Job profile

Salary: £34,602 - £40,545 per annum 

We are looking for a Senior Conservator – Film Lab to join the BFI’s National Film Archive 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.  

Key responsibilities include: 

• 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 best possible outcomes.  

We are looking for candidates who have: 

• 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.  

A full list of responsibilities and minimum requirements can be found in the job description. 

About the BFI  

We are a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. We believe society needs stories. Film, television and the moving image bring them to life, helping us connect and understand each other better. We share the stories of yesterday, search for the stories of today, and shape the stories of tomorrow. 

At the BFI you’ll enjoy benefits such as excellent support for working parents, 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and additional paid time off at Christmas), tickets to BFI festivals and events plus many others.  

We support diversity and inclusion, and as an organisation recognise that we need to address under representation within our teams. As such we strongly welcome and encourage applicants from our under-represented groups; who identify as D/deaf and disabled and/or are Black and Global Majority. We guarantee a first interview to our under-represented groups who meet our minimum requirements.  

Further details about the role, the BFI and our benefits can be obtained by clicking the links to the left.

Depending on the volume of applications, you may be asked to complete a small task or attend a pre-interview screening call to further to assist the hiring team in shortlisting for this role. In this instance, interview dates may be subject to change.  

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on Wednesday 05 February 2025 

First interviews will be held on Wednesday 12 February 2025 

Second interviews will be held on 26 February 2025