JOB DESCRIPTION

REFERENCE: CONS/8/2025/TA-AST/COMM.2.C
UNIT/TEAM: INFORMATION SERVICES UNIT – COUNCIL ARCHIVES
CONTRACT TYPE: TEMPORARY AGENT
GRADE: AST3
LOCATION: BRUSSELS
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 25/08/2025 AT 12:00 (CEST)
We are opening a Call for expressions of interest for a Digital Archivist.
WE ARE
The Council Archives are part of the Information Services Unit, which is part of the Information and Outreach Directorate
within the Directorate-General for Communication and Information (COMM).
The Council Archives Team is responsible for maintaining comprehensive records of all activities undertaken by the
European Council and the Council of the European Union. The service acquires, appraises, describes, organises and
preserves records and files, ensuring their accessibility to the public.
In addition to its primary function, the team provides invaluable support to researchers and public as well as to various
institutions within the European Union (EU). It facilitates access to the historical records of the Council, contributing to
the dissemination of the Institution’s historical memory.
Composed of 13 staff members, professionals in the field of the Archival Science and Information Management, the
Council Archives Team stands out as a motivated and talented group, pursuing its mission in a friendly atmosphere and
adopting a ‘can-do’ attitude.
To find out more about the Council Archives, please click on this link.
The Council Archives belongs to The General Secretariat of the Council (GSC) the body responsible for assisting two EU
institutions: the European Council and the Council of the EU, including its Presidencies, the Permanent Representatives
Committee (Coreper) and the other Council committees and working parties.
The GSC organises and ensures the coherence of the Council’s work and the implementation of its 18-month
programme. In summary, the GSC plays a vital role in ensuring effective functioning and coordination within the EU’s
decision-making bodies.
Vacancy notice
Digital Archivist
⸺
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 25/08/2025
GSC PUBLIC
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WE OFFER
In the evolving landscape of information management, e-archiving has become a crucial process for ensuring the
longevity and integrity of digital collections and ensuring their accessibility for future generations.
As a digital archivist, you will play an essential role in the management, preservation, and accessibility of digital records
and information. The job requires a deep understanding of digital preservation requirements and standards, balancing
technical proficiency with a nuanced understanding of archival principles, using specific software and methodologies.
You will be involved in developing and implementing digital preservation strategies to ensure the long-term accessibility
and integrity of digital materials.
You will also play a key role in the acquisition and implementation of a digital long-term preservation system, managing
the ingestion, indexation, and metadata creation.
You will be responsible for the organisation, storage, and retrieval of digital assets, assessing their compliance with
relevant policies and standards, conducting regular audits and appraisals on digital collections to identify preservation
needs.
You will oversee the maintenance and optimisation of the corporate archival management system.
You will engage collaborations with IT and other stakeholders to enhance storage solutions, overseeing the technical
infrastructure supporting digital collections.
You will promote a digital culture and provide training and support to staff and users on digital archiving tools and best
practices, ensuring the consistency and trustfulness as regards issues relating to metadata creation, file format
obsolescence, storage systems and technological changes to preserve the authenticity and usability of digital records
over time.
You will advocate for and implement emerging technologies in digital archiving, including AI and machine learning for
enhanced processing and accessibility.
We are offering a dynamic position, where team spirit and collegiality are core values and where initiative and
inventiveness as well as personal development are actively encouraged. Various training courses are available, allowing
you to integrate more quickly into the new work environment. Our staff enjoy a good work-life balance through flexible
working hours and teleworking arrangements in line with the needs of the service.
You can discover the GSC’s core values and culture here.
Your main tasks
Your duties as a Digital Archivist in the Council Archives may include the following:
• Collaborate in the acquisition and implementation of digital long term-preservation system;
• Maintain and optimise the corporate archival management system
• Guarantee the organisation, storage, and retrieval of digital assets, assessing their compliance with relevant
policies and standards.
Working conditions
Teleworking is possible according to the rules of GSC. We do not work in an open-space environment although you
should expect to share an office. We do not expect the jobholder to participate in missions.
WE ARE LOOKINGFOR
Eligibility criteria1

To be considered eligible, you must meet all the criteria listed below:
• be national of a Member State of the European Union;
• enjoy your full rights as citizen;
• meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
1 Only candidates who comply with the eligibility criteria will be considered.
GSC PUBLIC
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• be physically fit enough to perform the duties involved;
• be below retirement age, which for officials and agents of the EU is set at the end of the month in which the age
of 66 is reached;
• have fulfilled any military service obligations required by national laws;
• have knowledge of at least two official EU languages2
, one at minimum C1 level (thorough knowledge) and the
other at minimum B2 level (satisfactory knowledge)3
;
Qualifications and experience
a. you must have a level of education corresponding to:
− a level of completed post-secondary education of at least three years in Archival Science, Information Science,
or a related field attested by a diploma, followed by at least three years’ professional experience relevant to
the duties, or
− a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education, followed by
at least six years’ professional experience relevant to the duties,
NB: Diplomas, whether issued in a Member State or in a non-EU country, must be recognised by an official body of an EU
Member State, such as the ministry of education.
Selection criteria
We are looking for colleagues with the following competences:
• good knowledge of digital preservation strategies, metadata standards (such as Dublin Core, PREMIS), and
archival practices.
• experience with digital asset management systems and archival software.
• good digital skills, willingness to adapt to new technologies, in particular to familiarise yourself with
collaborative tools;
• proactive self-management and a learning mindset;
• a sense of initiative and critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills;
• the ability to work in a team and to establish and maintain good contacts with a wide range of interlocutors;
• a strong ability to take action and deliver results, with accuracy and attention to detail even under pressure;
• excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• knowledge of English and French, an excellent command of one (level C1) and a satisfactory command of the
other (level B2) is needed l4
.
The following would be advantageous:
• familiarity with emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence, machine learning etc.) in the context of
digital preservation;
• drafting skills and capacity to communicate technical and specialised information;
• knowledge of the functioning of the GSC, its procedures and working methods and its relations with other
institutions.
Specific requirements
• the post requires security clearance allowing access to classified documents (EU SECRET level). Candidates
applying for the post must be prepared to undergo security screening in accordance with Council Decision
2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013.
2
The EU has 24 official languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian,
Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish.
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Please note that the minimum levels required above must apply to each linguistic ability (speaking, writing, reading and listening). These abilities reflect those
of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages….
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The GSC mostly uses English or French for internal and interinstitutional communication, as well as for communication with non-EU countries, candidate
countries to the EU, and external stakeholders.
Staff in the GSC also use specific IT tools and other software to perform a variety of tasks (managing documents, handling internal procedures, organising official
travel, disseminating information, etc.). These tools, and the training necessary to use them, are solely available in English or French.
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HOW TO APPLY 4
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You must apply online through the EU CV Online platform within the specified deadline.
How to register via EU CV Online
To be able to apply via the EU CV Online database, you must first create an account (or sign into your existing
account) and fill in an e-CV online. Once you have completed your e-CV, you can apply to this call for expressions of
interest. Applications must be in English or French. You are advised to complete all relevant fields, include your
motivation statement.
Please make sure that your CV matches the references and supporting documents you will be required to provide
(diplomas, certificates, contracts, etc.). You may be asked to provide supporting documents at any time during the
selection procedure.
An acknowledgement of your application will be sent to the email address indicated in your application.
Only applications submitted through EU CV Online will be considered.
Technical issues or questions concerning your application should be reported through the EU CV Online contact
page. If you have any further questions, please contact the Temporary Staffing Services Office of the Council of the
EU via [email protected] clearly indicating the reference number of this Vacancy notice, your
registration number and the nature of your request.