Archivist

An archivist manages, preserves, and provides access to historical documents, records, and cultural materials held in galleries, libraries, museums, or government institutions. They apply conservation and cataloguing standards to organise collections, conduct archival research, and assist patrons in locating and interpreting source materials. The role requires technical knowledge of preservation techniques, metadata standards, and often involves digitisation of primary historical sources.

Appraise historical documents, records, and artefacts to determine retention, disposal, or transfer using Australian archival standards and guidelines from the Australian Society of Archivists. Catalogue and index archival materials using descriptive metadata standards such as Dublin Core or EAD (Encoded Archival Description) to enable discovery and retrieval. Assess preservation condition of documents, photographs, and records and implement conservation measures including environmental controls, acid-free housing, and pest management. Digitise archival materials using imaging equipment and scanning technology, applying quality standards and metadata to create digital surrogates. Develop and maintain finding aids, registers, and online discovery systems to assist researchers and patrons in locating and accessing collections. Conduct provenance research to establish the origin, ownership, and historical context of archival materials and cultural items. Manage archival databases and repository management systems such as Recollect or Accessioner to track collection holdings, accessions, and loans. Comply with privacy legislation and information access laws including the Privacy Act 1988 and applicable Freedom of Information frameworks when managing sensitive records.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The job market is tiny and concentrated in major cities, so relocating is often required. Entry-level positions are scarce and many institutions only hire people with specific archival qualifications or prior experience in the field.

Regional centres have very few positions. Remote work is uncommon due to the hands-on nature of collection management and the need to work in physical archive spaces.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2242, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Data Entry and Accuracycore
• Digital Literacycore
• Electronic Document Managementcore
• Objective ECM (Electronic Content Management)core
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Process Documentationcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Verification and Authenticationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Correspondence Drafting
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Microsoft SharePoint Administration
• Process Improvement Identification
• Stakeholder Communication
• Time Management and Prioritisation

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026