Digital Archives Assistant: Digitisation & Access

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sheffield's Special Collections, Heritage and Archives team is seeking an Archive and Digitisation Assistant for a one-year project to develop a Digital Scholarship Suite. You will assist the Digitisation Officer and Project Archivist to enable greater access to our unique collections.

The role suits someone looking to gain practical experience in digitisation, metadata, and preservation, with opportunities to learn and work in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm for working with archive and library collections – Essential – Application/interview
• Paid or voluntary experience of working in a library and/or archives environment and familiarity with a library/archives collections management system – Essential – Application/interview
• Basic knowledge of the principles of archival arrangement and description – Essential – Application/interview
• Awareness of the functionality of Digital Asset Management systems and the use of digital collections in education and research – Essential – Application/Interview
• Proven ability to work accurately and methodically, showing attention to detail – Essential – Application/interview
• Capable of working effectively both unsupervised and collaboratively, applying effective prioritisation skills to manage workflows and meet deadlines – Essential – Application/interview
• Ability to handle fragile material with due care of its preservation and security – Essential – Application/interview
• Excellent IT skills – Essential – Application/interview
• Experience of undertaking digitising work and understanding of related standards – Desirable – Application/interview/task
• Degree or equivalent in an arts or humanities subject – Desirable – Application

Responsibilities

• Supporting the Project Archivist and Digitisation Officer
• Creation of basic metadata, transferring information from legacy finding aids to import spreadsheets
• Carrying out digitisation of a variety of formats, including creating essential descriptive and technical metadata
• Basic preservation work such as re-housing material into archival grade enclosures
• Uploading digital content and metadata to online catalogues and digital asset management systems following established procedures
• Preparing, sorting, and packaging material for outsourced digitisation and checking material that has been returned
• Assisting with the sorting and listing of uncatalogued collections
• Supervising the work of volunteers and student placements
• Other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Skills

Enthusiasm for archives

Library/archives experience

Archival arrangement & description

DAM systems awareness

Attention to detail

Independent & team work

Handling fragile materials

IT skills

Education

Arts or humanities degree

Job description

The University of Sheffield's Special Collections, Heritage and Archives team is seeking an Archive and Digitisation Assistant for a one-year project to develop a Digital Scholarship Suite. You will assist the Digitisation Officer and Project Archivist to enable greater access to our unique collections.

The role suits someone looking to gain practical experience in digitisation, metadata, and preservation, with opportunities to learn and work in a supportive environment.