Digital Production Assistant

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 24,000 - 34,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Dental

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Wellness & life

Retirement

Commuting & transportation

Job summary

Northeastern University Library’s Digital Production Services seeks a temporary Digital Production Assistant to support digitization, metadata creation, and caption editing for library and archival materials. You will collaborate with Archives and Special Collections staff on notable projects and ensure high-quality access copies and metadata.

The role involves hands-on digitization, metadata generation, video caption editing, and quality control across multiple formats.

Qualifications

• Enrollment in or completion of an ALA-accredited MLS or MLIS degree program, or equivalent experience.
• Professional experience in digitization of documents, books, artwork, or maps.
• Experience working with archival or special collections materials.
• Projects involving creating descriptive metadata for library or archival collections.

Responsibilities

• Digitizing archival documents using scanners (Epson Expression 12000XL, Bookeye 4).
• Create MODS metadata in spreadsheets for digitized items.
• Reformat A/V materials and create access copies using FFmpeg.
• Perform quality control on materials digitized by vendors.
• Correct and format WhisperAI-created captions for digitized videos.
• Support other duties as projects require.

Skills

Attention to detail

Learn new technology

Problem-solving

Task management

Collaborative

Communication

Independence

Adaptability

Education

MLS/MLIS degree or equivalent experience

Tools

FFmpeg

Epson Expression 12000XL

Bookeye 4

MODS metadata in spreadsheets

Job description

About the Opportunity

The purpose of this temporary position is to support the work of Northeastern University Library’s Digital Production Services (DPS) department. The digital production assistant will scan, reformat, create metadata, and edit captions for library and archival materials used in teaching and research. They will work within the highly collaborative DPS department and coordinate with staff from Archives and Special Collections. Collections and projects we’ve worked with recently include the records of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, the Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Committee, and the Center for Atypical Language Interpreting.

Responsibilities include:

• Digitizing archival documents using Epson Expression 12000XL and Bookeye 4 scanners
• Creating MODS metadata in spreadsheets for digitized items
• Reformatting A/V materials (such as VHS tapes, DVDs, and cassette tapes) and creating access copies using the command line tool FFmpeg
• Performing quality control on materials digitized by vendors
• Correcting and formatting WhisperAI-created captions for digitized videos
• Other duties as projects and interests allow

Qualifications

Education: Enrollment in or completion of an ALA-accredited MLS or MLIS degree program, or equivalent experience.

Experience: Professional experience in the digitization of documents, books, artwork, or maps Professional experience working with archival or special collections materials Coursework or projects involving creating descriptive metadata for library or archival collections Work experience that demonstrates the skills listed below.

Skills

• Attention to detail while performing repetitive tasks
• Ability to quickly learn new technology
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage varying tasks on multiple projects
• Collaborative working style
• Excellent ability to communicate with colleagues
• Proven ability to work independently
• Flexibility in adjusting to changing priorities

Position Type

Temporary

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees.

Benefits

• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• Paid time off
• Tuition assistance
• Wellness & life
• Retirement
• Commuting & transportation

Work Location

This is a primarily on-campus position with some flexibility for remote work.

Pay Rate

21/hour

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—including 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.