Mineral Collections Curator

Vacancy reference: JJ/NHM/C
Location: South Kensington
Area of business: Earth Sciences

Role description: The Mineral and Planetary sciences division of the Earth Sciences Department at the Natural History Museum has a rare permanent opening for a new member of its internationally active curation team. The role is an opportunity for the correct candidate to build a solid career foundation at the NHM and become involved within the wider international geological heritage community. For an already keen mineralogist-geologist the post is an opportunity to work with one of the largest and most scientifically significant mineral collections in the world.

The mineral collections curator is responsible for undertaking everyday curation, documentation, movements and preservation of the NHM mineral collections. The curator will provide access and supervision to both visiting international and NHM based scientists and scholars. With the supervision and guidance of the Senior Curator, the post will help deliver specific parts of the NHM digitisation project and contribute to long term collections management and development goals. The new curator will be encouraged to familiarise themselves with both the mineral collection and the wider mineral kingdom as part of their scholarly development.

Role competences: BEFORE beginning your application - Please read the section below about the ‘Online Application Process’ carefully.

If you wish to be considered for this role you will need to address each of the following competences in the ‘other information’ section of your online application:

1. BSc (or equivalent) in Earth Sciences/Geology or Cultural Heritage/Museum studies
2. Proven experience of working with and safely handling large numbers of natural history objects in collections. (Geological objects desirable)
3. A reasonable knowledge of geological terminology. (Mineral specifics/taxonomy desirable)
4. Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of object & collections relevant information.
5. Ability to identify basic mineral & petrological (rock) specimens.
6. Experience using spreadsheets and database software. (KeEMu desirable)
7. Demonstrable understanding of the importance of geological collections and enthusiastic desire to develop collections through information, data and objects.
8. Excellent communication skills with demonstrable experience of solving problems in a flexible and creative manner
9. Experience and desire to talk and present to both peers and the public.
10. Proven time and project management skills.
11. Ability to confidently follow complex instructions, methods and procedures.
12. Experience of at least one other wider museum activity – (conservation, loans, facilitating displays, facilitating research, public outreach events, social media, specimen acquisition)

Online application process: You are required to provide a response to ALL of the role competences listed above within the ‘Other Information’ section of the online application form (up to 140 words per competence). In order to demonstrate how you meet each competence fully, please provide specific examples from your achievements, knowledge, skills and/or experience.

IMPORTANT: The ‘Other Information’ section will ‘timeout’ after 35 minutes and any information not saved during this time will be lost. Please therefore prepare your answers on a separate document before transferring and saving them to your application.

The ‘Additional Questions’ regarding right to work in the UK and age are mandatory questions and any applications received without these answers will not be considered.

Please review your application fully before pressing ‘submit application’ as you will not be able to make any further amends after submitting, and any applications received which have not addressed ALL competences in full and/or the mandatory questions will be rejected.

Please note that CVs will not be accepted outside of the online application process or as a substitute for completion of the competences.

The attached ‘Role Specification’ provides further information on the role and how to apply.

Please also be aware that we are not able to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this role. If you do not have the right to work in the UK without a visa sponsored by NHM, then unfortunately you will not be eligible to apply for this vacancy.