Digitization Technician, Publications – MN History Center (St. Paul, MN)

Metrolibraries; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance program

Retirement plan

Generous vacation

Job summary

The Minnesota Historical Society seeks a dedicated digitization specialist to support project requests and expand preservation of, and online access to, our publications collections, especially newspapers and serials.

You will digitize selected publications from MNHS or external partners, process digital files for online access and preservation, and assist with administrative tasks for the digitization program.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years digitization experience.
• Hands-on experience with digital imaging, scanners, procedures and best practices.
• Proficiency with Google Apps (Drive, Docs, Sheets).
• Physical ability to lift up to 40 pounds and work around dust/mold.
• Ability to stand, sit, and maneuver for extended periods.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Digitize selected publications for MNHS collections and external partners.
• Process digital files for online access and long-term preservation.
• Assist with administrative tasks related to the digitization program.

Skills

Digitization

Google Apps

Communication

Manual handling

Independent work

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Scanners

Digitization software

Calibration

Job description

LOCATION:

History Center - 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102

COMPENSATION:

Typical starting rate $21.85 - $23.88 hourly.

STATUS & HOURS:

Full-time, project (approximately 2,080 annual hours) position through June 30, 2027. The position will be extended beyond the end date if funding is available.

BENEFITS:

Eligible to participate in State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution. Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays.

DESIGNATION:

Bargaining Unit AFSCME Local 3173

POSTING DATE:

August 26, 2026

DEADLINE DATE:

September 13, 2026

DESCRIPTION:

This position exists to perform digitization activities to fulfill project requests and to expand preservation of and online access to the publications collections, primarily newspaper and serials.

SUMMARY OF WORK:

1) Digitize selected publications from the MNHS collections or from external partners; 2) Process digital files for online access and preservation; and 3) Assist with administrative tasks related to digitization program.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school degree or equivalent.
• Two years digitization experience.
• Hands-on experience with digital imaging, scanners, related procedures/techniques, standards, and best practices.
• Computer skills, specifically Google Apps including Drive, Docs, and Sheets.
• Physical ability to regularly lift, maneuver and carry storage containers weighing 40 pounds as well as oversize materials.
• Physical tolerance to dust, mold and other airborne materials.
• Ability to stand for a minimum of two hours at a time.
• Ability to sit, kneel, crouch, reach, bend, and to push loaded carts.
• Ability to use a keyboard and work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills.
• Flexibility and willingness to shift priorities according to current needs.
• Ability to meet challenging deadlines and work within complex workflows while carefully handling unique, old, and fragile materials.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, efficiently, and accurately and to ask questions as appropriate.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with a variety of digitization equipment such as flat-bed, sheet-feed, camera based, large-format, overhead, and microfilm scanners.
• Experience with digitization software.
• Experience in digitization quality control procedures.
• Experience recording and tracking productivity metrics and progress.
• Hands-on experience with calibration of scanning equipment to ensure capture of best images, including willingness to troubleshoot as necessary.
• Knowledge and understanding of sustainable processing practices and collection-level digitization strategies.
• Willingness and ability to travel on occasion.

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.