As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is already a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history. But it’s where we go next that makes things really interesting .
In our strategic vision: Archives for Everyone, we set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive - a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring.
That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you.
Job Overview
Salary: £28,100 per annum, pro rata
Contract type: 4 fixed-term appointments until 31st March 2027
Band: C / AO
Closing date: Wednesday 10th June at midnight
The National Archives (TNA) is the UK government's official archive, containing over 1,000 years of history. It provides detailed guidance to government departments and the public sector on information management and advises others about the care of historical archives. It has strategic plans to increase access and use of the many varied documents held as well as preserving them for future generations.
The Image Production Technician is part of the Digitisation Department, and is responsible for producing digital images from original archive documents for a range of external and internal customers. The work includes producing digital images of TNA’s own records and those of other organisations.
The Image Production Technician carries out and delivers high quality digitisation work using a range of technical equipment and processes to achieve project specifications. Each team member will be deployed to a primary area of work using the digitisation equipment to capture images or carrying out quality assurance (QA) activities for the digitised images. In addition each team member will be expected, over time, to learn some or all of the various processes within the team, supported by appropriate training, so that they may cover and support the team’s workload and priorities as needed.
These positions are full time. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department.
These roles requires on site presence and are not suitable for home working.
Application Process:
- Interviews will be held on-site and will include a digitisation technical test.
- Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words.
Selection for interview will be based on the 3 ‘essential’ requirements below, so please ensure that your statement demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements.
Essential criteria for application:
1. Ability to use initiative to solve operational problems
2. Flexible approach to working to cope with changing priorities and new challenges, and a willingness to learn new skills
3. Able to work as part of a small team within a production based environment
In the event of a high volume of applications we will conduct an initial sift based on the following essential criteria:
- Ability to use initiative to solve operational problems
During the interview, candidates will be assessed on all of the essential criteria shown in the job description below.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.
Sponsorship:
We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Job Description
Role and Responsibilities
Create and check digital images using the equipment provided and to the specification and output targets required by each project. Digitisation may include difficult, large format, or fragile material.
Carry out the various processing steps to produce the final required output.
Carry out image QA to check for missing and duplicate images, and image quality.
Ensure file formats are correct and file names match the customer and project requirements.
Log all work accurately on the job tracking systems to ensure overall project progress can be tracked and reported on.
Adhere to document handling processes and methodologies.
Work with the wider team as required to address issues, resolve queries and correct work in a timely manner.
Identify opportunities to continuously improve working processes, including the use of automated processes.
Attend departmental, project, and directorate meetings as required.
Working Conditions
Digitisation Studio
Display Screen Equipment user
Moving items up to 10kg in weight
May come into contact with distressing material
Person Specification
Essential criteria:
Experience of digitisation project work
Strong general IT skills including Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop.
Organised and methodical with an eye for detail and accuracy.
Ability to use initiative to solve operational problems.
Flexible approach to working to cope with changing priorities and new challenges, and a willingness to learn new skills. .
Able to work as part of a small team within a production based environment.
Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
Desirable criteria:
Experience of Quality assurance work, or working with original documents.
Interest in photography, digital technology, or image capture.
Positive, can do attitude.
Other Requirements
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is
found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service
D&I Strategy .
Benefits
Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development. Annual leave entitlement of 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum.
Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ ( opens in new window)
Reasonable adjustments
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact The National Archives via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
Complete the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks (opens in new window)
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles . (opens in new window)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative . (opens in new window)
Contact point for applicants:
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)
