Jobs Archive
Head of Collections & Learning
The National Museum of Ireland is seeking applications from suitable candidates to fill the post of Head of Collections & Learning based in the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7.
The post-holder will form part of the senior management team of the Museum and will contribute to its management and development. He/she will provide leadership and direction on all collections and learning matters and will ensure implementation of the National Museum of Ireland’s strategic plan and priorities.
The post holder will have overall responsibility for line managing the collections and learning staff (currently numbering 57). He/she will manage 9 heads of department directly comprising four curatorial departments (Art & Industry, Irish Antiquities, Irish Folk life and Natural History), the Conservation, Education and Registration Departments as well as Graphic Design and Photography.
He/she will ensure the collections are managed, made accessible, interpreted and researched, realising their education and learning potential. He/she will also, as may be required, have responsibility for exhibition planning and development as well as photography and graphic design.
Specimen Preparer
We are recruiting for a Specimen Preparer to join the Specimen Preparation Team within the Science Directorate. As part of this team, that includes five other Specimen Preparers, the successful candidate will contribute to the creation of over 30,000 herbarium specimens annually.
The Herbarium at Kew contains around 7 million preserved vascular plant specimens, these specimens contain a wealth of information about plants and are used by Kew Scientists and researchers across the globe in studies into biodiversity, conservation, ecology and sustainable development. The post holder will be a highly motivated individual, able to contribute to the herbarium collections by producing herbarium specimens to Kew standards in a timely way.
Kew is the world’s leading botanic gardens, at the forefront of plant and fungal science, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major visitor attraction.
We want a world where plants and fungi are understood, valued and conserved – because our lives depend on them. We use the power of our science and the rich diversity of our gardens and collections to provide knowledge, inspiration and understanding of why plants and fungi matter to everyone.
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with excellent organisational skills and the ability to undertake repetitive tasks through to completion. You will be keen to work as part of a team, but also have the ability to work alone and make independent decisions when preparing specimens. The successful candidate will have good manual dexterity and an ability to work quickly and precisely. They will learn new skills, be able to demonstrate the specimen preparation process to others and be confident interacting with the public and visitors in an engaging manner.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a broad range of Learning and Development opportunities, with access to the Civil Service training curriculum, generous annual leave entitlement for new starters, family friendly policies, a choice of competitive pensions and flexible benefits scheme.
If you are interested in this position, please submit your application through the online portal, by clicking “Apply for this job”.
We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
No agencies please.
Please note that you will need to have the legal Right to Work in the UK before applying as we are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Please note that as the interviews include an assessed practical test, we are unable to offer Skype interviews in this instance.
We will be holding the interviews on the 9th and 10th April 2019.
Assistant Curator (Natural History)
Glasgow Life is the charity responsible for inspiring Glasgow’s citizens and visitors to lead richer and more active lives through culture, sport and learning. We believe in the transformational power of the services we provide for the citizens of and visitors to the City of Glasgow.
As Assistant Curator you will develop and maintain an expert knowledge of the collection and relevant subject area, assist with the research and documentation of the collection and contribute to the development of content for public programming. A knowledge or interest in zoology is essential.
To be successful in this role you have the following skills and experience:
• Degree or equivalent in a relevant subject area
• Knowledge of natural history
• Understanding of museum standards
• Commitment to public dissemination of collections knowledge
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
Assistant Curator (Exhibitions Interpretation)
This is an exciting opportunity to join the RCS Museum Team working on the delivery of the new Hunterian Museum Project, including the full re-display of the Hunterian Collection (3,500 specimens), and the re-display of RCS Museums' anatomy and pathology collections, used to support current medical training. The post-holder will be required to author exhibition display text (labels, panels and AV), text for publications and collection catalogue entries.
The post holder will also provide practical and collections management support to the Project Curator in delivering the return of RCS Museum collections to RCS's headquarters in Lincoln's Inn Fields in 2020/21.
View a copy of the job description here:
https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/files/rcs/about-rcs/job-descriptions/As...
If you have any questions about this position please don’t hesitate to contact the HR team on 020 7869 6104 or RCSHR@rcseng.ac.uk who will be more than happy to help or put you in touch with the Recruiting Manager.
To apply for this position please send a targeted cover letter and tailored CV to RCSHR@rcseng.ac.uk
Interim Assistant Curator, Fossil Mammals
The Natural History Museum is one of the world’s leading museums, internationally recognised for its dual role as a centre of excellence in scientific research and as a leader in the presentation of natural history through exhibitions, public programmes, publications and the web.
Our Fossil Mammal Collection at the Natural History Museum is one of the largest and most significant collections of its kind in the world. Including historical specimens such as the fossil mammals collected by Charles Darwin on the Voyage of the Beagle, as well as areas of intense research activity from which the oldest human remains in Britain have been recovered, it is no surprise that the collection is widely popular with both internal and external researchers, as well as having vast public appeal (e.g. mammoths and giant ground sloths).
As Assistant Curator, you will work with the Senior Curator of Fossil Mammals on the day-to-day curation of the Fossil Mammal Collection. As a part of this, you will look to bring our collection into the modern day by entering specimen details into our electronic Collection Management System. It will have challenges of its own but you will aim to balance meeting the needs for access to specimens and information, whilst ensuring the security and longevity of the specimens and maintaining appropriate documentation standards.
We are looking for an organised, motivated individual, who is able to work with initiative and to tight deadlines whilst maintaining a positive attitude. The ideal candidate would have a good working knowledge of taxonomy, stratigraphy, and collections management, particularly as they apply to fossil mammals.
Assistant Curator, Science
Based at The National Museum of Scotland, and National Museums Collections Centre, this temporary, full-time post will support the work of the Science & Technology Department. Working with the Senior Curator of Science, the Curator of Biomedical Science and an Assistant Curator of Science, your duties will include responsibility for the collections, their documentation, storage and display, making them accessible to researchers and other visitors. You will work towards delivering our strategic priority projects, our loans, exhibitions, engagement and digitisation programmes.
In particular, you will be closely involved with the collections documentation, storage and rationalisation, contribute to a collecting project, and attending and contributing to relevant conferences as well as the department’s research and engagement output.
Building on the major suite of new science & technology galleries in the National Museum of Scotland you will also develop the collections further, especially with contemporary material, and contribute to an ongoing review of science collections at National Museums Scotland’s Collection Centre.
Required Skills:
You must have a degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area (e.g. a science; science and technology studies; history, with a demonstrable interest in science) while a post graduate qualification in a Museum or Artefact related subject or equivalent is highly desirable. This is an early to mid-career post and you must have experience of working in a museum or similar environment, be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about science collections and/or subject areas.
You should be able to demonstrate best practice in collections management. It is expected that you will have experience of undertaking research, responding to public enquiries and of preparing and delivering presentations. Equally essential are ICT skills in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook together with knowledge of collections management databases. You must also be able to demonstrate your ability to plan and organise your workload, manage projects and build relationships within and outside of National Museums Scotland.
Application Instructions:
To make an online application for this post and to find further details of this post and of all our vacancies please visit http://www.nms.ac.uk.
If you require further information telephone 0131 247 4094 (answerphone) or email applications@nms.ac.uk, stating reference NMS18/896
Closing date for completed applications is 06 January 2019. It is anticipated that the selection event will take place likely w/c 21 January 2019.
Research Editor - Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
Salary: Starting from £32,761 per year
Employment Type: Fixed Term, ending 31 August 2020
Hours Per week (exclusive of lunch breaks): 35
Annual Leave: 30 days, in addition to public and bank holidays.
Work Location: 3 Queens Mews, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9 5AZ
Closing Date: Midnight 9 January 2019
Interview Date: Week of 14-18 January 2019
Thanks to a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation (USA), the Wallace Correspondence Project (WCP) is seeking to recruit a Research Editor who will work closely with the two other staff in our small project team. The WCP was founded in 2010 and our current grant is hosted and managed by The Charles Darwin Trust, an educational charity set up in 1999 by members of the Darwin family (see http://www.charlesdarwintrust.org).
The WCP aims to locate, digitize, catalogue, transcribe, interpret and publish the surviving correspondence and other manuscripts of the great 19th century scientist and intellectual Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913). Wallace has many claims to fame, not least that he is the 'father' of evolutionary biogeography and the co-discoverer with Darwin of the process of evolution by natural selection. He also made many other important contributions to subjects as diverse as glaciology, land reform, anthropology, ethnography, epidemiology, and astrobiology.
The WCP's mission is to make Wallace's inspirational life and ground-breaking work better known to contemporary audiences, through the publication online and in print of his collected manuscripts for the first time. This archive will be an important primary resource for students of the history of science, cultural studies and 19th century society. For more information see http://www.wallaceletters.info
The Role
The Research Editor will be responsible for meticulously checking and correcting transcripts of letters to and from Wallace which have been produced by project volunteers. They will also research and write detailed scholarly endnotes to help readers better understand and interpret the content of the manuscripts (see for example http://wallaceletters.info/sites/wallaceletters.info/files/WCP342_L342.pdf). Producing such endnotes requires considerable research experience and knowledge of 19th century history and Wallace’s milieu. The transcripts which the Research Editor will be working on will be published in volume 1 of The Correspondence of Alfred Russel Wallace and part of the Research Editor's role will be to play a leading role in producing a 'camera ready' copy of this book.
Essential Skills & Experience
• A good honours degree
• Experience of transcribing and editing transcripts of handwritten 19th/20th century manuscripts.
• Experience of doing historical research.
• Outstanding spoken and written English.
• Excellent IT skills and proficiency in using standard Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience of using a variety of online research resources such as JSTOR, Ancestry.com etc.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proactive and able to take the initiative.
• Ability to work alone or as part of a team and meet deadlines.
• Excellent planning skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks.
Desirable Skills & Experience
• A good honours degree, preferably in history or biology.
• Previous employment on a similar project.
• In-depth knowledge of 19th century history and ideally the life and work of 19th century biologists, including Wallace, Darwin and colleagues.
• Experience of publishing.
IMPORTANT
• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
• This position is limited to the project duration specified.
• The applicant's ability to transcribe manuscripts and edit transcripts will be tested during the interview.
• The applicant must be prepared to commute daily to our office in Buckhurst Hill, Essex (on the Central Line).
• Ideally the applicant should be able to begin work in late February/early March 2019.
HOW TO APPLY
Application is by email to g.beccaloni@wallaceletters.org You should provide a covering letter (600 words maximum) explaining your skills, aptitudes and suitability for this role; a curriculum vitae; and the contact details for two referees, one of which is your most recent employer. Please state when you would be able to begin work should you be offered the post. Please enter "WCP Research Editor job application" in the subject line of your email.
Assistant Curator, Earth Systems
Based at the National Museum Collection Centre, you will support the work of the Department of Natural Sciences, working in the Earth Systems section of National Museums Scotland predominately with the mineral and meteorite collections but also with the rock collection as required.
Duties will include documentation of the collection, their storage and display and making them accessible to researchers and other visitors. You will also work with colleagues across the department and the museum to help deliver our priority strategic projects, including our loans, exhibitions and digitisation programme.
You will have a degree in a related subject, such as geology, chemistry, material science or equivalent. You will have knowledge of, or strong interest in, working with minerals, meteorites and rocks. The role requires experience and ability in manual handling and lifting heavy objects, such as trays of rocks and minerals. Proven experience in paid or unpaid work in museums or a similar environment is desirable but not essential. You will be able to demonstrate existing specialist knowledge, or the potential to develop specialist knowledge, relevant to the collections and subject areas covered by the section.
You will be organised and methodical, with good verbal and written communication skills and ICT skills in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook. You should also have experience of managing your own time and workload, working to deadlines and handling multiple priorities. A driving licence is desirable.
To make an online application for this post and to find further details of this post and of all our vacancies please visit www.nms.ac.uk.
If you require further information telephone 0131 247 4094 (answerphone) or email applications@nms.ac.uk, stating reference NMS18/900
If you require further information regarding the role please contact, Rachel Walcott, Principal Curator - Earth Systems at R.Walcott@nms.ac.uk.
Closing date for completed applications is midnight on 25 January 2019.
It is anticipated that the selection event will take place on/around Tuesday, 12 February 2019.
Senior Exhibitions and Interpretation Officer
We are Chester Zoo, and for over 80 years we've been a leading conservation and education charity, and an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction.
We're also a team of passionate, talented and expert people, doing everything we can to keep the zoo going giving our 1.9 million visitors an inspirational day out. We work hard because we care about nature, we love Chester Zoo and we want to be the best zoo in the world! If you think you can help us to achieve that, then we'd love to hear from you.
We currently have an exciting vacancy for a Senior Exhibitions and Interpretation Officer to play a key role in our Discovery and Learning department on a temporary basis.
The successful candidate will be highly motivated and support the Exhibitions and Interpretation (E&I) Manager to ensure the effective delivery and ongoing development of all interpretation across the zoo, and ensure education and conservation impact through delivery of our learning outcomes.
The Role:
- To support the E&I Manager and work collaboratively to ensure excellence in the development, implementation and maintenance of interpretation across the zoo. Collaborating widely to ensure buy in and authentic content creation. Supervising interpretation production through brief writing, content development, procurement, installation and ongoing maintenance.
- Lead, develop and motivate the Interpretation Officer in order to ensure efficient delivery of all interpretation work, high morale, delivery of our values and professionalism. Supervise any interns or volunteers working in the department as required.
- Source, recruit, manage and oversee the work of a wide variety of contractors ensuring effective delivery of projects, supervision of their work and management of contracts.
- Ensure all existing interpretation information is accurate and shows the latest field and science updates, and compliant with the requirements of zoo licensing.
- Implement and assist with the development of policies, procedures and safe working practices to ensure the E&I team follow best practice and are compliant with all relevant guidelines and legislation (e.g. copyright, H&S, DDA). Ensure installations are completed safely with risk assessments, and that assets are appropriately managed and documented.
- Develop skills and knowledge in the areas of interpretation and wider exhibition design, keeping up to date with best practice, collaborating with partners in the UK and internationally as appropriate, researching excellence and sharing practice.
- Ensure that interpretation projects are based on high quality research evidence, by initiating and working on pre- and post-evaluation projects, reading widely and working with the E&I Manager, Conservation Social Scientist and others to collect and analyse data about the impact of interpretation and learning at the zoo.
- Support the E&I Manager to lead the direction of interpretation across the zoo, including deputising for them in project meetings and working as part of the wider D&L management team to shape the direction of learning at the zoo.
The successful candidate will have:
- Experience of developing interpretation and/or exhibitions in a zoo, museum, science centre, or similar environment. Experience with the process of building exhibits from brief through to completion. This experience would ideally be supported by a relevant degree or Masters level qualification.
- A working knowledge of conservation and zoology. This is likely be demonstrated by a Zoology or Biological Science degree and/or experience of working within a zoo, conservation organisation or similar environment with a degree in another relevant subject.
- Experience of text writing, ideally in a visitor attraction setting or for a specific audience. Must have excellent written English and understand how to write for different audience types and different media.
- The ability to find accurate information and quality source materials (such as films, maps and images), seek copyright clearance for their usage and edit into appropriate formats for our audiences.
- Excellent verbal, written and visual presentation skills - including the creation of engaging interpretation and learning resources. The ability to brief key stakeholders on projects and requirements. To be able to communicate with a wide range of people with varying levels of technical and subject knowledge. To coordinate with others, especially Animal Teams and Maintenance, regarding installations.
- Skilled in the use of all key Microsoft packages is essential. Basic graphic skills using Adobe Creative Suite or experience with 2D or 3D design software is desirable. Experience using and sourcing a variety of software and hardware for public engagement.
- Excellent time management, administration, project management and workload planning skills are essential. Must be able to cope with multiple conflicting deadlines.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively under own initiative and as part of a team, to work under pressure with a positive and enthusiastic attitude. The role requires the job holder to work across different departments and with external colleagues. Experience of line management is desirable.
Hours of work are 40 hours per week, worked Monday-Friday, with occasional evening and/or weekend work as required for an 18 month period.
The salary for this role is £28,391.91 per annum and in addition we offer a range of amazing benefits which can be found at http://www.chesterzoo.org/careers/working-at-chester-zoo.
To apply for this position, please go to http://www.chesterzoo.org/careers and click apply now to provide your current CV and complete the application form highlighting your skills and experience including why you believe you should be considered for our Senior Exhibitions and Interpretation Officer role.
Observatory Astrographic Officer
Salary: £1,917 - £2,500 per annum (£23,000 - £30,000 pro rata)
Closing Date: 21 November 2018
Interviews: 23 November 2018
Expected start date: 3 December 2018
We have recently installed a suite of modern instruments in the Altazimuth Pavilion at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, restoring our status as a working observatory on a limited basis for the first time in more than 60 years.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, outgoing and technologically capable individual with experience of using telescopes of varying designs including large (14' plus) telescopes and a background in astronomy photography (encompassing Solar System and Deep Sky), including image processing. The post holder must also have excellent communication skills, with experience of delivering public astronomy events to a range of audiences.
When conditions permit, this work will be primarily carried out from 18.15-21.15 on Tuesday evenings. However the post holder must have enormous flexibility on this front. As this is a new role, it will be reviewed at the end of the year to make changes as necessary. They must be willing to work into the small hours of the morning on different days to capture images of particular targets if required.
Reports to: Senior Manager for Public Astronomy
Responsibilities:
- Operate our suite of instruments carefully and safely, and supervise their use by the Astrographic Volunteers.
- Work with and direct the Astrographic Volunteers to take photographs of specific astronomical targets and process the resulting images.
- Deliver public facing activity in the Altazimuth Pavilion using our suite of instruments, including activity for paying visitors, members and patrons.
- Liaise with the Observatory Public Engagement Manager and other members of the team to discuss photographic targets and public facing activity.
- Work with the Visitor Experience and Security teams to ensure access to and from the park, site and building and activity runs smoothly.
Essential skills and experience:
- Excellent knowledge of observational astronomy.
- A passion for astronomy and space exploration, current and historic.
- Experience of using small and larger (14' plus) telescopes.
- Experience of astronomy photography, including image processing.
- Friendly and outgoing with excellent public speaking skills and the ability to simplify complex scientific and technical concepts into succinct explanations.
- Commitment to ensure health and safety requirements are met, equipment is protected and the expectations of visitors are delivered.
- Incredibly flexible in terms of when work hours are delivered, as is required for observational astronomy.
- Punctual, diligent and organised with excellent time-keeping skills.
- Calm in a crisis.
Desirable skills and experience
- Experience of working with and/ or coordinating volunteers.
Terms and Conditions:
The post holder will work 3 hours a week, primarily working 18:15-21:15 on Tuesday evenings.
However the post holder must be incredibly flexible in terms of when work is delivered, both in terms of the day and the time.
This is particularly important from April-September inclusive. The post includes annual leave, which must be agreed at least one month in advance with their line manager.
Salary: £1,917-£2,500 per annum (£23,000-£30,000 pro rata)