Jobs Archive
Director
Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) was opened in 1860 and houses the University’s extensive scientific holdings in natural history, which are used for research, teaching, and public engagement with science. The Museum is ‘Designated’ by Arts Council England as having collections of national and international importance, and these comprise more than 7 million specimens that are second in importance only to the national collections. The Museum is one of the most popular science museums in the UK with over 800,000 visitors per year, including over 40,000 school visitors, and is the second most visited university museum globally (behind Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum).
Following the retirement of Professor Paul Smith in September 2024, the University of Oxford is now seeking to appoint a new Director for OUMNH. The Directorship is associated with a professorial fellowship at Kellogg College. The Director is responsible for taking forward the Museum’s strategic priorities in public engagement, in research, and in the curation of its 7m+ collection items. In addition to being one of the UK’s most important natural history collections, OUMNH is a department of the University of Oxford and a key part of the University’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM). As such, the Director will be expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to the University’s core missions of education, research, and public engagement. The role involves strategic leadership of the Museum and the setting and delivery of the strategy, policies and goals for the future in line with the overall direction agreed by the Board of Visitors of the Museum, in alignment with the Strategic Framework of GLAM. The Director will also be expected to set an agenda for growing income from across public and commercial funding sources, with an increased focus on philanthropic fundraising.
Candidates for the position should possess well-developed leadership and management skills, strong organisational and financial acumen, and the ability to develop and deliver a compelling vision and strategy for the Museum. The successful candidate will have an outstanding track record in museums, with experience of balancing the needs of large-scale collection management and research, and the opportunities for broad public access and education.
Preserved Collections Manager
This position offers an opportunity to play a key role in Kew’s large and globally important science collections. Reporting to the Head of Collections, the post holder provides leadership and oversight to the Preserved Collections (Herbarium Collections Management Unit, Spirit, Fungarium and DNA and Tissue Collections) to develop and maintain high standards in the management of Kew’s internationally important collections. This is a vital role in the management of collections that is necessary to meet statutory obligations, sector standards and to ensure compliance with national and international legislation. The post holder will work closely with the Herbarium Curation team and Registrar and Accreditation Manager to ensure material is managed and transferred according to Kew policies and workflows.
This role also oversees the preventive conservation program, which involves managing the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) process and team, as well as leading environmental monitoring across all collection spaces. Additionally, it coordinates the monitoring system for other collection managers within the Science Collections.
Assistant Conservator
The University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge is seeking a full-time, fixed-term Assistant Conservator. Core activities will include a combination of interventive and preventive conservation activities. The post holder will assist with the management of preventive conservation including environmental monitoring and integrated pest management (IPM) in a museum setting. They will provide museum conservation treatments to the permanent exhibits as well as upcoming exhibitions and stored collections. The postholder will also be expected to work on the Museum's fluid-preserved specimens.
The role offers a unique opportunity to work as part of a fast-paced, cross-disciplinary team building practical experience working with natural history collections. The role requires the post holder to have good general knowledge and experience in the care and conservation of organic materials. Knowledge and experience in the conservation of natural history collections would be desirable but training in developing this specialism will be provided.
It is essential the successful candidate is able to work independently and collaboratively with colleagues as well as have the ability to work effectively to deadlines.
Collections Information Assistant
The Horniman Museum and Gardens has an exciting job opportunity opening up in our Documentation Team which will be supporting our NLHF funded Natural History redisplay, Nature + Love.
We’re looking for an enthusiastic, hands-on Collections Information Assistant to help us improve the records and documentation relating to our museum objects and archive.
Although experience of working in a museum is not essential, you will have an interest in museums and their collections.
If you work methodically and to deadlines while maintaining high standards and are flexible working as part of a team or independently, then we want to hear from you.
Climate Champion Trustee
The Museums Association is seeking a trustee to join our board as a climate champion for a three year term.
We are a small independent charity that campaigns for museums to change lives and has a vision of inclusive, participatory and sustainable museums at the heart of their communities.
We know that the climate crisis is having a devastating impact on our planet and we believe that museums can play a critical role in raising awareness, changing behaviour and championing change with our communities.
A core aim in our Strategic Framework is to campaign for museums to address the climate crisis and we are seeking a trustee with experience in this area to join our board.
Becoming a trustee is a great opportunity to help us to develop new policy and advocate to governments across the UK and other stakeholders on behalf of museums. Our board is made up of a diverse group of people who work in and with museums. The board works closely with the senior management team to deliver our strategic aims.
The role is unremunerated but expenses are reimbursed.
Senior Curator Climate Change and Dynamic Coast
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced museum professional to lead on curatorial, learning and engagement work relating to the eroding dynamic North Norfolk coast, including projects and programmes linked to Coastwise.
Based at Cromer Museum and working as part of the Coastwise team led by North Norfolk District Council, you will support local communities in terms of coastal transition and coastal preparedness. The Coastwise initiative is funded by the Environment Agency and Defra Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme. Home | Coastwise (north-norfolk.gov.uk)
You will also be responsible for the care and curation of the Designated Norfolk Museums Service Natural History and Geology collections, principally located in Norwich, Cromer, and the Collections Centre and Environment Hub at Gressenhall. You will promote and develop the study of Natural History across the county, providing access to collections and associated information, and to champion understanding about ongoing climate and coastal change.
In addition you will take a strategic lead in identifying projects and developing funding opportunities to deliver climate change and coastal transition/dynamic coast heritage projects.
You will have professional experience in the field of Climate Change, Geology, or Natural History, alongside proven experience of collections care and management and a proven ability to engage with a broad range of audiences.
Norfolk County Council warmly welcomes applications from all sections of the community and is committed to supporting flexible working practices for our employees. This post is initially funded for 3 years.
Collections Documentation and Access Assistant
The Sedgwick Museum has a vacancy for a Collections Documentation and Access Assistant to join the Collections team. This new role provides an exciting opportunity to work with a small team focused on supporting world-class teaching and research, by caring for and providing access to the Museum's historically and scientifically important palaeontology and petrology collections. Duties include documenting collections information, assisting with collections enquiries, and preparing objects for research visits and loans.
The Sedgwick Museum's collections comprise more than two million fossils, rocks, minerals and archival material representing 300 years of collecting. The Museum welcomes more than 90,000 public visitors a year and delivers popular public programmes and outreach. The Museum's priorities include supporting world-leading research, welcoming and inspiring our public visitors, supporting and enriching student learning and skills development, and working collaboratively with museums, universities and communities locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Applicants should ideally have previous experience working with museum collections. An ability to identify rocks, minerals and fossils to a basic level would be advantageous. They should have excellent communications and teamworking skills, competence with word processing and spreadsheet software, and the ability to undertake digital imaging and editing.
Limited funding: The funds for this post are available until 30 September 2029 in the first instance.
Digital Collections New Acquisitions Manager
This role will help support the Science Collection Digitisation Project, an exciting and unique project to digitise RBG Kew’s 8.5 million plant and fungal specimens and create a complete catalogue of our internationally significant collections. This will make specimen records and images freely available online and accessible to researchers across the globe.
The outcome of this project will provide a unique, world-leading resource making accessible data from more than 260 years of scientific exploration, placing them at the centre of efforts to combat urgent global challenges such as habitat degradation, climate change and human health.
This role will manage the workflow for the digitisation of incoming herbarium specimen material and pilot and develop workflows for the incorporation of digital record data, from field collected material and from duplicate specimens received from partner institutes, into Kew’s integrated collections management system.
Essential skills and experience required for this role include; experience of transcribing and imaging herbarium specimens; experience of developing new workflows and procedures; and experience of managing or supervising staff along with technical and data management skills.
Head of Preventive Conservation
We are seeking a Head of Preventive Conservation to lead on the protection of the world’s most extensive natural history collection of approximately 80 million specimens. The collections are continually growing through new acquisitions, fieldwork and donations ensuring they remain a vital and dynamic resource for understanding the natural world. This role delivers through representation, planning and cross museum collaboration with a focus on sustainability whilst ensuring the collections are preserved for future generations to access and study. The role will include managing a team of Preventive Conservators covering Integrated Pest Management, Environmental Monitoring, Salvage planning, Policy and Reporting. The role is closely integrated with the activities of the Remedial Conservation Team and will provide opportunities to be involved in various exciting and world leading projects.
About you
With in-depth knowledge of contemporary principles and practice in preventive conservation and a strong understanding of mechanisms involved in material deterioration you will have significant experience of all aspects of preventive conservation particularly those related to protecting natural science collections. With a thorough understanding of conservation theory and ethical decision making you will have good interpersonal and relationship building skills ensuring effective communication at all levels in the organisation. You will be competent to lead on topics at meetings with Senior Leaders and Management and be adept in communicating complex principals to wider audiences.
Digitisation Officer
We are looking to appoint 2 Digitisation Officers to image and transcribe label data from Herbarium and Fungarium specimens. The post holders will be members of the digital collections team with responsibility to maintain high standards in the management of Kew’s internationally important digital collections. They will be part of a large project team dedicated to the digitisation of Kew’s collections.
Essential skills and experience include handling collections or working with fragile and delicate material, data entry and imaging skills along with a strong interest in Biodiversity, its sustainable use and conservation. The position will require attention to detail and a high level of motivation.