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Curator, Invertebrates (Non-Insects)

Natural History Museum

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Job Details

Location: South Kensington, Pelham Street, The Boltons, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Greater London, England, SW7 2SU, United Kingdom Posted: Nov 11, 2023

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

This is an opportunity for a collections specialist or early career researcher with strong curatorial experience to take up an important role in the Invertebrate collection. Applications for the post of Curator of Invertebrates (non-insects) are welcome in the field of invertebrate zoology, with expertise or knowledge of Bryozoa. We are looking to hear from applicants with experience in managing wet-preserved and dried collections, the position requires knowledge of frozen tissue collections and molecular biology techniques/applications.

The post holder will ensure best practice in collections care and strategic development for Bryozoa collections specifically while also contributing across the Invertebrate (non-insect) collections. The post holder will be expected to contribute to the interpretation of the collections and provide access to a range of stakeholders within the museum and worldwide. The role will work closely with NHM colleagues engaged in invertebrate systematics, as well as undertaking their own collections-focused research. Duties will be split with approximately 80% time for other curatorial and collections management duties and up to 20% time for research. This is an exciting opportunity to integrate curation and collections-based research in one of the world’s largest Natural History collections.

The successful applicant will join approximately 300 scientists co-ordinated around our 10 science themes. The opportunity to work at the NHM includes the internationally important natural history library, a suite of advanced analytical and imaging facilities (SEM, Confocal, MicroCT and the potential to coordinate with the Palaeontology Bryozoa collections.

The postholder will report into the Principal Curator in Charge for Invertebrates Non-Insects, Dr Lauren Hughes, working along side the Invertebrates (non-insects) collection team within the Science Directorate.

Main Responsibilities

Working within the Invertebrates the curation will:

(i) Collections management, development, conservation and care

  • Manages collections at a local level aligned to NHM collection management aims and key departmental priorities
  • Ensure best practice in collections care, understand approaches to due diligence and collections Registry policy such as Spectrum Museum standards and apply them to the area of responsibility
  • Provides the information needed to maintain, develop, make accessible and use the collection
  • Works with internal and external researchers engaged with collections-based research/science, and seeks to actively facilitate such research where possible
  • Where appropriate, leads on donations, fieldwork opportunities and exchanges to enhance the collection area strategically
  • Work closely with the NHM_Unlocked delivery team to document, organise, sort and prepare the collections to ensure the move to a new site in Reading is both safe and beneficial for the invertebrate collections
  • Assists with delivery of collections assessment on behalf of relevant collection area (NHM assessment ‘Join the Dots’ or equivalent)
  • Where appropriate, assists the Digital Collections Programme to help plan and effect delivery of digitisation projects on behalf of the Invertebrate (non-insect) section
  • Ensures high standards of data management and stewardship using the Museum’s CMS for digital records
  • Provides guidance and support for engaging volunteers and curatorial support team
  • Support Invertebrates staff in engaging with, and delivering, income-generating and research directed activities
  • As required, contributes to major programmes developing or delivering public engagement

(ii) Collections scholarship and leadership

  • Aware of the relevant collections-based stakeholder community at large
  • Facilitates access and collections care priorities to enable scholarship
  • Leads on scholarly outputs from own area of expertise and contributes to scholarly outputs with collaborators, both internal and external, collections team in appropriate outlets e.g. scientific journals, monographs, technical reports, articles, exhibition content etc.
  • Reviews/edits for journals within specialty area
  • Remains up to date with appropriate techniques and procedures where appropriate

(iii) Income generation

  • Supports funding opportunities for projects within their specialist area, as a participant or team leader where appropriate)

About you

A postgraduate qualification (e.g. MSc) relevant to invertebrate zoology or curation is required for this post.

  • Expertise or knowledge across Bryozoa (required) general experience with other Invertebrates groups (desirable, not essential)
  • Record of scientific publication in international peer-reviewed journals commensurate with career stage
  • Experience of working with museum collections and/or databases
  • Knowledge of frozen tissue collections and molecular biology techniques
  • Knowledge of invertebrate systematics and/or taxonomy
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Success in obtaining external funding (desirable)
  • Fieldwork experience (desirable)
  • Experience of managing postgraduate students or volunteers (desirable)
  • Willingness to travel between Museum sites and work across Invertebrate Science collections

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

About Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum in London is a natural history museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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