Digital Imaging Officer – MAGNT

The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) is the Northern Territory’s premier cultural and scientific institution. It offers a dynamic and diverse arts, science and cultural program to more than 300,000 visitors each year.

We are a museum and gallery known for our collections and expertise in Aboriginal cultures, natural sciences, histories and arts across Northern and Central Australia and our neighbours to the north.

We connect people to the stories of the Northern Territory. Our collection drives curiosity, exploration and partnerships. Our physical spaces are destinations loved by locals and a must-see for Territory visitors. Our digital connectivity expands the reach of our collection. Our guests tell their friends about their distinctive Territorian experience.

MAGNT has seven venues: MAGNT Darwin (Bullocky Point), the Defence of Darwin Experience, Fannie Bay Gaol, Lyons Cottage, the Museum of Central Australia (incorporating the Strehlow Research Centre), Megafauna Central and the Alcoota fossil site. A new Art Gallery opening in Darwin’s CBD in 2024/25 will add an eighth MAGNT site.

About the role:

The Digital Imaging Officer digitises the MAGNT collection, consisting of 2D and 3D artworks, objects, artefacts, historic photography collection and the natural sciences, using an array of professional photographic equipment. The Digital Imaging Officer fulfils internal and external photography requests and undertakes corporate photography to support the broader work of MAGNT.

A key element of the position is photographing works in preparation for the new Northern Territory Art Gallery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Use a range of professional capture devices, lighting and associated software applications to produce high quality digital images of collection items, ensuring that technical specifications, service standards and project targets are met.
• Process, colour manage, name and create derivatives of digital image files in line with national and international best practice and standards.
• Undertake complex and creative studio and location photography to meet corporate needs, including publication, exhibition documentation, portraiture, architecture and marketing photography.
• In association with the Registrar, fulfil internal and external client requests for digital images from MAGNT’s collections.
• Use existing workflow tools to facilitate quality assurance and transfer of files into MAGNT’s digital asset repository (NAS), and make derivatives accessible to MAGNT staff in the Collections Management System (EMu).
• Maintain knowledge of rapidly changing technical developments in photography and digital imaging and make decisions on the acquisition and use of specialist equipment including colour management systems and imaging computers.
• Maintain camera and studio equipment, ensuring computers, firmware and software up to date.
• Undertake a range of administrative duties to support the management of collections at MAGNT and the operations of the Collection Management team.

Selection Criteria:

• Tertiary qualifications in photography and significant experience in a museum, archive, library or art gallery digitisation environment, creating high quality digital files of collection items, and completing photography for events, publications and corporate photographic assignments, using a range of professional camera and lighting equipment.
• High level knowledge of colour management, digital file management and significant experience in camera capture (with DSLR and medium format systems) and image processing on Windows and Macintosh operating systems.
• Significant experience in the handling and care of rare, valuable and fragile collection items.
• Work effectively in an interdisciplinary team environment, and self-manage workload across concurrent projects.
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills at institutional, government and community levels and an ability to interact effectively with people from different cultures and provide advice on digitisation standards, techniques and equipment to community organisations.
• Sound understanding of Work Health Safety (WHS) practises to ensure WHS compliance.

Additional:

• Some weekend and out of hours’ work may be required.
• This role statement is intended to provide an overall view of the role but in addition to this document, the specifics of the role will be described in business work plans.
• MAGNT is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in the workplace.
• MAGNT promotes flexible ways of working including part time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.
• Applicants must have full Australian work rights.
• A valid Australian Drivers licence is required.
• An NT Working with Children (Ochre) card is a requirement of the position.
• Current Australian National Police Check is required prior to commencing the position.