Nintendo of America is hiring a digital archivist to organize the company’s records on its older hardware and software. The job listing, titled “CONTRACT – Digital Archivist, Historical Systems,” was posted on Nov. 4 for a role based in Redmond, Washington, where Nintendo of America has its headquarters.
The position is an approximately 12-month contract. Nintendo says the hire will build a structured framework for “technical records, engineering documentation, source materials, and institutional knowledge related to legacy systems and platforms.”
What the Archivist Will Do
The archivist will design and maintain metadata schemas for historical hardware and software assets. That includes building taxonomies, naming conventions, and classification systems, and setting standards for how engineering and development documents are organized. The listing also calls for data dictionaries to keep metadata consistent and for mapping how platforms, software, peripherals, and technical specifications relate to one another.
A second part of the job is building a searchable repository of historical systems information. Nintendo wants those records to be easy to find and reuse for its engineering, legal, product development, research, and business teams.
The role also involves oral history work. The archivist will interview subject matter experts and long-tenured employees to capture what they know, then turn that informal knowledge into structured documentation and check it against multiple sources. The job also includes writing reference materials and summaries, setting documentation standards and archival procedures, and maintaining data quality across the collection, according to Nintendo.
Requirements and Pay
Nintendo is hiring a digital archivist with a bachelor’s degree in library and information science, archives, museum studies, information management, history, technical communication, or a related field, along with at least two years of experience in areas such as digital archives, records management, or metadata management. Equivalent professional experience may be considered.
Preferred skills include familiarity with archival standards such as Dublin Core, DACS, EAD, PREMIS, and MODS, experience conducting oral history interviews, and an interest in technology history or gaming.
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The job is hybrid in Redmond and is not open to fully remote work. The listing gives a base pay range of $35 to $55, and benefits come through the employing agency.
Why Records of Old Systems Matter
Nintendo’s history stretches back through decades of consoles and handhelds, from the Nintendo Entertainment System to the Switch 2. The company opened the Nintendo Museum in Uji, Japan, in October 2024 to show off that past to fans.
Preserving the documents behind that hardware is a different kind of job. Much of what explains how older systems were designed lives in engineering files and in the memories of employees who worked on them. The interview part of this role is aimed at that second problem.
A scene from The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake – Nintendo
The wider industry has struggled with preservation. In 2023, the Video Game History Foundation found that 87% of classic video games released in the United States are out of print.
The Nintendo role is built for the company’s own teams. The listing says the repository will serve engineering, legal, product development, research, and business staff, and it asks the hire to recommend long-term retention and preservation strategies. Nintendo is hiring a digital archivist for about 12 months, with the job based at its Redmond headquarters.
What part of Nintendo’s history would you most want to see preserved and shared with fans?
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