Archives & Library Assistant (Graduate Trainee), Paul Mellon Centre, London

We are excited to announce an Archives & Library Assistant (Graduate Trainee) post at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art.

If you are interested in working with archives and library material, or have ever considered a career as an information professional, then this role would suit you.

Working for a small educational charity in the arts and heritage sector, a key part of your role will involve helping researchers find the information they need. This twelve-month post will be ideal for anyone wanting to gain experience before undertaking a professional qualification in the field.

In this hands-on role, you will undertake a wide range of tasks and activities. You will receive on-the-job training across a range of skills and become familiar with everyday work within a small, specialist archive and library.

The post is situated within a small team of librarians and archivists and is particularly suited to someone who enjoys an audience-facing role.

Who We Need
We are looking for someone who is keen to work across the Archives & Library department and who enjoys engaging with researchers and the public.

Supported by professional staff, you will deliver front-of-house services in the Archives & Library Public Study Room, answer basic enquiries and deal with copying requests. You will gain experience in a range of basic library duties such as labelling books, ordering stock and helping with displays. You will assist with core archival and records management tasks such as box listing and reviewing born-digital material.

This role would suit a graduate keen to pursue a career in archives, libraries or the information professions. It requires someone with good communication skills who thrives on working with people. You will also need an enthusiasm for learning new skills, the capacity to undertake routine work and excellent attention to detail.

Who We Are
The Paul Mellon Centre is an educational charity that champions new ways of understanding British art history and culture. We publish, teach and carry out research, both in London at the Centre and through our online platforms. Our archives, library and lively events programme are open to researchers, students and the public. The Centre’s grants and fellowships enable institutions and individuals to pursue exhibitions, publications, events and scholarly projects. Through all areas of our work, we promote activities that enhance and expand knowledge about British art. The Centre was founded in 1970 by art collector and philanthropist Paul Mellon, and is part of Yale University and partner to the Yale Center for British Art. The Paul Mellon Centre’s Archives & Library consist of: a reference library covering the history of British art and architecture of all periods; over forty archive collections comprising of the papers of art historians, auction houses and museum/gallery professionals; an institutional archive comprising of the records created by the Paul Mellon Centre in the course of its everyday work; and two photographic archive resources. The collections are used by a wide range of people from across the world: scholars, students, museum professionals, members of the art trade, artists, journalists and private individuals. Further information about the Archives & Library at the Centre is available on our website.

About the Role
The salary for this role is £25,500.

This is a fixed-term contract for twelve months.

This post is a twelve-month full-time post and the hours of work are 35 per week, Monday–Friday. Applicants will be expected to work on-site at the Paul Mellon Centre, Bedford Square, London WC1. However, there may be occasional circumstances (for example, when viewing a potential acquisition) where applicants may be required to work off-site. We are happy to talk about flexible working arrangements offered by the Centre.

Person Specification
Eligibility to Apply
If you can answer “Yes” to these four questions you are eligible to apply:

– I have an undergraduate degree.
– I do not have a postgraduate degree (Postgraduate Diploma, Masters or Doctorate), nor have I embarked on one.
– I have a demonstrable interest in pursuing a career in the archives, library or information professions.
– I have not previously held a graduate trainee post in any field.

To apply for the role you will need to:
– have an undergraduate degree
– have excellent IT skills including a knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and databases
– have good oral and written communication skills
– work to a high level of accuracy
– be committed to providing high standards of customer service
– have the ability to work independently and as part of a team
– demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in the archives, library or information profession

Application Process
Please apply using our web application form available via https://thepaulmelloncentre.hrpartner.io/jobs

If you have any issues applying or have any queries with the web application form, please contact the HR team at recruitment@paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk

Closing Date
The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 11 June 2023.

Interviews
Interviews for the post will be held week commencing Monday 10 July 2023.

Start Date
It is hoped that the successful candidate would be available to start work on Monday 14 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Enquiries
Queries about the post should be addressed to the Centre’s Librarian, at efloyd@paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk