Job Description

Your responsibilities

Are you beginning your career as an archivist and looking to further develop your skills in the field?

Come join our diverse and enterprising team of dedicated archivists & librarians. The CERN Archives is the Organization’s central repository for historical records relating to all aspects of CERN’s activities, dating from its earliest inception until the present day.

Working closely under the supervision of the CERN Archivist and within the Archives & Library Section of CERN’s Scientific Information Service (SIS), you will contribute to the description, preservation, and accessibility of archival collections.

The main tasks will include:

• Participate in planning for and executing the migration from the existing catalogue into a new archival content management system;
• Conducting metadata creation/enrichment and clean-up within the existing and new catalogue;
• Intellectual and physical processing of archival collections, both analog and digital;
• Physical re-housing of existing collections into appropriate archival containers;
• Answering and assisting researchers in their inquiries, both remotely and in-person.

You will also participate in other activities of the Archives & Library section, including but not limited to:

• Taking part in Library desk shifts to help patrons in their use of the Library services;
• Creating social media posts and participating in other outreach activities such as developing content for exhibitions;
• Assisting in preparing materials physically and intellectually for outsourced digitization projects;
• Fulfilling any other required tasks related to the Library & Archives work according to the needs and ongoing activities of the section.

Within the framework of the proposed future relocation of the CERN Archives to another refurbished building, you may have the possibility to participate in several steps of the project, such as consulting on the design of the new premises; discussing the first concrete steps of the renovation; and planning for / coordinating logistics.

Comprehensive training will be provided for this position.

More information here: https://sis.web.cern.ch/

Your profile

Skills

You will have a demonstrated interest, knowledge and experience in:

• Processing of archival materials
• International standards for archival description and preservation
• Metadata standards
• Strong organisational skills and methodical approach to work
• Interest and/or experience working with the history of science and/or international organisations
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively within a diverse international environment
• Comfortable working in an environment where priorities may shift and a diverse range of tasks will be assigned; flexibility is essential.
• Fluent in English, the ability to work in French would be an advantage.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• By the application deadline, you have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Archival science (or a related field) and your highest educational qualification is either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
• Applicants without University degree are not eligible.
• Applicants with a PhD are not eligible.

Additional Information

Job closing date: January 6th 2025 at 23:59 (midnight) CET.

Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-March-2025

Job reference: RCS-SIS-LB-2024-222-GRAE

Field of work: Support Services (Finance, HR, Legal, Procurement)

What we offer

• A monthly stipend ranging between 5134 and 5647 Swiss Francs (net of tax).
• Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Depending on your individual circumstances: installation grant; family, child and infant allowances; payment of travel expenses at the beginning and end of contract.
• 30 days of paid leave per year.
• On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.

About us

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter – fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on http://home.cern.

Diversity has been an integral part of CERN’s mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization. Employing a diverse workforce is central to our success.