitization, metadata work, and data-driven archival activities in a collaborative team environment.

The role emphasizes English and French proficiency, strong organizational skills, and a passion for digital preservation and documentation development.

Qualifications

• Degree from a university or HE institution in Archival Studies or related field.
• High proficiency in written and spoken English and French (C1).
• Knowledge of archival and records management principles and practices.

Responsibilities

• Support selection, classification, and cataloging of ICRC records.
• Assist ontology development and metadata mapping activities.
• Support access and research in internal requests.
• Assist data entry, metadata cleaning, and taxonomy standardization.
• Participate in testing digital preservation strategies and backups.
• Contribute to documentation and workflows for preservation processes.

Skills

English (C1)

French (C1)

Digital archiving

Metadata ontologies

Independent work

Team collaboration

Education

Archival Studies

Job description

Since 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked to preserve human dignity and relieve suffering caused by war and armed violence.

In collaboration with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners around the world, we do everything we can to deliver life-saving aid, reconnect families and locate missing people – helping those who need it most, regardless of who they are and what side of the front line they are on.

We engage with authorities and armed forces on all sides, often confidentially, pressing for access to detainees to improve their living conditions and urging compliance with international humanitarian law to protect non-combatants, including from digital threats.

More About the ICRC General Archives

The ICRC Archives hold the institutional, operational, and diplomatic records documenting the ICRC's history, development, activities, and missions since 1863. Records up to 1975 are open to the public and are an essential resource for researchers in the field of Humanitarianism, the history of armed conflicts, and the development of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Records created after 1975 are widely consulted internally by all departments. The Archives, which contain large quantities of both paper and digital-born documents, are currently undergoing a digital transformation to increase their accessibility and searchability.

Purpose of the Role

Under the supervision of the Head of General Archives and the Digital Archivists, the Associate in the General Archives will support the ICRC Archives' mission and take part in the ongoing digitization project and related data-driven activities.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the selection, classification, and cataloging of ICRC audiovisual and textual records.
• Support the ongoing development and the fine-tuning of the ICRC Ontology (based on the Records in Contexts Ontology), participating in the metadata mapping and enhancement processes.
• Support access and research in response to internal requests.
• Support data entry, metadata cleaning, standardization of taxonomies and controlled vocabularies, and migration of records from legacy systems to new environments.
• Participate in testing and refining digital preservation strategies, including backup routines, disaster recovery plans, and the new digital preservation system.
• Contribute to the development and updating of documentation, workflows, and user manuals for digital preservation processes.

Required Profile & Skills

• Degree from a university or higher education institution (HEG) in Archival Studies, Records Management, Information Management, Library Studies, Data Management, or a related field.
• Excellent written and oral English and French (minimum C1).
• Knowledge and understanding of the principles of archival and records management, access, and preservation.
• Solid digital archiving skills. Tech-savvy, with a strong interest in metadata, ontologies, and data-driven workflows.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to collaborate with colleagues in other departments.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to perform repetitive tasks.

Additional Information

Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Activity rate: 100%
Start date: 4 January 2027
Length of assignment: 12 months
Visa/permit: Legitimation Card - Provided
Gross monthly salary: CHF 3'934 (paid in 13 installments)
Application deadline: Sunday, 25 October 2026

Please note: This traineeship is open to candidates with a maximum professional experience of two years, of which no more than one year is in a full-time paid position after completion of studies.

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Our Values

At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviours based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this page.

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.