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The University of York Archives and Research Collections is seeking a recent Graduate (or someone intending to graduate in 2023) for our internship scheme, which provides an opportunity for those who wish to take up a career in Archives to gain valuable knowledge and experience before commencing a Masters programme in this discipline.

The internship is designed to meet the FARMER criteria for archive traineeships, and will develop the intern’s skills and knowledge through functional responsibility, team working and customer service; exposing you to many developmental opportunities, both as an individual and as part of the wider archives team. It is intended that during the last three months of your internship, you will be able to select a project or conduct research on a specific topic of your choosing, supported by your mentor and other archives staff.

Candidates should have a degree meeting the criteria required to apply for a Masters degree in Archives; the intention to complete a professional archives qualification; knowledge of what it means to work in a busy, pressured Customer Services environment; the ability to work independently and plan your own time, strong written and oral communication skills and excellent IT skills and the potential to learn new systems and operate new and/or unfamiliar hardware.

Candidates should not already hold a professional archives qualification, although individuals with other traineeship experience may apply.

The role is full time, Monday to Friday, and is available on a 12 month fixed term contract from 1 August 2023. The Information Services Directorate operates a flexi-time scheme which allows for flexible working whilst ensuring operational requirements are fulfilled.

Role

Customer Service

The intern will have primary responsibility for identifying, locating, retrieving, digitising and dispatching document copies to researchers, ensuring coordination between the Searchroom, Preservation and Conservation and Digitisation teams. The intern will:

• digitise documents, move orders through electronic folders, and dispatch digital copies to customers to preservation and service standards
• undertake the daily set up and operation of copying devices
• provide a high-quality consistent service for on-site and off-site researchers

The intern will work as part of the Searchroom Team in the daily staffing of the searchroom as required, including

• the accurate retrieval and replacement of documents
• working directly with researchers, on-site and off-site

The intern will have primary responsibility, working and coordinating with the Archivists team, for setting up teaching and meeting rooms and materials.

The intern will maintain the efficiency and standards of customer service through:

• receiving and distributing deliveries and packing outgoing parcels
• arranging with the Content Team to catalogue books newly acquired for the Borthwick Staff Library

Strongroom maintenance and security

The intern will have primary responsibility for maintaining the strongrooms as a specialist space for archives through:

• maintaining the order of the archive boxes on the shelves by regular checking and re-shelving
• maintaining the order of documents within archive boxes by regular checking and re-ordering
• setting up shelves and re-shelving boxes to make space for new archives
• monitoring the order and position of archives and working with the Searchroom Team to devise and implement re-shelving to maintain retrieval times within our service standard
• working with the Preservation and Conservation team to ensure that documents are shelved and packaged appropriately according to their preservation needs
• supervising contractors and other visitors in the strongrooms to maintain security and safety

Archive preservation

The intern will work with the Preservation and Conservation team to:

• practice and improve appropriate conservation handling techniques
• box, package and label archives to appropriate preservation standards
• carry out regular stock takes on archive packaging box supplies and recommend purchasing needs to the Preservation and Conservation team
• maintain the preservation function of the building by observing and reporting problems and implementing remedies where appropriate

Developing the archive holdings

The intern will work with the Archivist team to:

• transport archives to and from the Borthwick
• implement record retention schedules and appraisal and disposal decisions
• create and improve archive descriptions
• Graduate meeting the criteria required to apply for a Masters degree in Archives
• Excellent IT skills
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral. A fluent writer with the ability to assimilate complex information and present it in an accessible and attractive manner
• Excellent organisation skills with the ability to work within established procedures and processes
• Able to communicate effectively with a variety of individuals and organisations
• Good organisation and time management skills with the ability to work effectively under pressure
• Experience of collating data and updating databases
• Ability to monitor income and expenditure against a budget(s) and maintain accurate records
• The ability to recognise patterns to enable the interpretation of unfamiliar handwriting styles
• Experience of working to tight deadlines
• Experience of analysing data and presenting summary information in a clear and concise format
• Administrative activities, eg invoicing, creating/ distributing mail-outs
• Previous administrative experience gained in an office or retail environment

Interview date: To be confirmed

For informal enquiries: Please contact Laura Yeoman ([email protected]) or Gary Brannan ([email protected])

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork