Added on 28/08/25

Job Title: Project Archivist

Location: The Mills Archive Trust, Watlington House, Reading, RG1 4RJ

Responsible to: Archivist

Salary: £29,000-£33,000 per annum FTE, dependent on experience (0.6 FTE equates to £17,400-£19,800 per annum)

Term: 15 months, 3 days a week, on site (0.6 FTE)

Deadline: Tuesday 30th September 2025

The Mills Archive Trust

The Mills Archive Trust is a registered charity which preserves and promotes milling history for people to learn from and enjoy. Established in 2002, we are an accredited archive and a permanent repository for the documentary and photographic records of traditional and contemporary milling and renewable energy. Our archive and library collections cover a variety of related subjects connecting wind, water, flour milling and electricity generation, and showcase the rich diversity of the related crafts, buildings, machinery, equipment and people, in the UK and around the world. We make our collections available for public inspection online and in person.

Purpose of the Role

The Mills Archive Trust is seeking a qualified or nearly qualified Project Archivist to lead the cataloguing of key millwrighting collections as part of ‘The Wright Records: Preserving Millwrighting Heritage’ project, supported by The National Archives and the Swire Charitable Trust. This initiative forms part of the Trust’s wider millwrighting programme aimed at revitalising the endangered craft of traditional millwrighting and preserving the millwrighting records in the care of the Trust. The collections contain thousands of items spanning the early 20th century to the present day, including large-scale technical drawings, correspondence, notebooks, and diaries.

The Project Archivist will work with the Archivist and wider team to arrange, describe, and repackage material to professional standards. The catalogued collections will enrich the Trust’s offering to a wide range of users, from craftspeople and researchers to the general public. Key outputs will include detailed catalogue records, improved user access, and support for related public engagement.

Key Responsibilities

·        Listing and arranging the millwrighting collections and creating catalogue entries on the Trust’s online AtoM archive catalogue, in accordance with ISAD(G) and in-house guidelines.

·        Repackaging the collections in appropriate archival packaging.

·        Reviewing the online milling glossary to provide subject access points for catalogue entries.

·       Assisting the project team with the establishment of a millwrighting network and online hub.

·        Publicising work on the collections through the Trust’s social media accounts, weekly enewsletter and printed materials.

·        Delivering several talks and/or webinars about the project and how to access the collections.

Person Specification

Essential:

•      Has completed or is close to completing postgraduate qualification in archive administration (MA/Diploma).
•          Experience of cataloguing archival collections using specialist archival software
•      Good understanding of archival standards
•          Understanding of the handling and preservation needs of archival records
•          Competent IT user and willing to learn to use new software
•          Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
•          Accuracy and attention to detail
•          Self-motivated with the ability to manage own workload and prioritise tasks to meet deadlines
•          Able to work well as part of a team

 Desirable:

•          Experience handling and cataloguing large architectural drawings
•          Experience working with archives relating to buildings, architecture or engineering
•          Experience using AtoM archival cataloguing software
•          Experience of publicising archives online, in writing or by giving talks

Additional information

The post is based at the Mills Archive Trust in Reading which is accessible by public transport; free parking is also available. The Trust is located in a historic building with limited access for people with mobility issues. We are an equal opportunities employer. Occasional travel and weekend working may be required; reasonable travel expenses will be paid.

To apply please send a CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role to the Archivist, Nathanael Hodge, archivist@millsarchive.org, by 5pm on Tuesday 30th September.

Interviews will be held on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th October at Watlington House, Reading.