Archive Media Specialist (National Geographic DC)

Job Summary:

This position supports the efficient management, preservation, and accessibility of media and archival assets by coordinating lab order workflows, assisting with archival ingest and curation, and providing operational support to the Archive team. The role is responsible for ensuring lab orders and archival materials are accurate, properly documented, and processed in accordance with established standards and procedures. Working closely with clients, editors, Media Managers, Rights, and Archive staff, the position helps ensure assets are discoverable, compliant with rights and licensing requirements, and available for authorized use. This role also contributes to process consistency and improvement through the creation and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Responsibilities:

This role supports the management, preservation, and accessibility of media and archival assets by overseeing lab order workflows, including order review, clip ownership verification, work order tracking, and coordination with clients and editors to ensure accurate and timely delivery. The position assists with archival ingest and media curation by preparing assets and documentation, supporting ingest workflows, and performing post-ingest review to ensure materials are properly organized, searchable, and discoverable.

The role also provides general operational support to the Archive team by organizing and tracking materials, verifying files against Acquired Footage Logs (AFLs), maintaining project documentation, and identifying relevant media links. In addition, the position coordinates with the Rights team on licensing and rights restrictions, provides backup support for billing and invoicing, and contributes to process consistency through the creation and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Basic Qualifications:

• 3+ years' experience in media archiving, asset management, or media production/post-production or related field.

• Extensive knowledge of file extensions, file codecs, and tape-based formats, such as: Waveform Audio File Format (WAV), Phantom Digital Video File, ProRes, H.265, and H.264

• Candidates must live within commuting distance of the Nat Geo office in DC and be onsite at least four days a week.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to resolve discrepancies and address inquiries efficiently.

• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and project management software such as Airtable.

• Experience using Microsoft Office 365, particularly Excel, for documentation and communication tasks.

• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and/or equivalent work experience.

The hiring range for this position in Washington, D.C. is $59,600 to $79,800 per year based on a 40-hour work week. The amount of hours scheduled per week may vary based on business needs. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.