Archives Unit - Post A: Archivist

As a trainee in the Directorate-General for the Presidency (DG PRES), you will be part of a DG, which has a crucial role in a wide spectrum of the European Parliament's (EP) activities. Our DG is involved in the legislative process from the very beginning, when the legislative initiatives are submitted to the EP, and throughout the process, during which our lawyer linguists ensure the quality of the legislative texts, accompanying members and committees in their work. 

We are in charge of the organisation and documentation of the plenary sessions, and also deal with the relations with other EU institutions. Furthermore, our DG provides services to the members, regarding both administrative matters and their political activity, such as parliamentary questions to the other institutions.

We are also at the service of citizens and the public, dealing with public access to documents and relations with interest representatives, are responsible for the archives of the European Parliament, and are responsible for the official mail of the President and the Secretary General. The EP's protocol service, dealing with, among other things, the reception of visiting dignitaries and delegations and the preparation of visits outside Parliament by the President and the main EP bodies, is also part of our DG.

The main activities of the Archives Unit  are:

Processing archives to ensure their integrity and readability over time: identifying and referencing each document, managing files according to a classification system, managing procedures related to archiving activities, defining file plans, organizing archive fonds, ensuring accessibility and compliance with regulations in force, and preserving the memory of the European Parliament.

Preserving files transferred to the Archives as evidence of the European Parliament's activities with a view to establishing compliance with its legal obligations. Acquisition and receipt of documents transferred to the Archives, organization and management of storage space for preservation purposes, preparation of transfers to the Historical Archives of the European Union, archiving of European Parliament’s incoming/outgoing mail.

Carry out digital archiving to ensure the integrity and readability of digital archives over time: management of the archive management system and its integration into the European Parliament's information system, making communicable archives available online, management of digital storage spaces, and management of preservation formats. Creating and using AI tools for making the European Parliament’s public archives accessible, facilitating research and for improving the processing of digital and physical archives.

Documentary research (making documents available to departments for internal purposes and to the department responsible for public access to documents, research in response to requests from citizens under Regulation (EC) No.1049/2001), promotion of archives through any other means of documentary, editorial, or academic dissemination (publications, exhibitions, oral history, events, information sessions), and organizing study visits.

Main tasks during the internship in the Archives Unit:

• Inventory, analysis and archival description, indexing, and creation of finding aids;
• Analysis and pre-processing of digital archives (analysis, sorting, intellectual organization of sets of documents and archives – classification);
• Simple and complex research using the archive management system;
• Quality control of data recorded in the archiving system (identification of anomalies, correction of metadata, database entry, uploading of digital documents).

Education and Experience

• A degree attesting the completion of a full university-level course of study in the field of archiving, records management, digital preservation, or information management;

or

• A university-level degree in another field, but with at least one month of work experience in the field of archives.

Language Skills

• Very good knowledge of either French or English (minimum level B2).

Knowledge in the Field of Information Technology

• Knowledge of information technologies, particularly in the area of databases and document management software applied to archives or the management/preservation of documents.

The European Parliament is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We welcome all candidates, regardless of their geographical, racial or ethnic origin, political or religious beliefs, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, civil status, or family situation.