Jobs Archive
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.
Collections and Database Officer
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.
This position will perform two primary functions in Kew’s Economic Botany Collection; supporting the effective integration of the Collection database into a Kew-wide database (ICMS), as well as the day-to-day curation of the collections. The postholder will be responsible for the data-cleansing and standardisation of the current database, taking a proactive approach to further improve the database while uploading to ICMS. They will also assist with the day-to-day care and management of the collections, working to SPECTRUM standards to ensure we are meeting our Collection Development Policy and promoting EBC through engagement and accessibility.
The applicant must be educated to a degree level or equivalent in biosciences, museum studies or related subjects, with experience in working with collections or a demonstrated interest in collections in science or society. With excellent IT skills when working with databases and spreadsheets, you will have a meticulous approach to data management and be able to prioritise workloads. Being a fast learner and having the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with various staff members across Kew is essential to this role.
This role is based at Kew with the option of regular home working, subject to operational requirements.
Nature Matters Delivery Manager
We are seeking a Delivery Manager for our new project, Nature Matters.
Nature Matters responds to one of the most important issues of our time: the impact of climate and environmental change on our natural landscapes, our personal relationships with nature and our surroundings – the places we live in, visit and value – alongside individual endeavours to build more sustainable lifestyles.
Our regional film heritage collections reveal a fascinating record of the very real environmental issues, causes, and concerns that people and communities have wrestled with, and championed over the decades.
Nature Matters will ensure that these important environment-related films are preserved, digitised, and screened so they can be seen, shared, debated, celebrated and added to with contemporary material for generations to come.
This will be a 15-month fixed-term post, based either in York or Middlesbrough, but working across both Archive sites.
The successful candidate will have responsibility for coordinating and ensuring successful delivery of public and online events and exhibitions, including liaison with key partners, stakeholders and events’ organisers.
Yorkshire Film Archive is a registered charity (no. 1093468) which finds, preserves, and provides public access to moving image made in or about Yorkshire and the North East of England. This post is supported by a grant awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to fund this role for 15 months.
Download a full job description: https://yfanefa.link/nmdeliverymanagerjd
Apply online: https://yfanefa.link/nmdeliverymanager
The closing date for applications is 17th October 2022, 5pm.
Interviews will be held 27th/28th October 2022.
The anticipated start date for the post is December 2022.
Further details about the post can be obtained by contacting info@yfanefa.com.
Conservator, Natural History
We are looking for a conservation professional to join our team who possesses the knowledge and technical skill to work with natural history collections.
You will be responsible for developing, analyzing, and implementing conservation services for the natural history specimens at the Royal Alberta Museum, Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, Reynolds Alberta Museum and associated provincial historic sites, with a focus on natural history specimens. You will work to preserve Alberta's natural history resources in a manner that fully meets international museum standards and ensures safe access to the collections for exhibitions and research in accordance with the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property's "Code of Ethics and Guidance for Practice" by:
Making recommendations for and implementing conservation measures to allow for long term storage, exhibition and/or research
Assessing the stability of specimens through examination and documentation., and conducting treatment as appropriate
Participating in conservation research, materials identification and developing preservation strategies for collections
Working to ensure that collections are free from hazards or hazards are identified or mitigated
Implementing preventive conservation measures, including environmental monitoring and Integrated Pest Management
Documenting, in written and photographic format, the condition and treatment of specimens in the collection and maintaining conservation records in the Collections Management database
Participating in emergency recovery as related to collections care
Communicating conservation needs with stakeholders, sharing best practices with museum colleagues, and promoting conservation with members of the public
Working to successfully open and close the seasonal museums and historic sites
You must be a team player who is able to work and communicate with professionals from across the museum, who will bring an understanding of and experience with these unique natural history collections.
Senior Curator Botany
Amgueddfa Cymru holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of Welsh botany, geology, and zoology specimens in the world, and this provides a unique record of the natural history of Wales, charting evolutionary and environmental change. We use these collections to deliver the Strategy commitments, with particular focus on inclusivity, protecting the environment and digital presence. All our collections belong to the people of Wales, and we want to find new ways in which we can make them a relevant and useful resource for everyone to explore and enjoy.
The museum is also home to the Welsh National Herbarium, which contains botanical specimens from Wales and across the world, including the British Bryophyte Society Collection. This is of international importance and represents over 300 years of collecting. These collections underpin our understanding, maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity in Wales and contribute to global research in taxonomy.
You join a Botany Section of six staff, working with the Curator of Lower Plants to ensure that this collection is curated and cared for to maximise access and wider use, and through this deliver the Amgueddfa Cymru commitments. You will use your taxonomic expertise to develop the lower plant collection though collaborative research projects. This will ensure that the collection remains relevant as an environmental reference resource. Training will be provided if your taxonomic experience has previously been with higher plants. You will develop new partnerships with relevant bodies to promote use of the collection. You will play a role in delivering the Museum’s goal to safeguard and increase biodiversity across its eight sites though biodiversity surveys. These will also involve community and special interest group participation. You will take part in public events, activities and engage with social media to promote the collection and the Natural Sciences department. Reporting currently to Co-Interim Head of Natural Sciences and to the Head of Botany when the post is appointed.
DiSSCo UK Community Manager
We seek a community manager to help us grow the DiSSCo UK community, and support both the managerial, governance and technical operations teams with programme management and development.
You will be responsible for convening our central group of DiSSCo UK members and prospective members; engaging with the wider UK natural science collections network; and understanding our broader stakeholders including funders, promoting our work and supporting communication activities. This includes both regional and thematic collections, including earth and life sciences collections. Your responsibilities will range from managing social media, developing formal relationships with new community members, reviewing technical documentation, to running physical and digital events.
You should be a confident, enthusiastic communicator with well-developed interpersonal skills. You will have some experience with project or programme management and be able to support our formal reporting requirements to our sponsor, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
Some experience with the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) or STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) sectors, in particular AHRC or UKRI and their cultural norms would be advantageous. Experience in supporting work across relevant practitioners in our community (e.g., collections staff, digitisation teams, and software developers) would be beneficial.
Depending on funding and growth of DiSSCo-UK, you may lead and manage a small (1-2 person) team supporting community activities in future.
You will be based at the Natural History Museum London and will also leverage the development of a new £180M science and digitisation centre at the Thames Valley Science Park, University of Reading (opening 2026-27), to develop new opportunities and partnerships for the UK consortium.
You can work remotely, but we will need you to attend the Museum once a week or more to work with colleagues on-site, and occasionally travel around the UK for in person meetings and events, which may involve overnight stays. You will be based in the Digital, Data & Informatics team within NHM’s Science Group and will work alongside the senior management of many of the UK’s leading natural science collections.
Head of Operations
This is an opportunity to join the senior management team of a dynamic and creative science museum at the University of Oxford. The Museum of Natural History is active across the full range of public engagement, research and university education, and is a valued part of the local and regional community. Its collections date back to the early 17th century, include 7 million specimens, and underpin active research across the University as well as nationally and internationally. In 2019, the museum welcomed over 800,000 visitors. 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 Head of Operations has primary responsibility for commercial operations, visitor services and facilities management, and maintains an overview of finance and HR. You will work closely with the Director, Deputy Director and other members of the senior leadership team as the museum recovers from pandemic closures and undertakes a major redisplay programme in the public areas. You will lead the visitor services, events, retail and building services teams, which together include over 20 staff members. Overall, the museum has an annual budget of £4m and a staff of over 70.
You will be a creative and collaborative problem-solver as well as an effective and empathetic leader with excellent inter-personal skills and substantial experience of operating in a museum or heritage environment with high visitor numbers. You will be an excellent communicator, be entrepreneurial and have strong analytical skills and judgement in order to undertake data-led decisions. Experience of working in a higher education environment will also be an advantage.
This is a full-time, permanent post and the work will principally be on site. Part-time applications (minimum 0.8 FTE) will be considered.
Keeper of Natural History Division
https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/About/Careers/Vacancies/Keeper-of-Natural-Hi...(Keeper-Grade)/35de19e1-def3-4fbc-a2c7-8db3be408644
The National Museum of Ireland (NMI) is seeking applications from suitable candidates to fill the position of Keeper of Natural History Division (Keeper Grade) in the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, Merrion Street, Dublin 2. This is a full-time permanent position,
subject to probation period of one year. The position will be filled by open competitive interviews.
The Keeper of Natural History Museum has responsibility for the leadership, management and strategic direction of the Natural History Division based within the Natural History Museum and others sites within NMI. This position is part of the overall management team within NMI and is one of four Keeper positions relating to the four curatorial divisions within the Museum. The role involves direct line management of a team of four staff within the Natural History division, as well as collaboration with managers across NMI in the delivery of the key strategic aims of the NMI and the Natural History division as outlined in the NMI’s strategic plan.
The role of Keeper of Natural History Museum is a key leadership role within the NMI and will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
Lead and oversee the management of the Natural History Division (NHD), including managing, motivating, and developing the staff of the Division in accordance with the NMI’s HR policies and procedures;
Contribute to the strategic planning and overall management of NMI;
Provide expert advice to the Director, Management and Board on all matters relevant to the Natural History collections;
Developing and implementing policies and procedures in relation to the care, management and development of the collections in the Division in consultation with the Head of Collections & Learning;
Responsible for maintaining and overseeing the Divisional risk register;
Ensuring curatorial input into the registration of the collections, including the enhancement of the records relating to objects in the collection;
Overseeing access to the collections in the Division;
Ensuring curatorial input into digitisation projects;
Developing the role of research, education and learning in relation to the collections of the Division in consultation with the Head of Collections & Learning and the Head of Learning and Public Programmes;
Raising awareness of and promoting the collections in the Division;
Taking a lead role with the Senior Management Team in the redevelopment of the Natural History Museum;
Prepare, manage and be accountable for the annual budgetary estimates and business plans for the NHD to support NMI's strategy;
Carrying out procurement as necessary;
Seeking external funding for projects, managing such projects and providing reports in consultation with the Director and Head of Collections & Learning;
Contributing to the development of appropriate Museum-wide policies, plans and procedures in relation to health and safety, fire safety, disaster planning, risk assessment and security;
Contributing to collections management across NMI;
Communicating and liaising with staff within the NMI;
Liaising with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and other external bodies as appropriate;
Building relationships with external bodies and representing the NMI on relevant boards and committees;
Support the Director and the Senior Management Team to plan and deliver the strategic aims and objectives of the National Museum of Ireland
Any other duties appropriate to the position.
The above is a general guide to the role and is not an exhaustive description of the duties which are associated with the role. As the role is an evolving one, the Director or Head of Collections and Learning may assign other responsibilities and tasks to the jobholder over time.
Student Programs Academic Coordinator
Reporting to the Assistant Director of Student Programs at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, the Student Programs Academic Coordinator provides leadership and broad support for advancing Yale’s teaching, learning and research missions within the Yale Peabody Museum (YPM). While the Academic Coordinator will participate in the broad range of initiatives across the Student Programs Office, the primary role of this individual is to facilitate and support the integration of YPM resources into the diverse and rigorous academic programs at Yale. Responsibilities include faculty communication and support of courses, coordination of summer internships, and support of museum staff and faculty in the development of opportunities for students to study, learn, and work with collections and in activities across the museum. The Academic Coordinator will advise and assist Yale instructors with developing curricula that provide students with access to YPM resources including objects, tours, data, expertise, galleries, and field experiences. They will work closely with the Student Programs Postdoctoral Fellow, who will assist with many of these efforts and will share the supervision of students and/or Alumni Fellows working on related projects.
Collections Assistant - Mineralogy & Petrology
The Sedgwick Museum has an opportunity for someone with good rock and mineral identification skills and an interest in working with museum collections to join our friendly team. The role is for one year initially with possible extension dependent on funding. They will play a key role in enabling researcher and student access to the Museum's internationally important petrology and mineralogy collections as well as making an important contribution to the ongoing migration of our petrological collections into a new purpose built store.
The Petrology Collection is currently housed on two sites in NW Cambridge, and comprises about 250,000 igneous and metamorphic rock thin sections and about 160,000 hand specimens, and an estimated 100,000 sedimentary rocks. The Mineral Collection comprises about 40,000 specimens, including 500 meteorites. These are currently covered by approximately 44,000 records on the Museum's Collections Management System. The Collections Assistant (Mineralogy and Petrology) will be part of the Collections team of 3 collections assistants and 4 temporary project staff. The current collections migration project involves a major relocation of the Petrology collections (approximately 12,000 drawers, 400,000 specimens) from the Atlas Building at High Cross, Cambridge to the Museum's new purpose-built Collections Research Centre on Madingley Rise. The move is led by the Collections Manager with support from the Collections team and is currently approximately 50% complete, with an estimated completion date in the summer of 2023.
The Collections Assistant (Mineralogy & Petrology) is responsible for providing petrological and mineralogical knowledge, assisting the Collections Manager with the identification and cataloguing of specimens, organisation of museum stores, processing of incoming and outgoing loans and enabling access by researchers, students and members of the public. During the collections migration project they will play a key role in identifying specimens and assisting with their migration into the new store. There will be opportunities to develop skills in public and stakeholder engagement both face-to-face, by giving tours and other activities, and online through blogs and social media. The person appointed will have experience and understanding of Earth science and petrology, gained through training and/or work experience. They will be confident identifying rocks and minerals in hand specimen and thin section, and ideally will have an understanding of working with museum collections.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.
Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.
Interviews will be held on Monday 19 September. Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.