Portsmouth Museums Service contributes to the council’s vision for Portsmouth as ‘the great waterfront city’. Our collections are inspiring, accessible and relevant, supporting learning, skills development, health and wellbeing.
We operate six museums in the city: Portsmouth Museum, Charles Dickens' Birthplace, The D-Day Story, Southsea Castle, Portsmouth Natural History Museum and Eastney Beam Engine House, and attract some 300,000 visits per year.
With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, this project will transform access to the city's natural history collection through better documentation, by involving volunteers and specialists, by delivering a programme of collection-based activities to engage a broad audience and by raising awareness through use of social media.
Working in partnership with wildlife organisations and other stakeholders, from families to specialists, will be fundamental to the success of the project.
What is the role?
To assist in the delivery of 'Wild about Portsmouth', a HLF funded project. The successful applicant will assist the Curator of Natural History in helping to make the collection accessible for display, events and research. They will work alongside museum staff, stakeholders and volunteers to help develop and promote our natural history collections.
Main Responsibilities:
- Contribute to Social Media postings
- Updating museum records and uploading images on Modes Complete (Museums database)
- Rehousing and reorganisation of collections
- Assisting with pest control freezing programme
- Working with volunteers and work experience students.
- Contributing to and developing Wild About Portsmouth Activity Plan
- Maintain an awareness of and comply with Portsmouth City Council policies and apply them to the day-to-day operation to ensure its legal and statutory obligations are met
- Comply with Health & Safety, equalities and environmental sustainability guidance and working practices
- Undertake appropriate training and development.
Who is the person?
You will need to have:
- A degree with an emphasis on Biological or Earth Sciences
- Passion for Natural History
- Good Microsoft Office skills and experience of working on databases
- Good writing skills
- Organised with attention to detail
- Experience of using websites and social media
- An existing knowledge, skills, or training in Natural Sciences
- Good manual dexterity
- Able to lift and carry boxes of specimens including geological material
- Flexibility and be available to work some weekend and evenings
- A driving licence would be preferred as you will need to move objects/materials between sites.