Curator (Pleistocene Mammals)
Role description: The Curator (Pleistocene Mammals) will be responsible for general curatorial work in the Fossil Mammals Section, including upgrading the documentation and storage of specimens, facilitating specimen access and loans, responding to enquiries, participating in public outreach activities, and liaising with colleagues on projects such as digitisation and exhibitions. Delegated areas of responsibility will primarily be with the British Pleistocene Mammal collection.
The British Pleistocene Mammal collection is a heavily used collection by both internal and external researchers. It also has wide public appeal (e.g., mammoths). Currently the majority of the collection is not on our electronic Collection Management System (KE-Emu), and as such there are many challenges in 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 a motivated individual, who ideally already has a good working knowledge of the subject area and is able to meet those challenges with a positive attitude. You will be working closely with the Curator of Fossil Mammals.
Salary: £23,780 per annum plus benefits
Contract: 12 month Fixed-Term Appointment
Closing Date: Midnight on Wednesday 27 May 2015
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. Educated to degree level (or equivalent qualification) in Palaeontology, Zoology or Geology (ideally with an additional postgraduate degree in one of these, or a combination of one of these with museum studies or archaeology)
2. Sound working knowledge in, and some experience of, mammal bone identification (e.g., Master’s project on mammalian anatomy)
3. Experience and knowledge of specimen curation (ideally through a paid role or a museum studies degree and ideally on palaeontological specimens)
4. Significant experience and aptitude of using databases (ideally general and specialist collections management software)
5. Sound knowledge of British Pleistocene geology and palaeontology
6. Ability to appropriately handle a wide range of palaeontological specimens
7. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with experience of presenting to a range of different audiences
8. Self-motivated and ability to work with minimal supervision whilst following guidelines and meeting targets
9. A pragmatic approach to problem solving
10. High degree of attention to detail, particularly in documentation and electronic data entry
11. Experience of working successfully in a team and making valuable contributions
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.
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.