Digital Archivist
Career GuideKey Responsibilities
- Select and appraise digital materials for long term preservation
- Ingest digital files and capture required descriptive information
- Create and maintain metadata to support search and discovery
- Apply file naming and folder standards for consistent organization
- Plan and run digital preservation workflows
- Monitor file integrity and run fixity checks
- Manage storage, backups, and retention schedules
- Support access requests and publish materials to access platforms
- Document policies, procedures, and decision logs
- Address privacy, rights, and sensitive content handling
- Coordinate digitization handoffs and quality checks
- Collaborate with IT, records teams, and collection owners
Top Skills for Success
Digital Preservation
Metadata Creation
Collection Management
Information Organization
Records Management
File Format Knowledge
Data Integrity Management
Repository Management
Quality Assurance
Documentation
Rights Management
Privacy Awareness
Stakeholder Communication
Project Management
Scripting Basics
Career Progression
Can Lead To
Digital Archivist
Digital Preservation Specialist
Metadata Librarian
Records Manager
Digital Collections Manager
Transition Opportunities
Digital Preservation Manager
Head of Digital Collections
Repository Manager
Information Governance Manager
Data Steward
Content Operations Manager
Common Skill Gaps
Often Missing Skills
Digital Preservation PlanningMetadata Standards KnowledgeRepository Platform ExperienceScripting BasicsRights ManagementPrivacy AwarenessWorkflow Automation
Development SuggestionsBuild a small preservation workflow using sample collections, practice writing clear metadata, and learn one repository tool. Add basic scripting to automate simple checks like file lists and checksums. Seek projects that include rights review, access decisions, and documentation.
Salary & Demand
Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 50,000 to 70,000
Mid LevelUSD 70,000 to 95,000
Senior LevelUSD 95,000 to 130,000
Growth Trend
Steady demand, driven by digitization, records compliance, and the need to preserve born digital materials across libraries, universities, government, healthcare, and media.Companies Hiring
Major Employers
National Archives and Records AdministrationLibrary of CongressSmithsonian InstitutionBritish LibraryThe National ArchivesGoogleMicrosoftAdobeNetflixThe New York TimesKaiser PermanenteMayo ClinicDeloitte
Industry Sectors
LibrariesMuseumsUniversitiesGovernmentHealthcareMedia and PublishingTechnologyConsultingCorporate Archives
Recommended Next Steps
1
Create a portfolio with a sample ingest workflow, metadata examples, and a preservation plan2
Learn a digital repository platform and document what you configured and why3
Practice fixity checks and version tracking on a real or sample collection4
Take a short course in metadata and digital preservation fundamentals5
Build basic scripting skills to automate repetitive tasks6
Join a professional community and attend a local meetup or webinar7
Target roles in libraries, universities, government, healthcare, and media where digital collections are growing