Project Archivist - National Soils Map Archive in Aberdeen

Thanks to National Lottery players.

Hutton Unearthed is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to safeguard this unique heritage, making it accessible to all and ensuring that the knowledge and stories behind it are not lost.

Background to Project

Hutton Unearthed will create a new national soil maps archive that will support and enhance public education, research collaborations and innovative digital storytelling. By restoring, curating and archiving the invaluable Soil Survey of Scotland collection – land data collected since 1947 – Hutton will create an Open Science resource for future generations whilst ensuring Scotland’s environmental heritage is preserved and made fit for future policy making decisions and land management strategies.

Job Purpose

The Project Archivist will act as the professional lead for the development, preservation, interpretation, and accessibility of the National Soils Map Archive, a nationally significant collection documenting Scotland's environmental history and land use. Working with a high degree of autonomy and professional judgement, the post holder will lead the archival assessment, cataloguing, preservation, and digitisation strategy for complex and historically important collections.

The post holder will undertake a comprehensive condition and collections survey, developing evidence-based recommendations for prioritisation, conservation, digitisation, metadata standards, and long-term stewardship. They will provide specialist advice on archival practice, digital preservation, collections management, and public engagement, ensuring that the archive becomes a sustainable research resource supporting Open Science, environmental research, policy development, and public understanding.

As the archive's professional specialist, the post holder will oversee archival workflows, supervise project support staff and any volunteers, and establish standards that ensure the collection is managed in accordance with recognised archival, conservation, and information governance best practice.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Archive Leadership

• Lead the professional development and implementation of archival policies, procedures, and standards for the National Soils Map Archive.
• Develop and deliver a collection management framework covering appraisal, arrangement, description, preservation, digitisation, and access.
• Provide expert professional advice on archival and records management issues, preservation priorities, and collection development.

Collections Assessment and Preservation

• Conduct a detailed condition, significance, and risk assessment of the collection and develop a prioritised programme of preservation interventions.
• Define and implement archival preservation and conservation strategies for unique, fragile, and high-value materials.
• Establish and monitor quality assurance standards across all cataloguing, conservation, digitisation, and documentation activities.
• Identify and assess risks relating to collection care, storage environments, handling procedures, and digital preservation.

Cataloguing and Information Management

• Lead the intellectual control and cataloguing of the collection in accordance with recognised archival and metadata standards.
• Design and implement appropriate metadata schemas, authority controls, and cataloguing methodologies to maximise discoverability and research value.
• Manage archival databases and digital asset management systems, ensuring data quality, integrity, and long-term accessibility.
• Develop documentation and workflows that support sustainable archive management beyond the life of the project.

Research and Public Engagement

• Undertake and lead original collections-based research to enhance understanding of the archive's provenance, significance, and potential applications.
• Develop innovative approaches to public engagement and interpretation.
• Build productive relationships with researchers, academic institutions, community groups, heritage organisations, and other external stakeholders.
• Represent the project at professional meetings, conferences, workshops, and sector networks.

Leadership and Oversight

• Supervise, mentor, and provide technical guidance to the Archives Assistant, volunteers, and project contributors.
• Monitor work programmes and ensure activities are delivered to agreed standards, timelines, and project objectives.
• Contribute specialist expertise to project reporting, funding outcomes, and future sustainability planning.

Person Specification (Essential)

• Degree level qualification in Archives or Library and Information Studies, or equivalent professional qualification and experience.
• Professional accreditation or eligibility for accreditation with a recognised archival or information management body.
• Significant professional experience (typically 5+ years) managing archival, special collections, or heritage collections in a professional environment.
• Demonstrable expertise in archival standards, cataloguing frameworks, metadata creation, and collections management systems.
• Proven experience of planning and delivering archive preservation, digitisation, or digital preservation projects.
• Strong understanding of conservation principles and risk management relating to archival materials.
• Experience supervising staff, trainees, volunteers, or project teams.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound professional judgement on complex collections management issues.
• Excellent analytical, research, report-writing, and communication skills.
• Knowledge of copyright, intellectual property, data protection, information governance, and archival ethics.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with researchers, professional stakeholders, and public audiences.

Person Specification (Desirable)

• Experience managing nationally significant or geographically distributed archival collections.
• Experience working with cartographic, scientific, environmental, or geospatial collections.
• Knowledge of archival description standards such as ISAD(G), ISAAR(CPF), DACS, or related frameworks.
• Experience with digital preservation standards and trusted digital repository principles.
• Demonstrable success in delivering public engagement, outreach, or exhibition projects.
• Experience contributing to grant-funded heritage, archives, or digitisation initiatives.
• Knowledge of GIS, cartographic records management, or spatial data documentation.
• Established professional networks within the archives, library, heritage, or information management sectors.

Additional notes/Requirements

• You must have the right to work in the UK.

Employee benefits include:

• Generous holiday entitlement up to 40.5 days a year, with carry over possible and guaranteed time-off for Christmas.
• Employer Contribution of 15% in a personal pension plan and employee contribution flexibility.
• Self-managed hours and flexible working.
• A confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Cycle to work scheme.
• James Hutton Group Life Scheme.
• iHasco eLearning.
• Apple and Microsoft discount.
• Free onsite parking.
• On site canteen facilities.
• Social club.
• Credit union.
• Gym membership discounts.

We will not consider the use of 3rd party recruitment agencies for the sourcing of candidates for this position.

The James Hutton Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

The James Hutton Institute is a: Stonewall Diversity Champion; Athena SWAN Silver Status Holder; Disability Confident Committed Employer and a Living Wage Employer.

The James Hutton Institute is Happy to Talk Flexible Working.