Digitization Technician - Jersey City, United States - Picturae

Description

Summary:

Picturae is looking to hire a Digitization Technician to work on digitizing multiple archival collections onsite in our Jersey City studio.

As a digitization technician, you will ensure that all objects are carefully and efficiently digitized with our imaging systems. You will be performing regular quality checks and ensuring target metrics are met each day. Occasionally, you may serve as a support member for various roles including marketing and sales support.


About Picturae:

Picturae is an established digitization service provider that works with both public and private institutions to make cultural heritage and natural history collections digitally accessible for scientific research and public access.

Picturae has more than two decades of experience digitizing cultural heritage collections and setting up onsite projects with locally hired and trained staff.

The expertise gained by our international team through the performance of dozens of digitization projects includes best practices for digitizing photographs, bound volumes, slides, negatives, documents, mixed media, herbarium specimens, entomology specimens, and a multitude of other collection types and formats.

From beginning to end, we plan and manage our clients' digitization initiatives including consulting, concept development, imaging, transcription, crowdsourcing, storage, hosting, digital asset management, and website development.

Originally founded in 1997, Picturae's success in the Netherlands led to an ongoing expansion of our clientele base into France, the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Canada, Australia, and the United States.

In 2017, Picturae Inc opened a permanent digitization studio at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City to accommodate our growing North American business portfolio.

We have provided our services to a number of prominent US institutions including Yale University, The Frick Collection, Harvard University, The National Gallery of Art, Dumbarton Oaks, and multiple Smithsonian museums.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:


Background information:

Digitization will be done using a rapid capture system engineered to facilitate high-quality digitization. The innovative Picturae digitization studio is characterized by its semi-automated and highly customizable processes.

Operators will be responsible for keeping the throughput rate of the project at a consistently high pace while paying continuous attention to the quality of the images.

Regular quality assurance testing of the digital imaging systems is conducted using objective testing tools, methodologies, and test plans. The workflow shall include regular test imaging of specified test targets to be measured against standards.

During the production phase, work may enter the remediation phase wherein rework shall be addressed through trouble-shooting, analysis and ultimately re-shooting until quality levels are met.

Training:

Before starting, operators will be required to undergo training from the project manager, which includes: training for handling historical artifacts such as documents, books, and photographs, training in using digitization systems, and software training.

Language Skills Ability:

Ability to interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.


Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.


Computer Skills:

Basic computer skills are required for successful performance in this position. Understanding of image-processing workflows and basic scripting is preferred - or a willingness to learn. Experience with photography software such as Photoshop is a plus.


Other Qualifications:

• Attentive to detail, have a high degree of manual dexterity
• Must have exceptional organizational skills and be able to keep track of daily progress
• Must be a conscientious individual who takes pride in their work, with the ability to work efficiently at a high pace
• Collaborative attitude
• Must be selfmotivated, work well with specified targets and communicate timely with project management when issues arise
• A pragmatic and practical attitude
• Ability to navigate hardware and software in order to assess the quality and identify potential issues or possibilities for improvement
• Photography experience and knowledge, including working with analogue formats, is highly preferred
• Previous experience in digitization projects and/ or collections handling is appreciated
• Preferred: degree in Art History, Photography, or studies in Library Science. Understanding of digital photographic capture fundamentals and editing workflows.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a techn