Digitization Archivist

The mission of the department of Special Collections is to preserve and share the history and culture of the University and the Charlotte region. We fulfill this mission by selecting, acquiring, preserving, and providing access to rare materials and records of enduring value, and providing records management services for the university.

Vacancy Open to

All Candidates

Description of Work

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recognizes the differentiation of mission, goals, and objectives inherent in the diversity of disciplines represented by its colleges and departments. Thus, the job responsibilities and essential functions for library faculty should be interpreted in the context of the Library’s strategic plan.

Library faculty engage in service to the University, community, and profession. We create physical and digital environments that encourage learning and innovation, build and preserve collections, support research, and advance scholarship. We provide access to and promote the discovery of information. We help our communities become proficient information users and lifelong learners. Library faculty serve current and future UNC Charlotte students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the Greater Charlotte and global community by sustaining the intellectual and creative life, and facilitating lifelong learning, discovery, and engagement.

Library faculty are expected to collaborate within the Library and beyond in the performance of professional duties that may include, but are not limited to: selecting, organizing, preserving, and facilitating access to materials; supporting teaching, learning, and research; providing outreach to the campus and community; and developing and maintaining digital and technological innovations.

Library faculty participate in scholarly research, creative endeavors, and professional activities to serve the Library, the University, and the information professions. Library faculty are strongly encouraged to pursue external funding for library-related initiatives.

If this position conducts research, the following statement is applicable: This position is subject to research-security screening. As part of the application, applicants must disclose, either in their CV or in a separate document submitted with the application, all current appointments or affiliations with foreign institutions or organizations, foreign research support, and ongoing research collaborations with foreign institutions, organizations, or their personnel. Before candidates advance to an on-campus interview, the university will review this information and other publicly available information for relationships involving institutions on the current Section 1286 list and any other applicable U.S. restricted-party lists. A disclosed or identified relationship does not automatically disqualify a candidate. As a condition of employment, a selected candidate must resolve any relationship the university determines would violate applicable law or sponsor requirements or materially impair the candidate’s or the university’s eligibility for federal funding.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

This position is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the digitization program for J. Murrey Atkins Special Collections and University Archives. This position also supports outreach activities and promotional strategies for digital collections and participates in reference and instruction services within the unit.

• Conducts the day-to-day operations of the Special Collections digitization program including selection, digitization, metadata creation, post-production, quality control, publishing, and working with vendors
• Performs digitization of cultural heritage materials and ensures that access copies are uploaded to the digital collections platform
• Hires, trains and supervises student and temporary workers to support digitization and metadata creation activities
• Makes recommendations for the selection, purchase, and maintenance of digitization equipment and supplies and contributes to digital preservation planning efforts
• Coordinates the fulfillment of reproduction requests from researchers, university offices, and community partners
• Collaborates with colleagues to develop and nurture digitization collaborations with community partners
• Coordinates mass-digitization of large archival collections based on unit strategic goals and access needs
• Collaborates on the development and implementation of outreach and promotional strategies for digital collections, including social media, exhibits, presentations, and other activities
• Staffs the reading room desk on a regular schedule and provides backup support for paging and retrieving materials for researchers as needed.
• Investigates digitization grant opportunities and participates in writing grant proposals
• Fulfills library faculty obligations relating to job performance, service and research, and participates in appropriate regional and/or national professional associations Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Experience/Education

Completion of a master’s degree in the field of library and information science from a program accredited by the American Library Association by the time selected applicant begins job.

Preferred Education, Skills and Experience

• Coursework or experience in archival theory and practice and/or special collections librarianship
• Demonstrated experience using digitization equipment and software
• Familiarity with best practices in still image and audio digitization for cultural heritage institutions
• Familiarity with library and archival metadata and descriptive standards, such as MARC, LCSH, FAST, and DACS
• Familiarity with digital repositories and content management systems
• Familiarity with emerging trends, ethics, and practices in community archives and community digitization projects
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, successfully manage projects, prioritize work, learn new technologies and systems, and solve problems
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
• Commitment to fostering an environment of mutual respect
• Interest or experience in student supervision and mentoring

Necessary Licenses/Certifications

Special Notes to Applicants

Salary for this position: $68,000

The following Application Materials must be attached to your electronic submission:

• Cover letter
• Resume/CV
• Names (including titles and company/institutions), addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least 3 professional references.

For minimum qualifications, please note: Graduation with a master’s degree in a specialized area directly relevant to the position description may be an acceptable substitute in certain situations if approved by the Dean.

The Search Committee will not contact references before verifying permission with the candidate.

The review of applications will begin October 31, 2026. Anticipated start date is March 2027.

The candidate chosen for this position will be subject to a criminal background check.

Please see this guide for information about accessibility at UNCC and Atkins Library:

https://guides.library.uncc.edu/AccessibilityforJobCandidatesandVisitorsAtkins

For additional information about The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, please see the following informational resources:

• University of North Carolina at Charlotte website: http://www.charlotte.edu
• Atkins Library website: http://library.charlotte.edu
• Benefits information: https://hr.charlotte.edu/benefits
• Full accessibility information: http://library.charlotte.edu/visit-study/accessibility

Job Open Date

09/29/2026

Job Close Date

Open Until Filled

Yes

Date Review of Applications will Begin

10/31/2026

Proposed Hire Date

03/01/2027

If time-limited, please indicate appointment end date

Contact Information

For questions, please contact Tyler Cline at [email protected]