Jobs Archive
Assistant Conservator
The University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge is seeking a full-time fixed-term Assistant Conservator. The post-holder will provide practical and preventative specialist conservation advice and treatment across the collections.
The role offers a unique opportunity to work as part of a fast-paced team building practical experience working with natural history collections. Core activities will include providing conservation treatments to the permanent exhibits as well as upcoming exhibitions and stored collections. They will be responsible for the care of the collections through monitoring and improving upon environmental and storage conditions, including pest management. They will promote and develop best practice in conservation and collections care. The postholder will also be expected to work on the Museum's spirit-preserved specimens.
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 Assistant (Natural History)
Gallery Oldham is looking for a freelance Collections Assistant to work with our collections of natural history. This role will oversee the ongoing documentation and packing of natural history collections to prepare for a store move in 2024. It will also support our Natural History Curator to carry out much of the day-to-day work on these collections.
This opportunity is a freelance position working 3 days per week at a rate of £110 per day. The initial appointment would be for 6 months. Please email a CV and covering letter including details of two professional references on no more than three pages to karen.heatley@oldham.gov.uk by 9am on Monday 21st August. Use the subject line ‘YOUR NAME – Collections Assistant (Natural History). Shortlisting will take place on 22nd August and interviews will be held on Tuesday 29th August.
To discuss any aspect of this role please contact Patricia Francis, Exhibition and Collection Co-ordinator – patricia.francis@oldham.gov.uk
Visit our website for the job description and more details: https://galleryoldham.org.uk/about-gallery-oldham/support-us/
Quality Assurance Officer
We are seeking to appoint an individual with high attention to detail and experience of transcribing and imaging Natural History or museum specimens to assist with the development and documentation of Quality Assurance protocols. They will also be responsible for reporting where digital outputs of Herbarium or Fungarium specimens do not meet agreed standards.
Essential skills include ability to check image and data quality against defined standards, write protocols, a competent understanding of taxonomy, nomenclature and geography and Excellent IT Skills.
This role is based at Kew with the option of regular home working, subject to operational requirements.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a leading plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major visitor attraction. Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth.
We are working to end the unprecedented extinction crisis and to help create a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. We will achieve these goals by drawing on our leading scientific research, unrivalled collections of plants and fungi, global network of partners, inspirational gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, and our 260 years of history.
Join us on our journey as protectors of the world’s plants and fungi.
Curator and Researcher, Microlepidoptera
The African Natural History Research Trust (ANHRT) is a charitable research trust and museum focused on African entomology. Our research is aimed at increasing the scientific knowledge of African insects with an emphasis on Lepidoptera. We are looking for a full-time Curator and Researcher to work on the Afrotropical Microlepidoptera held at the African Natural History Research Trust (ANHRT). The incredibly diverse Microlepidoptera are in general under-collected and poorly studied and the rich material held at the ANHRT is the ideal starting point for taxonomic investigations into the Afrotropical fauna, utilising molecular as well as traditional morphological approaches. Familiarity in Microlepidopteran families and experience in genitalia dissections is preferable but not essential; all necessary training in the required techniques will be provided.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
• Develop and curate the Afrotropical Microlepidoptera collections.
• Sort unidentified material of the relevant families, with genus-level identification of all collected material and species-level identification for some groups based on investigation of primary types and/or relevant literature.
• Initiate independent research projects in collections-based systematics and biogeography of the Afrotropical Microlepidoptera.
• Publish scientific results of relevant projects.
• Liaise with relevant sections of the international scientific community concerning ongoing research projects.
• Incorporate all relevant Collections Management Policies and Procedures into daily work.
Conservation Exhibition Assistant
The Conservation Centre leads, manages and delivers conservation work across the Museum and oversees quality control and standards in conservation for the collections.
The successful applicant will work within the conservation team reporting to a Conservator providing support for the documentation, preservation, care and display of natural history specimens for an upcoming temporary exhibition
About you
Educated to degree level (or equivalent qualification) in Conservation.
Demonstrable manual dexterity for handling small and fragile objects. Willingness to handle fragile as well as large and/or heavy specimens. (Equipment and training will be provided).
Experience in remedial conservation methods and packaging techniques.
Experience in remedial conservation of taxidermy and life science specimens.
Experience of evaluating specimen stability.
Experience in the documentation of conservation processes.
Understanding of preventive conservation principals including pest management.
Familiarity of materials used in conservation.
Awareness of H&S protocols for handling, moving, and treating Natural Science Collections. (Training will be provided).
Ability to work independently as well as part of a team, including collections staff, distributed teams and non-NHM contractors.
About Us
We are a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually and 16 million visits to our website.
Today the Museum is more relevant and influential than ever. By attracting people from a range of backgrounds to work for us, we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things.
We employ 900 staff in a variety of roles, all united by our vision of a future where people and planet thrive. We need everyone to have the passion and drive to help us with our mission to create advocates for our planet and inspire millions to care about the natural world.
Curator of Entomology
Could you help Manchester Museum harness the power of natural sciences collections to build a more sustainable world?
As part of our collections team, you’ll be responsible for our significant and loved collections of insects and other arthropods, consisting of over 2 and a half million specimens. They show how humanity’s past, present and future is intwined with the natural world. You’ll bring your commitment to widening access to - and driving engagement with - collections, demonstrating how they can answer urgent questions and influence environmental action.
Manchester Museum’s mission is to build understanding between cultures and a more sustainable world. We are the world’s first Carbon Literate museum and our Top Floor provides an environmental action hub where people come together to share ideas and make plans. You’ll bring your entomological knowledge and curatorial experience into that mix. We are seeking a collaborative Curator of Entomology who can make the most of the museum’s convening power, able to forge networks and co-develop impactful work with researchers, co-workers, artists and more. You will work as part of a team encompassing a wide range of specialisms, experiences and skills and be excited about maximising the potential of that context.
We reopened Manchester Museum on 18 February 2023 after a £15 million transformation into a more inclusive, imaginative and caring museum. Your creativity will be critical to enlivening our new Exhibition Hall, and developing inclusive public programmes within and beyond our walls. Care underpins the work of curators and - alongside working with colleagues to provide for the day-to-day care and management of the collections – you’ll extend care to people, perspectives and relationships connected to those collections.
Manchester Museum is part of the University of Manchester and is one of the world’s leading university museums. You’ll thrive in this context, contributing imaginatively to teaching and developing strategic research relationships and projects. You’ll also be a brilliant communicator, able to talk about complex ideas to wide ranging audiences and to engage positively with contemporary debates.
As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.
Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here
Blended working arrangements may be considered
Data Management - Team Leader
We are looking to appoint a Team Leader with experience of data management and experience to provide leadership and support to the data management Team. Reporting to the Lead Digitisation Operations Manager.
Leading on all aspects of the management and quality of the Kew Digitisation Project transcription data produced by our in-house team and by our supplier, the postholder will be responsible for developing clear plans & procedures to support workflows to meet Kew’s data cleansing objectives while ensuring responsibilities between Kew and the supplier are clearly defined.
The post holder will provide direct line management and support to the Data Management team members who review and cleanse data before being uploaded into the Kew Science Collection’s integrated collection management system (ICMS).
Essential skills and experience required for this role include, educated to degree level or equivalent, experience in the creation of complex digital datasets with appropriate technical skills for efficient and accurate manipulation and transfer of data. The postholder will have proven experience working at pace, experience of managing teams, supporting, and training others in in all aspects of data management.
Digitisation Quality Assurance & Workflow Manager
We are looking to appoint an individual experienced in Herbarium and Fungarium specimen digitisation to provide leadership and support to the Quality Assurance Team. Reporting to the Research Leader, Digital Collections Manager.
The post holder will be a member of the digital collections team with responsibility to maintain high standards in the management of Kew’s internationally important digital collections. The post holder will have a focus on leading the Quality Assurance Team, ensure staff are supported and trained and working to the agreed KPI outcomes. In addition, the postholder will play a pivotal role in working with our Digitisation Supplier in aspects of quality assurance of the image captured and the specimen label and folder transcription. The postholder will provide leadership to ensure any failed imaged or transcriptions are resolved satisfactorily and ensure any issues that are identified within the QA process are documented and resolved either by the supplier or by Kew staff.
Essential skills and experience required for this role include, educated to degree level or equivalent experience, experience of transcribing and imaging Herbarium specimens and experiencing of working at pace, managing teams, supporting, and training others in in all aspects of quality assurance work related to herbarium and Fungarium specimens.
Natural History Conservator
As Natural History Conservator you will join the National Museum of Ireland to work on a major capital project. The National Museum of Ireland are known as Ireland's leading museum institution, with a strong emphasis on national and some international archaeology, Irish history, Irish art, culture, and natural history. NMI are seeking an experienced natural history conservator to join NMI in the caring for the extensive Natural History Museum collections of scientific specimens accumulated over more than two centuries.
NMI requires you to join their team on a 5-year assignment conservator to play a key role in the redevelopment project, with over-arching responsibility for the Conservation and Collection Care of the Natural History collections throughout all phases of the project.
As Natural History Conservator you be a key member of the Conservation Dept. and work closely across NMI departments and teams, in particular with the Natural History Division, Registration and Operation teams and with a variety of external stakeholders. Your main objective is to draw up the Collection Care and Conservation Plan for the NMI's Natural History collections in the context of the Natural History Museum redevelopment and to contribute to the provision of a detailed methodology for the complete transfer of the collection to offsite storage. This work will include carrying out a risk-based condition assessment of the collections; undertaking remedial conservation for selected specimens as required; developing a methodology for transferring the collection including safe packing and handling; completing the transfer of the collections including overseeing and guiding the work of other staff and contractors in collection care and object handling and advising on the preparation of collections for re-display.
You will lead and guide across all areas of the project; to carry out both preventive conservation measures and practical remedial conservation on objects in this collection, overseeing and implementing standards of packing and transfer of collections as well as overseeing and influencing the work of other staff, volunteers, contractors, and interns in conservation matters. You will be responsible for setting and implementing on standards of museum environment for the storage and re-display of the Natural History collections.
Digitisation Quality Assurance Manager
We are looking to appoint an individual experienced in Herbarium and Fungarium specimen digitisation to provide leadership to the Quality Assurance Team. Reporting to the Research Leader, Digital Collections Manager.
The post holder will be a member of the digital collections team with responsibility to maintain high standards in the management of Kew’s internationally important digital collections. The post holder will have a focus on leading the Quality Assurance Team, ensure staff are supported and trained and working to the agreed KPI outcomes. In addition, the postholder will play a pivotal role in working with our Digitisation Supplier in aspects of quality assurance of the image captured and the specimen label and folder transcription.
Essential skills and experience required for this role include, educated to degree level or equivalent, experience of transcribing and imaging Herbarium specimens and experiencing of managing teams, supporting, and training others in in all aspects of quality assurance work related to herbarium and Fungarium specimens.