Ottawa (Downtown), ON, CA
Student, Archives
Take a central role
The Bank of Canada has a vision to be a leading central bank—dynamic, engaged and trusted—committed to a better Canada. No other employer in the country offers you the unique opportunity to work at the very center of Canada’s economy, in an organization with significant impact on the economic and financial well-being of all Canadians. You will be challenged, energized and motivated to excel in our environment.
Building on the principles that have always guided us – excellence, integrity and respect – we strive to be forward-looking and innovative, to welcome people with diverse perspectives and talents, and to earn trust by living up to our commitments and by clearly explaining the intent of our policies and actions.
With our defined-benefit pension plan, benefits, and high flexibility for work life balance - find out more about why we are annually ranked as one of Canada's top employers: Working Here - Bank of Canada
Find out more about the next steps in our Recruitment process.
What you will do
Reporting to the Assistant Director, IM Lifecycle and Collaboration and working under the direction of the Bank Archivist, you will, as a Student, Archives, work closely with the Archives team to support core archival functions that preserve and provide access to the Bank’s historical records. You will assist with both physical and digital archival workflows, contribute to service delivery, and help maintain the integrity, quality, and accessibility of the archival collection.
Specifically, you will:
- Assist with accessing, retrieving, and storing records, both on-site and off-site.
- Support data quality improvements for archival accession records, including entering accession/deaccession information into the database and reconciling incomplete or inaccurate information.
- Apply archival descriptions following the Rules of Archival Description (RAD) as required.
- Help process the photographic collection, including assigning and maintaining numbering systems.
- Participate in service improvement discussions as the Archives continues its digital transformation.
- Respond to inquiries from internal clients, validating information needs and providing access to historical records in line with established service standards.
- Assist with maintaining and improving physical storage areas, ensuring they remain clean, accessible, and compliant with archival handling and preservation practices.
What you need to succeed
You have strong attention to detail, curiosity, and an interest in archival work. You enjoy organizing information, supporting clients, and contributing to improvements in how records are accessed, described, and preserved. You are comfortable working independently and as part of a small, collaborative team.
It would be great if you had knowledge or experience in these areas:
- Archival principles and practices, including arrangement and description
- Rules for Archival Description (RAD)
- Data entry, quality control, and metadata accuracy
- Working with physical records, including handling, rehousing, or inventory work
- Searching for and retrieving information from databases or recordkeeping systems
- Providing client service in an information, archives, or research environment
Nice-to-have
- Experience with digital records, digital preservation concepts, or digitization workflows
- Familiarity with photographic or audio-visual collections
- Ability to work safely with boxed records and storage equipment
- Knowledge of Canadian history or government institutions
Your education and experience
To qualify, you must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree or diploma program — such as library and information studies, archival studies, information management, history, or a related field — and you must be returning to school in the next academic term. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Innovative Mindset
We value candidates who demonstrate adaptability, curiosity, and a willingness to learn new technologies, including AI and digital tools. We seek individuals who can think critically about data, question existing processes, and find ways to simplify our work while embracing change and new ways of doing things.
Language requirement
The Bank’s work environment is conducive to the use of both of Canada’s official languages - English and French. Although the position language requirement is English or French essential, we do encourage everyone to improve second their language proficiency for future career growth and to contribute towards fostering a bilingual environment.
What you need to know
- This position is full-time (37.5 hours per week)
- Priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents
- Security level required: Be eligible to obtain Reliability
- There will be no relocation assistance provided
- Please save a copy of the job poster. Once the closing date has passed, it will no longer be available.
Hybrid Work Model
The Bank offers work arrangements that provide employees with flexibility, enable high-performing teams, and support an excellent workplace culture. Most employees can telework from home for a portion of each month as part of the Bank’s hybrid work model, and they are expected on site at the Bank location a minimum of 12 days per month to help build connections between colleagues. You must live in Canada, and within reasonable commuting distance of the office.
What you can expect from us
This is a great opportunity to join a leading organization and be part of a high-performing team.
- Salary $22.84 hourly (job grade Student B)
We wish to thank all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.