Archive Photographer Trainee

• Number of Openings 1
• Banding Grade 1

Starting salary:£27,740 pro rata, per year
Contract type:Fixed term for 12 months
Grade:1
Location:John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 9NX

Working Hours:35 hours per week
Interviews:To be held on Week Commencing 27 July 2026 or 03 August 2026

You will be a part of a team of three staff focussed on delivering a quality photographic and digitisation service of material in the archive, for external users, as well as internal business needs. You will receive training in archival photography techniques, scanning, studio photography, workflows, application of software programmes, archive handling and historic photography methods. You will gain considerable insight into the role photography and digitisation plays in preservation and access, and how to apply sector standards and good practice to achieve this.

This post will be part of a wider programme of Conservation Trainee ships. Trainees will have the opportunity to gain experience in their chosen field of conservation, increase knowledge of the wider conservation sector, expand their professional network and have access to a wide range of learning resources and opportunities from the Engine Shed, Scotland’s dedicated Building Conservation Centre.

• Enrolment onto a Civil Service Pension scheme – 28% employer contribution
• 25 days annual leave, pro-rata (increasing to 30 days after 3 years) + 11.5 public holidays
• Reimbursement for relevant professional subscriptions
• Support for further education and personal development
• Study leave for work related courses
• Flexible working hours (where appropriate)
• Free entry to all of our properties (with up to three guests)
• Free entry to English Heritage, Manx and Cadw properties

This is a training and development role for someone starting their career in the digital heritage sector which will build on basic knowledge and give opportunities to learn. All appropriate training and equipment will be provided.

Your day-to-day duties will include:

• Preparing high quality images from the HES Archive for online access, preservation, publication, exhibition and public orders.
• Supporting the delivery of the digitisation of HES’s archive material and archiving resultant files to agreed and documented standards to ensure preservation.
• Liaising with the Conservation team to ensure safe handling of material.
• Understanding and following good practice and standards in digitisation, including workflows, image capture, metadata, storage and retrieval.
• Assist with the maintenance of equipment.
• Assist with project planning, assembling performance indicators, monitoring and purchasing materials when required.

For this role, you will be based at John Sinclair House, Edinburgh. During your traineeship, you will have the opportunity to work across different teams within HES, attend site visits and assist on outreach projects.

All travel expenses will be covered for additional travel from your base location (John Sinclair House), and all necessary training and equipment will be provided. Please note your standard commute will be at your own expense.

In order for you to be successful in this post, we will be looking for you to complete a cover letter which addresses:

Please ensure that you provide real life examples for each of the criteria to be considered for this post. You can use examples of how you have met this criteria from your work life, home life, education or volunteer experience.
CV and Cover Letter Guidance first before completing, as you will only be eligible for selection if you use examples of how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.

• A relevant qualification in Photography, Visual Communication, Digital Design and Development or related field ( SCQF Level 8 or equivalent).
• A strong interest in photography and digitisation.
• Experience of…