INDEXING MANAGER and DIGITAL VIDEO SPECIALIST

Alexander Street Press is an award-winning publisher of electronic databases and collections in the humanities, located in Alexandria, VA.  We are recognized by our customers and peers for producing collections of outstanding quality. We see understanding customer needs and delivering high quality and innovative products as the root of our success.

We are rapidly expanding into the area of video and, as one of the leading vendors of streaming video into libraries, we are developing a number of unique, cutting edge technologies for enabling scholars to study video.  These include methods to enable video to be bookmarked, keyword searchable and semantically indexed.  You can learn more about our approach at http://www.alexanderstreet.com/products/cves.htm.

We're looking for someone to work in our Production Department, leading a team of indexers to process a broad range of materials for our databases including video, audio, text, and images.  You will also act as our in-house expert for video production, working closely with editorial and technical development staff as needed to develop new tools and processes to improve our ability to transform the use of video in scholarship, as well as coaching your colleagues.  Above all, you will get the opportunity to grow in a dynamic environment with highly skilled colleagues.

Qualifications and experience: The successful candidate will have an advanced degree in either Humanities or Information Science, and be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the issues and technologies relevant to humanities scholarship and to video streaming.  The ideal candidate will have 2-5 years of experience in the following areas:

1.  Video Digitization/Editing

• Required – hands-on experience in digitizing video from physical formats like VHS, Super 8 and U-matic and older tape formats such as 8/16/35mm

• Preferred - experience in handling, inspection and repair of archival film and video materials, including knowledge of film elements and film preservation procedures.

2.      Video Editing

• Required – experience in video editing using basic tools like Windows Movie Maker, iMovie or Virtual Dub.

• Preferred – experience with professional tools like Avid, Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro.

3.      Video Encoding

• Required – experience in encoding digital video using codecs like MPEG-4 and Sorenson Squeeze for Flash, including optimizing image quality and bitrates across masters of varying quality like analog transfers.

• Preferred – expertise in encoding video for variable bit rate delivery via Flash

4.      Video Cataloging

• Required – experience in researching and capturing basic video metadata for bibliographic citation, including familiarity with citation formats.

• Preferred – experience in subject classification of sequences within a video title, including any tools developed to automate/facilitate that process.

Other tasks will include: defining and organizing throughput processes; reviewing metadata and keyed texts for typographical errors and bibliographic information; subject analysis; building and maintaining subject authorities according to company standards.

Since this is a management level position, strong organizational and communications skills are essential. Starting salary is from $35-$45K, depending on experience, plus company paid health insurance. The position is full-time and on-site (no telecommuting).

Please send resumes and cover letters to dbanks@astreetpress.com (preferred) or to Dee Banks, Production Manager, Alexander Street Press, 3212 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.