Posted: 25/01/2022 15:58
Salary: £31,534 – £39,795
Location: National Museum Of Scotland, Chambers Street
Level: Curatorial
Deadline: 01/03/2022 23:59
Hours: 37.00
Benefits: membership of Civil Service pension scheme
Job Type: Permanent
National Museums Scotland is one of the leading museum groups in Europe. With one of the largest and most diverse collections in the world, we are responsible for the acquisition, preservation and display of a substantial part of Scotland’s cultural, historic and national heritage.
Millions of local and international visitors enjoy our four museums each year, and we also introduce our collections to a much wider audience than can physically visit our museums through, touring exhibitions, loans, community engagement, digital programmes and research.
Over the last decade, we have invested over £120 million in our sites and have more than doubled our visitor numbers, with over 3 million people now visiting our four museums. Alongside this, we have continued to transform how we communicate and engage with our audiences. 2019 has seen the completion of our Masterplan for the National Museum of Scotland with the opening of three new galleries dedicated to Ancient Egypt, East Asia and the Art of Ceramics.
Based at the National Museum of Scotland, this permanent, full-time post will support the work of the World Cultures Department. Working within the Department’s Mediterranean, Africa, Americas, and Oceania Section, the post-holder’s duties will include responsibility for collections; acquisitions; exhibitions; research; publications; and answering public enquiries. Building on the major suite of new galleries in the National Museum of Scotland the post-holder will support development of the collection and displays.
Within the Department of World Cultures, the Mediterranean, Africa, Americas, and Oceania Section encompasses over 36,000 objects from across the globe. The internationally recognised early ethnographic collections, covering principally Oceania, Africa and North America are connected to early voyages of exploration, trade, and government that can be traced to individuals such as Captain James Cook (1776-1779), Frederick Beechey (1796–1856), and Dr David Livingstone (1813-1873) amongst others. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, missionaries were significant contributors to the collections, including Reverend James Moon, resident in what is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Adam Darling Purves in Zambia. The Jean Jenkins Collection of sound archives features pioneering records of traditional music. The ancient Mediterranean collections include internationally important ancient Egyptian and Sudanese collections, largely acquired through archaeological excavations. Collecting of contemporary arts and material culture remains an important expression of our public role and remit.
Applicants should have a degree and a postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject area, such as Archaeology, Anthropology, Art History, or Museum Studies with demonstrable specialism in African topics, in addition to proven relevant work experience. A doctoral degree in a relevant subject will be an advantage. Applicants should have experience of working in a museum or similar environment and be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the study and communication of African history and culture.
With a track record of delivery in research, you will develop an ambitious research agenda focused on understanding and interpreting the collections in line with our Research Strategy and with an emphasis on externally-funded collaborative research. Your strategic collecting will build the national history collections for future interpretation, including support for contemporary collecting. You will contribute to the wider activities of the section and the department. You will support the section’s commitment to our programme of special exhibitions.
Applicants should be able to demonstrate best practice in collections management. It is expected that applicants will have experience of undertaking research at multiple levels, responding to public enquiries and preparing and delivering presentations. Equally essential are ICT skills in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook together with knowledge and experience of collections management databases. Applicants must be able to demonstrate ability to plan and organise their own workload, manage projects and build relationships within and outside National Museums Scotland. A driving licence is desirable.
