Associate General Archives

Since 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked to preserve human dignity and relieve suffering caused by war and armed violence.

The ICRC Archives hold the institutional, operational, and diplomatic records documenting the ICRC's history, development, activities, and missions since 1863. Records up to 1975 are open to the public and are an essential resource for researchers in the field of Humanitarianism, the history of armed conflicts, and the development of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Records created after 1975 are widely consulted internally by all departments.

The Archives, which contain large quantities of both paper and digital-born documents, are currently undergoing a digital transformation to increase their accessibility and searchability.

Under the supervision of the Head of General Archives and the Digital Archivists, the Associate in the General Archives will support the ICRC Archives' mission and take part in the ongoing digitization project and related data-driven activities.

• Support the selection, classification, and cataloging of ICRC audiovisual and textual records.
• Support the ongoing development and the fine-tuning of the ICRC Ontology (based at the Records in Contexts Ontology), participating in the metadata mapping and enhancement processes.
• Support access and research in response to internal requests.
• Support data entry, metadata cleaning, standardization of taxonomies and controlled vocabularies, and migration of records from legacy systems to new environments.
• Participate in testing and refining digital preservation strategies, including backup routines, disaster recovery plans, and the new digital preservation system.
• Contribute to the development and updating of documentation, workflows, and user manuals for digital preservation processes.

• Degree from a university or higher education institution (HEG) in Archival Studies, Records Management, Information Management, Library Studies, Data Management, or a related field.
• Excellent written and oral English and French (minimum C1).
• Knowledge and understanding of the principles of archival and records management, access, and preservation.
• Solid digital archiving skills. Tech-savvy, with a strong interest in metadata, ontologies, and data-driven workflows.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to collaborate with colleagues in other departments.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to perform repetitive tasks.

Location:

Geneva, Switzerland

Activity rate: 100%

Start date:

4 January 2027

Length of assignment: 12 months

Visa/permit:
Legitimation Card - Provided

Gross monthly salary: CHF 3'934 (paid in 13 installments)

Final date to receive applications:
Sunday, 25 October 2026

Please note:

This traineeship is open to candidates with a maximum professional experience of two years, of which no more than one year is in a full-time paid position after completion of studies.

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this page.