Senior Conservator - Film Laboratory

Salary: £34,602 - 40,545

The BFI is looking for a Senior Conservator – Film Lab to join the National Film Archive team in Berkhamsted.

The Senior Conservator will plan and carry out film laboratory photochemical activities to specified standards within the BFI National Archive Film Laboratory team, to achieve good collections care and complete requests resulting from conservation, collections access, curatorial strategy, and business projects. They will also collaborate in restoration and remastering projects with colleagues from conservation and other departments, as well as BFI Supplier framework, other archives and collection organisations.  

Role details

• Full-time
• Permanent
• For full details, please visit the BFI’s job portal

Role responsibilities

• Carry out and approve photochemical and digital-to-film reproduction projects, including through wet gate systems, to specified quality standards; check and document the results including direct entry of information to the Axiell Collections database.  
• Examine, assess and prepare film material, interpret technical records and implement appropriate technical action, including diagnosis and correction. Use innovative and creative solutions drawing on knowledge of duplication and the full range of lab equipment to complete technical work.  
• Carry out chemical analysis and chemical mixing, as necessary, maintaining Lab Aim Density through the evaluation of photographic/sensitometric data, using appropriate equipment such as a sensitometer and a densitometer.  
• Maintain awareness of developments in photochemical reproduction and restoration subject area. As necessary, undertake historical technical research to ensure the best possible outcomes. 

Person specifications

• Thorough understanding of the generational relationships between a wide range of film elements and related film laboratory processes.  
• Experience of the technological challenges of operating historical and contemporary equipment to ensure preservation of our analogue film collections. 
• Appreciation of processes for transferring image data to film materials.  
• Strong organisational skills and experience of scheduling and negotiating with colleagues and external partners, stakeholders and suppliers, particularly around appropriate levels of conservation required prior to delivery of photochemical outcomes.

How to apply

For full details and to apply, please visit the BFI’s job portal

First interviews will be held on Wednesday, 12 February 2025 

Second interviews will be held on Wednesday, 26 February 2025 

The closing date for this position is 05/02/2025 at 23:59