About the role:
The British Museum has an exciting opportunity for a proficient and experienced Conservator: Preventive to join the Department of Collection Care and contribute towards the care and preservation a world class collection.
You will be joining a growing Preventive Conservation team, providing leadership in coordinating preventive conservation applications in support of the Museum’s next phases of core projects and Masterplan. This presents an excellent opportunity to contribute to and support the long-term care of the Museum’s collection as it embarks on its most significant cultural redevelopment project ever undertaken.
The role requires the post holder to have good general knowledge in the preventive care of a wide range of collections and materials, and significant post-graduate experience of working in the area of preventive conservation. This is a crucial role involving working closely with various cross-departmental stakeholders, and cross-museum collaboration.
Key areas of responsibility:
• To independently assess collection condition and contribute to the preventive conservation of collections made of a wide range of organic and inorganic materials by proposing environmental management solutions for long-term preservation.
• To lead on the care of the collection through environment (temperature and relative humidity), pollutants and light monitoring, reporting, data analysis, as well as supporting Integrated Pest Management.
• To set out guidance for colleagues and stakeholders on preventive conservation, collection care and risk management related matters.
• To lead in the coordination and improvement of the management and maintenance of the collection environmental monitoring system across the Museum’s estate.
• To independently solve complex problems regarding preventive conservation, applying a high degree of expertise, judgement, innovation and adaptability for the display, storage, and handling of objects.
About you:
• Recognised professional conservation qualification to degree level or equivalent, with emphasis on preventive conservation
• Considerable post qualification experience of working in the heritage sector (e.g., museum, gallery, library, archive sector)
• Proficient and demonstrable practical preventive conservation skills
• Strong understanding of mechanisms involved in material deterioration
• Demonstrable knowledge of contemporary principles and practice in preventive conservation
• Experience of devising preventive measures
• Involvement in display, loans and storage related activities
• Understanding of conservation theory and ethical decision making
• Experience of planning own work and objectives to deliver set objectives on time and to budget
• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills
• Open and effective communicator
About the British Museum:
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. The Museum is a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists Drer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.
The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:
• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
• Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
• Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions
• Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections.
• Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts on food and gift shop purchases
Additional details:
For more information about this role, please see the job description.
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details.
We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the minimum salary threshold of 38,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job
We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you and requirements of this role.
The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
Application Instructions
Application deadline: 12pm (midday) on 21 October 2024
