Duties
The position of Photographic Preservation Specialist (Chief Motion Picture Timer) is a preservation administration/conservator position in the Film Preservation Laboratory of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC), Library Collections and Services Group at the Library of Congress in Culpeper, Virginia. The incumbent uses expert knowledge and skills to preserve and conserve the Library's oldest, most fragile nitrate-base and safety-base motion picture films with a great deal of independence in an exemplary manner. The incumbent maintains high standards of practice as defined by relevant professional associations for the long-term preservation and photochemical duplication of the Library's unique, historic, fragile and irreplaceable collections.
The Library of Congress holds the largest public collection of nitrate-base and safety-based 16mm and 35mm film in the country. The Film Preservation Laboratory is responsible for preserving the collection at the Library’s photochemical film lab. This lab opened at this location in 2007. The laboratory staff inspects and prepares film for printing. The motion picture printers include a BHP contact wet/shrunken (model 7700 RD) and dry/non-shrunken (model 6127) and an Oxberry 1500 wet gate step optical printer for 35mm, 28mm, 22mm, 16mm and Super 16mm, 8mm and Super 8mm blow-up printing to 35mm. The lab also includes photochemical processing for black and white positive and black and white negative, and a 35mm QC theater.
Performs in more than one specialty area. As a motion picture timer, incumbent sets equipment parameters and conducts testing as needed for black and white motion picture film processes. Makes daily densitometer checks by plotting density readings obtained from a pre-calibrated step wedge against standard readings.
Examines and times film for printing, whether for prints, master positive, or duplicate negatives, for both picture image and soundtrack. Selects light intensity to be used for each scene; prepares a punched tape for automatic light change control consistent with the recorded light selections. Assigns the proper gamma level for duplicate negatives to be made from masters or prints. Selects the printing equipment best suited for printing the film in each production job.
As a technical expert, the incumbent assigns jobs to the inspector/printers, tracks the progress of jobs through the lab, gives technical assistance on difficult and complex work problems, and inspects completed work to assure it is of acceptable quality. In addition, they participate in the design of special test equipment when existing equipment fails to provide acceptable results. Modifies testing programs to obtain and evaluate required data under varying operating conditions. Develops innovative procedures and equipment to meet specialized and unique requirements and recommends changes in procedures or equipment when existing procedures and equipment do not produce acceptable quality prints.
Modifies established testing programs to test entire systems. Determines characteristics, capabilities, and limitations and performance of conventional systems. Applicable guides and precedents are available. Establishes a program to test required data under varying operating conditions. Analyzes data for evidence of improper function. Determines cause of malfunction. Analyzes and evaluates the significance of test data and writes an evaluation report of findings and recommendations.
Develops innovative photographic systems and equipment to meet specialized challenges associated with the preservation, conservation, and reproduction of photographic media. Evaluates projects for the application of new technological developments in the field. Addresses unexpected situations, for which no precedents exist, nor any relevant preservation, conservation, or reproduction procedures.
Evaluates work representing the most difficult and most unusual problems with preservation of audio and moving image materials. Evaluates the technical quality of audio and moving image preservation materials. Evaluates such image factors as proper image registration, density, gamma, critical focus, granularity and gradation, as well as audio synchronization, sibilance, modulation, noise, and frequency range to determine if they meet archival standards of quality.
Determines the correct light value for each scene, the printing equipment that can best duplicate the original nitrate-base and safety-base film, and the proper gamma to control the developing of the film.
The position description number for this position is 056784.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
The incumbent of this position will work a flextime work schedule.
This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.
Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.
How to Apply
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position.
You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers three options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
(1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement.
(2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
Next steps
Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.