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Doncaster Heritage Services is seeking a Curatorial Assistant to work on its wide-ranging natural science collections.

You will assist with the curation of the Museum Service’s natural science collections, particularly the documentation of the existing collection, improvements to storage and care of the collection, rationalisation and dispersal of items from the collection as appropriate.

The postholder will be the sole natural science specialist within Heritage Services and will focus specifically on tackling the historic accessioning backlog in order to achieve Accreditation targets.

The natural science collection is extensive and, in places, of international quality. There is also a long history of engagement with the local natural science community since the foundation of the Museum & Art Gallery in 1909. Numbering around 400,000 specimens this exciting yet underused collection contains, taxidermy, cabinet skins, mollusca, osteology, corals, herbaria, entomology, rocks, minerals and fossils. The geology and palaeontology collections are largely catalogued, so this post will be concentrating upon the biological collections.

You will hold a degree in a biological science, or possess equivalent experience and will have had experience of documenting natural science collections and working within a museum environment in this context.

You should have a good knowledge of British natural history as well as of taxonomy and the identification of biological specimens.

We are seeking someone who is passionate about natural history, able to work on their own or as part of a team and who is logical and methodical, yet practical and flexible.

Doncaster Heritage Services is a newly formed service, comprising Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery, Cusworth Hall Museum & Park, Doncaster Archives and Doncaster Local Studies Library. It is a friendly service committed to developing and innovating in how we deliver our service to the people of Doncaster and beyond.

Details for this post and how to apply can be found from Monday 14th December on the Doncaster Council jobs page https://www.doncastercounciljobs.co.uk/ Reference DON/15/1269

For further information please contact either Carolyn Dalton, Heritage Services Manager or Peter Robinson, Museums Officer (Human History) on 01302 734293 or 782342.

Introductory information
The natural history trainee will have the opportunity to gain wide-ranging experience of Natural History curatorship working in a department which holds a large number of specimens (c. 1.2 million) and internationally significant collections.

Key areas of work
The natural history traineeship will support a full range of curatorial activities as well as a number of major projects across the service.
Three major on-going projects to which the trainee will contribute are: Norfolk’s Deep History Coast; Cromer Forest–bed Fossil Project and West Runton Mammoth display. This will include contributing to funding proposals and project outlines and project management

S/he will participate in a variety of public events such as, RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch; Heritage Open Days; Mammoths, Monsters and Minibeasts event.

The trainee will work with the county-wide Learning Team providing specimens and material for school and other visiting groups and have the opportunity to contribute directly to these.

S/he will work directly on the on-going rationalisation programme including the cased taxidermy bird collection and geology collections at the Norfolk Collections Centre, Gressenhall.

The natural history section has on-going collections management and documentation work to which the trainee will make a substantial contribution including updating records in MODES and creating new records from original accession registers. There will also be the opportunity to work on the project which is putting NMS collections online at www.norfolkmuseumscollections.org

Development opportunities
• All aspects of collections care; photography, storage, handling, documentation, specimen preparation (palaeontology, taxidermy, spirit preservation, entomology, botany) interpretation, display
• Practical training and experience in the conservation of natural history specimens including taxidermy conservation, spirit preserved collections care, fossil conservation, integrated pest management
• Partnership working with a range of external organisations and colleagues within NMS
• Presentation skills
• Recruiting and supervising volunteers
• Working directly with the public and audiences, answering enquiries
• Devising, developing and delivering events, talks and tours

Skills
In addition to the set of skills outlined in the job details an interest in natural history is essential and some natural sciences background an advantage.

Does this sound like you? If so you can find out more about this opportunity by attending a briefing session for potential applicants at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery on 11th or 12th December 2015.

Kew is the world-leader in plant diversity science, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a major visitor attraction, that shows the importance of plants in all our lives. Kew's mission is to inspire and deliver science-based plant conservation worldwide, enhancing the quality of life.

You will have a relevant first degree or equivalent experience in collections management, be an excellent communicator with the flexibility to manage your own activities and those of a small team.

This role requires attention to detail, a proven ability to follow precise procedures and accurately document and track specimen records through appropriate IT tools.

You will contribute towards developing policy in order to attain Museum Accreditation, have knowledge of the SPECTRUM collections management standard and an understanding of relevant legislation governing the movement of plant genetic resources.

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 closing date stated.

The Field Museum collections are among the top natural history collections in the world for their breadth, scope, and quality. The Field is one of the few institutions with collections that cover planetary origins and the full history of life on Earth with botanical, zoological, geological, and anthropological specimens and artifacts. The Museum’s strategy in Science and Education (S&E) creates a strong opportunity for the Museum to increase the impact of its collections.

The Director of The Field Museum’s Collections Center (the Gantz Family Collections Center) will expand and shape the role that these collections play in global efforts to explore the past, understand the present, and ensure a future rich with biological and cultural diversity. The Director focuses the strategic growth of the collections, broadening their relevance and increasing their accessibility. This leadership position provides general oversight for the Museum's holdings of close to 30 million specimens and objects, in addition to the library and archive collections. The Director works closely with the Center’s leadership (heads of the Anthropological, Botanical, Geological, Zoological, and Library collections) to supervise personnel in collections management, oversee collections-related policies and procedures, and develop the Center’s annual budget. The Director will have active programs in one or more of the Museum’s collection areas, interact with members of the other S&E centers on collaborative initiatives, and develop strong ties with academic institutions locally and worldwide

This position reports to the Vice President of S&E and works as part of a team with the Directors of the Integrative Research, Science Action, and Learning centers to set the vision and agenda for Science and Education at The Field Museum.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provides strategic vision and direction for the Gantz Family Collections Center by:

making museum collections more relevant to research, conservation action, and learning worldwide;
identifying and promoting priorities for Field Museum collections in consultation with S&E leadership and committees of the Board of Trustees;
developing and overseeing implementation of innovative approaches for increasing accessibility and use of Field Museum collections;
and identifying global priorities for natural history collections in cooperation with other museums

Provides oversight for collections growth, care, and use by:

supervising Center’s leadership and overseeing Center’s personnel;
overseeing strategic growth of the collections and collections staff;
overseeing deaccessions, including repatriation;
ensuring the highest standards of collections management;
and overseeing adherence to the Museum’s Collections Management Policy and regularly reviewing and updating policies for approval by Board of Trustees

Serves as the face of collections at The Field Museum by:

fostering relationships with scholars, conservation professionals, and educators worldwide;
supporting collaborations with exhibitions, marketing, and public relations staff;
building networks with museums for training in collections management;
and fostering collaborations between Collections Center staff and communities, citizen scientists, members of the public, and other stakeholders

Oversees finances for the Center by:

developing the annual budget for the Center with S&E and Center’s leadership;
supporting fundraising for the Center;
and helping secure grants for projects that improve the care, growth, access, and use of collections

Qualifications

An accomplished leader with keen knowledge of natural history collections and collections management, and deep appreciation for collections-based science and science communication
A respected scientist with an advanced degree in the biological, geological, or social sciences, or equivalent
At least six years of managing natural history collections with a sound knowledge of best practices, ethics, and AAM accreditation standards
Experience managing a diverse team of professionals in a results-oriented setting
Excellent communication skills
Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and sustain effective teams and collaborations
Experience writing proposals and administering grants
Superb organizational skills and attention to detail
Demonstrated familiarity with museum collections databases.