Project Conservator - Books & Paper

Job Description

About Us
We are a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually and 16 million visits to our website.

Today the Museum is more relevant and influential than ever. By attracting people from a range of backgrounds to work for us, we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things.

We employ 900 staff in a variety of roles, all united by our vision of a future where people and planet thrive. We need everyone to have the passion and drive to help us with our mission to create advocates for our planet and inspire millions to care about the natural world.

Diversity and inclusion matter to us.

Our vision is of a future where both people and the planet thrive. Diversity is one of our core values and we strive to build a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. All new staff who join us learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion to the Museum and how to contribute to creating an inclusive environment.

We know we have more to do, but we are committed to ensuring that everyone who works at the Museum feels they can thrive and feel valued and respected.

About the role

About the NHM Science and Digitisation Centre

Over 300 scientists based at the Museum tackle important global challenges, spanning mineral scarcity, food security and biodiversity loss. The Museum is globally renowned for excellence in science and research and championing digital capacity and innovation.

The Museum has been awarded a substantial government investment of £182m, to create a new science and digitisation centre at Thames Valley Science Park which is owned by the University of Reading. This is a once in a century opportunity to shape the future of the Museum, protect and share our unique collection and further our science.

The Programme is made up of several major projects and workstreams which encompass:

• Designing and building the new centre, including collections, lab and other specialist spaces.
• Preparing and moving tens of millions of specimens from across multiple sites to the new centre.
• Developing staffing and technology models for the new centre.
• Ensuring we pass successive government gateways for progressing the programme.
• Developing new and retaining existing research and other partnerships.
• Developing KPIs and benefits mapping, to provide information to senior managers, Trustees and DCMS as our funders.
• Engaging colleagues and professional users of our collections in the process and shaping of the new centre.

Moves Project

The new centre will include a large collections store alongside new specialist laboratories and non-technical works spaces. As part of this development, the Museum will be moving over a third of its 80 million specimens and Library and Archive collections from its four sites (in London, Hertfordshire and Yorkshire) to the new site, plus undertaking substantial internal moves.

In addition to the need to catalogue, prepare, pack and move specimens and objects, there is also the requirement to move specialist laboratory equipment. The moves are currently scheduled to take place from early 2027, with preparation and planning having already commenced.

This role sits within this project (Moves Project).

Job Summary

Working closely with Library and Archives (LA) staff and the Museum’s Conservation Centre, this post will deliver specific delegated areas of work and tasks identified by LA and the Moves Programme to ensure the timely preparation of a variety of library and archival material identified for physical movement between NHM sites.

Reporting to the Senior Conservation Move Co-ordinator, the postholder will survey, report, manage and carry out identify practical work on the LA collections relocating to the new site at Thames Valley Science Park and those to South Kensington. The post holder will fully assess the predominantly paper-based items (books, journals, archival collections) and formulate appropriate work plans and actions to ensure that all items are in a stable condition and packed appropriately for the moves.

The post holder will also provide training, support and guidance to any collection assistants involved in the physical preparation of the materials to move.

The post holder may be required to work at South Kensington or at our store in South London

About you

The successful candidate should be educated to degree level with a recognised qualification in book and/or paper conservation. You should have excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to quickly establish effective working relationships with colleagues and users. The successful candidate should also have excellent organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise and lead work and adopt a flexible approach to meet often tight deadlines.

Please find full person specifications in the JD below.

Thriving at the Museum: the way we work
We are proud to work at the Museum and have identified the qualities we all need to embody to reach our shared ambition. This sits alongside the Museum’s values and forms the framework for the way we work.

Find out more here

What we offer

• 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
• Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution 4 - 10%)
• Season ticket, bicycle and rental loan
• Life insurance
• Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across London and the UK.
• Staff discount at our Museum shops and cafes
• We offer a wide variety of training initiatives and opportunities to build skills. Investing in staff development is important to us, and we are ambitious about helping staff to grow and fulfil their potential.
• Affordable membership to the Civil Service Sports Council which offers a range of benefits including an extensive list of special offers and reduced entry fees at a selection of cinema chains, theme parks, theatres, retailers and supermarkets. It also provides entry to up to 300 English Heritage sites and other national treasures. For more details, visit https://www.cssc.co.uk
• Membership to our Sports and Social Association (for a small fee), which includes access to our in-house gym and clubs such as football, softball, table tennis and tennis and classes in Middle Eastern dance, yoga and Tai Chi