Film Archivist

FedWriters, Inc.; Culpeper (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Plan

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Job summary

FedWriters, Inc. is seeking a Film Archivist to support the Library of Congress NAVCC by processing and archiving historic film collections. You will identify, inspect, and rehouse 16mm and 35mm elements, build inventories, and ensure preservation for long-term access.

The role involves on-site work at the Packard Campus in Culpeper, VA, with a schedule of Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm, and opportunities to work with diverse archival material across ethnographic and corporate collections.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in related field such as film preservation, archival studies, library or information science.
• Experience identifying and handling motion picture film and knowledge of preservation standards.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds and work with archival materials.

Responsibilities

• Inspect film elements and identify titles, reel numbers, episodes and element types.
• Assess condition and flag high-risk or unstable materials.
• Stabilize and rehouse film and apply barcodes for vault storage.
• Record metadata in an inventory spreadsheet using archival standards.
• Process ethnographic, sponsored, educational, and corporate film collections.
• Track throughput and contribute to scalable workflows.
• Prepare processing plans, progress reports, and final recommendations.
• Meet weekly with client archivists and preservation staff.

Skills

Film identification

Archival practices

Metadata management

Communication

Collaboration

Physical handling

Education

Degree in film preservation or archival studies

AC Archivist certificate or MLIS/MLS preferred

Tools

Inventory spreadsheets

Job description

Overview

Join our team as a Film Archivist and support the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC) by processing and archiving historic motion picture film collections. You will identify, inspect, and rehouse 16mm and 35mm film elements and build accurate item-level inventories, ensure culturally important collections are documented and preserved for long-term access.

FWI is expanding rapidly and has been recognized as a 2024, 2025 and 2026 Top Workplace, offering excellent growth opportunities in a collaborative environment.

**Position is contingent upon contract award**

Work Schedule and Location:

On-Site: This full-time on-site position will work Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm at the Library of Congress Packard Campus in Culpeper, VA.

Responsibilities

• Inspect film on the bench to identify titles, reel numbers, episodes, and element types – camera negatives, answer and release prints, workprints, optical and magnetic soundtracks, trims, and outtakes – often with no labels or title frames.
• Assess condition (vinegar syndrome, shrinkage, damage) and flag high-risk or unstable materials.
• Stabilize and rehouse film in new archival cans, apply barcodes, and stage items for vault storage.
• Record item-level metadata in an inventory spreadsheet using established audio-visual metadata standards.
• Work through a large backlog of ethnographic, sponsored, educational, and corporate film collections.
• Track throughput and quality metrics and help shape a repeatable workflow for processing complex film collections at scale.
• Prepare processing plans, progress reports, and a final recommendations report.
• Meet weekly with client archivists and preservation staff.

Qualifications

Required:

• Degree in a related field (e.g., film or moving image preservation, archival studies, library or information science, film studies, history, or museum studies).
• Demonstrated expertise in motion picture film identification, handling, and inspection.
• Proficiency distinguishing film elements: original camera negatives, answer prints, release prints, workprints, optical and magnetic soundtracks, and composite or fragmentary materials.
• Knowledge of archival principles and techniques, including analysis, organization, and description of archival material.
• Ability to identify preservation concerns and perform basic preservation tasks such as rehousing, with familiarity with preservation standards for different material types.
• At least 2 years of experience in a field related to archives or film, including at least 6 months in a library or archives environment performing similar tasks.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work closely with Library of Congress staff.

Desired:

• Certificate or degree from a Film Preservation or Moving Image Preservation program, or 4+ years in a film archive or a library, museum, or archive with motion picture film collections.
• Hands-on 16mm and 35mm experience.
• Certified Archivist (Academy of Certified Archivists), an MLS/MLIS from an ALA-accredited program, or completion of an archival certificate program following Society of American Archivists guidelines.
• Experience with ethnographic, home movie, sponsored, or unlabeled production-element collections.
• Familiarity with audio-visual metadata schemas, authority records, or Encoded Archival Description (EAD).
• Experience with collection management systems and large-scale backlog processing.

Why Join Our Team

At FWI, we place the highest importance on creating an exceptional employee experience. You'll have opportunities to achieve your career aspirations through internal promotions, professional development, and other recognition and rewards programs. Join our team and take advantage of the many benefits we offer, including:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off

FWI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.

Pay Range

Negotiable