Collections Manager (Earth Collections)

Oxford University Museum of Natural History houses the University’s internationally important geological and zoological collections, which are used for research, teaching, and public engagement. These comprise around seven million specimens and are second in importance only to the national collections. The museum is part of the Gardens, Libraries & Museums of the University of Oxford, which include the Ashmolean, History of Science and Pitt Rivers museums, the Bodleian Libraries, and the Botanic Gardens & Arboretum.

The Collections Manager will work across the full range of palaeontology, mineralogy and petrology but with a particular emphasis on the vertebrate palaeontology collections. You will be responsible for storage, documentation, digitisation and collections development, and will facilitate research enquiries, visits and loans. You will also work as part of a team to develop new exhibitions and displays, and will participate fully in the museum’s outreach and public engagement programme. The role also includes opportunities to engage in field collecting and collections-based research.

You will have a degree in Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Natural Sciences or related discipline. You will have an excellent working knowledge and understanding of vertebrate palaeontology, a track record of collections-focused museum work, evidence of working effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, and experience of working with collections management systems. A postgraduate degree in museum studies or palaeontology would be an advantage.

This is a full-time, fixed-term (two year) post and the work will principally be on site. Part-time applications (minimum 0.8 FTE) will be considered.

For informal enquiries about the post, please contact the Head of Earth Collections, Eliza Howlett (eliza.howlett@oum.ox.ac.uk).

Applications for this vacancy must be made online. You will be required to upload a supporting statement, explaining how you meet the selection criteria, a CV, and the names and contact details of two referees as part of the online application.

Only applications received before 12:00 noon on Wednesday 23 November 2022 can be considered. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 12 December 2022.