The Bodleian Libraries are looking for the Digital Archivists of the future through an exciting graduate training scheme. Preserving the past for the benefit of the future is not just about manuscripts and printed material. Digital materials are surprisingly fragile and also need to be preserved.
This scheme is a rewarding combination of on-the-job training and postgraduate study. You'll learn both traditional and digital archiving skills and have the opportunity to apply these to some internationally important projects. You will be heavily involved in processing modern archive materials in all formats, using a range of tools and technologies. You will also look at the creation and enhancement of digital preservation tools and learn everything from how to manage legal risks to effectively using forensic techniques. You will also gain a prestigious professional postgraduate diploma from Aberystwyth University.
If you are a graduate (ideally STEM) with a good grasp of digital technologies, excellent research skills and a passion for problem-solving then this might be the career for you. You will also need great communication skills, initiative and a willingness to work closely with a team.
Find out how to applyWhat is digital archiving?
Archivists collect the records of people and organisations in order to provide sources for exploring and interpreting our history. More and more of what archivists collect is born digitally, and must be preserved digitally too. Find out more...
What will I be doing on the training scheme?
Much of your training will be on-the-job, with support and guidance from colleagues in the Bodleian Libraries who are experts in their field. Working in the Weston Library, home to our Special Collections, you'll learn both traditional and digital archiving skills and have the opportunity to apply these to some internationally important collections. Find out more...
Will there be other trainees at the Bodleian Libraries?
You will join six Graduate Digital Archivist Trainees, who will be in the second year of their traineeships. You will also become part of a cohort of about a dozen other Graduate Library Trainees working across Oxford's libraries on a 12-month scheme. Trainees past and present share their experiences. Find out more...
What is the Oxford Libraries' Graduate Trainee Programme?
During 12 of the 24 months of your traineeship you will participate with trainee librarians from several Bodleian and college libraries in the Oxford Libraries' Graduate Trainee Programme. Through the programme you will attend a series of Wednesday afternoon sessions run by the Bodleian Libraries' Staff Development Team; these will give you an understanding of some of the issues surrounding librarianship in an academic context, and also provide you with training in more general transferable skills such as public speaking and career craft.
What does the postgraduate study involve?
To develop your career as a digital archivist you will need a relevant postgraduate qualification. During your two years with us you will study with Aberystwyth University, earning a postgraduate Diploma in Digital Curation through distance learning. Find out more...
What does a career in archives look like?
Digital archivists work in many different kinds of organisation. A career in this field could see you involved in a wide range of projects and working in a variety of settings, both nationally and internationally. Find out more...
I am already a heritage/information professional. Is this traineeship for me?
If you already hold a qualification in archives, library or museum studies or have experience of working at a professional level in an environment like this, then you will be covering a good amount of familiar ground on this traineeship. Continuing professional development opportunities may be more useful to you. Find out more...
What can we offer you?
The Bodleian Libraries and the University of Oxford have much to offer you, from generous annual leave arrangements to inspiring locations. Find out more...
Sound interesting? Want to apply?
If you think a career in digital archives might be for you, find out how to apply.
