Preservation Technician Contractor

Bay Area Video Coalition, Inc; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 52,000; Part time

Job summary

Bay Area Video Coalition, Inc. in San Francisco is seeking a Preservation Technician for a part-time contract (~20 hours/week) to support audiovisual digitization tasks within the Preservation department.

You will work hands-on with tape-based media, perform pre- and post-digitization steps, and document transfer notes under staff supervision to ensure high-quality archival transfers. The role emphasizes attention to detail, strong communication, and collaboration with museums and cultural

Qualifications

• Knowledge of audiovisual archiving practices for libraries and archives.
• Proficiency with troubleshooting and problem-solving.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion in work.

Responsibilities

• Inspect audiovisual assets and ingest them into the internal database.
• Perform pre-digitization tasks including cleaning and repair.
• Digitize video and audio tapes daily under staff guidance.
• Document transfer notes, signal flow, and potential errors.
• Perform post-digitization tasks including file editing and transcoding.
• Conduct quality control of digital files and report deliverable accuracy.
• Communicate technical issues affecting playback or computer equipment.
• Provide additional support for Preservation staff and facility as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Audiovisual archiving practices

Troubleshooting

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Equity and inclusion

Tools

Project management software

Patchbays

VTRs

Time base correctors

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

BAVC Media’s Preservation department seeks a part-time contract (approx 20 hours per week) Preservation Technician to assist with audiovisual digitization tasks at the BAVC office in San Francisco.

BAVC Media was founded when a group of media makers and activists met in January of 1976 to devise practical ways to encourage independent video-making in the Bay Area. In 1994, in partnership with the Getty Research Center, BAVC’s Preservation Department was created. BAVC Preservation works with museums, artists, and cultural institutions around the world to reformat, archive and make accessible seminal creative and cultural significant works on video and audiotape, as well as community-based works that are broadly used in academia, research, and other media projects. Today, BAVC’s Preservation work represents one of the nation’s longest-standing nonprofit audiovisual preservation programs. With current and past funding from various government and philanthropic foundations including NEA, NEH, Mellon, Rockefeller, and Knight, BAVC Preservation has implemented practices and services that helped define the field of video preservation. BAVC Preservation continues that work today by pursuing a range of field-building initiatives and services.

The Preservation Contractor will work on ongoing grant-funded and fee-for-service projects within the Preservation department to promote BAVC’s continued excellence in the field of audiovisual archiving. The Preservation Contractor will work hands-on with tape-based media from artists and cultural heritage organizations to provide the highest quality transfers possible, reporting directly to the Preservation staff and Director.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Inspect audiovisual assets (magnetic and optical media) and ingest them on an item-level basis to internal database
• Perform pre-digitization tasks for audiovisual assets, including cleaning and repair
• Perform daily digitization of video and audio tapes, following the instruction of Preservation staff
• Generate detailed notes of each digital transfer, documenting signal flow and possible errors
• Perform post-digitization tasks for audiovisual assets, including file editing and transcoding
• Perform quality control of digital files, reporting on accuracy of deliverables
• Communicate technical issues affecting playback equipment and/or computer equipment
• Provide additional support for the Preservation staff and facility in general, when needed
• Other duties as assigned

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Demonstrated knowledge of audiovisual archiving practices for libraries and archives
• Knowledge of audiovisual archiving practices
• Knowledge of analog and born-digital audio, video, and data preservation issues and standards
• Proficiency with troubleshooting skills
• Excellent physical and digital organizational skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Commitment to equity and inclusion through your work, your lived experience or both

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Proficiency with project management practices and software
• Knowledge of analog and digital video and audio formats and their associated playback environments
• Familiarity with the cleaning, handling and storage of reels, cassettes, discs and digital storage media
• Familiarity with broadcast video equipment, including patchbays, VTRs, time base correctors, scopes and switchers

WORK LOCATION

Work will be performed at BAVC Media facilities located in San Francisco, California

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Constantly: Perform desk-based computer tasks
• Frequently: Grasp lightly/fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, and reach/work above shoulders
• Occasionally: Sit, twist/bend/stoop/squat
• Visual acuity including color vision and fair auditory acuity
• If you are able to lift 30 pounds over your head you may be expected to do so. However, the inability to do so will not affect your eligibility for the position and other BAVC staff will be able to help you with any lifting.

TIMELINE AND HOURS

20 hours per week for one year, or a total of 990 hours.

COMPENSATION

$35 per hour. Annual independent contract (1099), with subsequent contracts dependent upon available funding. This position is open until filled and begins immediately.

BENEFITS

This is a contract position, with no benefits offered.

ACCESSIBILITY

BAVC Media’s facilities are wheelchair accessible. In addition, we are committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.