The position is for a temporary member of archive cataloguing staff who will be based in the Royal Society Library as part of a curatorial team responsible for the Society’s historical collections for a twelve-month contract.
The post is focused on creating new archival catalogue entries for 19th century and 20th century collections of significant scientists who were Fellows of the Royal Society. The post will be expected to produce a minimum of 6,000 catalogue entries within one year, commencing with the papers of the Irish physicist Sir Joseph Larmor (1857-1942). Once this series is complete, there will be the opportunity to work on other scientific and administrative collections, some of which will be subject of digitisation exercises. Cataloguing personal papers will allow the post-holder to gain experience in the professional judgments necessary in applying principals of appraisal and arrangement.
In tandem with cataloguing, the post will also improve existing, but dated, or incomplete, name authority records of past Fellows on the Royal Society’s biographical database of scientists. This is intended to update biographical information in the light of contemporary scholarship, and to support ethical cataloguing.
Additionally, the post-holder will contribute to reading room supervision and the provision of services in the Royal Society’s rare materials reading room; and to outreach activities, such as compiling blogs about aspects of their work.
This postholder will use the Royal Society’s own internal records as well as other reference resources. Cataloguing will be carried out using Axiell-CALM cataloguing software initially (the software will be subject to replacement during 2025/6). The records will be available to researchers on the website version of this resource. Descriptions must be clear, concise, thorough, and coherent and should conform to both international standards of archival description (ISAD-G and ISAAR (CPF)) and internal Royal Society guidelines for catalogue and authority entry construction.
The post holder will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
Reports to: Head of Library & Information Services
Pay band: B
Salary: £30,953
Contract type: 12 Months FTC
Hours: 35
Location: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG plus the option for some hybrid remote working
Closing date for applications: 6 December 2024
Interviews will be held: Monday 6 January 2025
Candidates should have a postgraduate qualification in archives and records management, other relevant information management subject, or equivalent workplace experience. We will also consider candidates working towards a postgraduate qualification in a relevant information management subject or seeking pre-course experience.
Experience of working with archives, particularly handling and palaeographic skills, but also understanding and interpreting paper records.
Experience of working with archival or hierarchical databases and management of large data sets.
Good keyboarding skills and working knowledge of Microsoft office applications. Some experience of working with the Axiell-CALM software would be helpful but is not essential.
Knowledge or interest in 19th - 20th century history of science would be helpful, but not essential.
Expertise in digital humanities methodologies also desirable, but not essential.
Self-management | · Enthusiastic and positive attitude · Reliable and consistent · Output is accurate and of high quality · Punctual and meets deadlines · Confident of own abilities · Knows personal values, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and limits · Gains insight and learns from mistakes · ‘Let’s go’ of an issue and knows when to move on · Is open and non-defensive when faced with criticism · Ensures actions are consistent with words and messages
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Working with others | · Willing to cooperate and share knowledge within the team, Shares all relevant, critical and useful information · Willing to help others in times of need · Listens to and acts upon feedback from senior colleagues and willingly learns from others · Able to give simple presentations to sectional colleagues · Understands that one’s own actions and behaviours will influence how others perceive and engage with the Society · Offers their assistance if they have the capacity, without the need to be asked. · Actively seeks opportunities for gaining feedback from others · Presents with confidence within own section and area of remit. · Communicates confidently, asks questions and checks for understanding. · Values the input of others, balances that with a sense of purpose to get the job done · Possesses self-awareness and senses situations prior to acting or communicating. |
Resource management | · Is aware of and works within budgetary and resource constraints · Organises own workload prioritising according to business need · Is flexible and adapts to changing circumstances and priorities · Looks for ways to improve quality or results · Meets the standards of quality expected of their role · Maintains high standards despite pressing deadlines · Does work right first time, corrects own errors and regularly produces accurate, thorough, professional work. · Is able to multitask and manage urgency in a calm and practical manner. · performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change · Undertakes additional responsibilities and responds to situations as they arise with minimal fuss and supervision.
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Critical thinking | · Thinks tasks, queries and problems through and considers what they need to know · Uses relevant information when providing a service, solving a problem or dealing with a query · Is open to new ideas and willing to try them · Makes decisions within well-defined guidelines · Uses initiative to select most appropriate solution to straightforward problems · Analyses both successes and failures for clues to improvement · Prepares for problems or opportunities in advance · Distinguishes the main issues from side issues · Proposes various solutions or options for consideration defining the pros and cons of each |
Adaptability | · Adapts to changes in workload without letting standards slip · Listens to and accommodates the alternative views of others · Takes on new challenges when asked to do so · Is receptive and accommodating when asked to take on new projects outside of their usual job specification. · Remains open-minded and changes opinions on the basis of new information · Performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change and with minimal disruption or fuss |
Managing people and relationships | · Values and appreciates the importance of feedback · Shares responsibility for the performance and workload of the team where appropriate · Handles requests promptly and politely · Respects opinions and deals appropriately with complaints · Works to improve the performance of oneself and others by pursuing opportunities for continuous learning. · Constructively helps others in their development. · Exhibits a “can-do, will-do” approach and inspires peers to excel. · Asks questions and probes to understand stated and underlying needs, issues, concerns and problems · Addresses concerns and problems fairly, empathetically, decisively and promptly, maintaining a diplomatic and professional manner · Manages expectations and keeps everyone concerned up-to-date on progress · Raises concerns and recommends potential solutions for those processes that negatively impact on relationships, customer service or the fair treatment of customers. |
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