Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Category: Conservation
Salary: £30,526 – £32,157
Contract type: Contract Permanent
Hours: Full time
Telephone: 02890 395046
The post holder will be required to coordinate and deliver a range of conservation practices across National Museums NI to support the long-term preservation of the collections. They will carry out preventive and remedial conservation, so will have excellent conservation knowledge and skills as well as a high level of manual dexterity. They will demonstrate the ability to plan and manage their work to ensure that deadlines are met and provide clear, detailed and accurate records of all treatments undertaken in accordance with professional conservation standards.
The post holder will be involved in current and planned collection storage projects, redevelopment of existing stores and conservation work areas, historic buildings management, exhibition planning and installation, identification and management of hazards in collections, development of the new Collections Management System, emergency planning, promoting sustainability, supporting skills development and delivery of training to staff and partners.
They will also have excellent communication skills and be willing to undertake training to develop and enhance their professional skills and knowledge of conservation and collections care. The post holder will be expected to either be on the pathway or be willing to work towards professional accreditation.
The post holder will also be expected to work collaboratively with colleagues within the collections directorate and other parts of the organisation on an individual basis and as part of wider project teams to ensure delivery of exhibitions, events, loans, outreach activities and research and to support National Museums NI’s corporate objectives of increasing participation and delivering key outcomes for a wide range of audiences and users.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Collections Care and Management
1. Support the delivery of programmes of preventive care across National Museums NI for a wide variety of objects within the Museum’s collection including organic and inorganic materials in line with best practice and museum policy.
2. Conservation treatment of a wide variety of objects within the Museum’s collection including organic and inorganic materials in line with best practice and museum policy.
3. Assess and review collection condition to inform priorities for preventive measures and conservation treatment programmes. Support ongoing condition survey work.
4. Support the delivery of our Integrated Pest Management Programme, including cleaning of collection storage areas and front of house displays and the on-going programme of quarantine to facilitate the safe movement of objects between sites and into the collections.
5. Carry out analytical investigation of collections items and create and maintain comprehensive records of work carried out, recording methodology, techniques, results and interpretation.
6. Plan and deliver your own work programmes of conservation for objects in the collections that are required for loans, exhibitions and outreach activities, on time and to budget.
7. Provide advice for safe display, handling, packing and storage of specific objects, construct mounts where possible and assist with installation of exhibitions
8. Support the development and implementation of the Collection Care and Conservation Plan.
9. Take care of your personal health & safety and that of others. Participate in safe management and awareness of hazards across collections; complying with current Health & Safety regulations, in-house policies and safe working practices in the conservation lab and across our stores and galleries.
Knowledge Management and Development
10. Develop knowledge of National Museums NI collections and their conservation needs, developing specialist areas of expertise.
11. Develop existing knowledge, keep up to date with collections care and conservation developments.
Team Working
12. Support the delivery of National Museums NI’s Vision, Mission and Values.
13. Work positively with others and support National Museums NI’s One Team approach.
14. Support skills development by working with volunteers and provide training to staff as required to raise collections care standards and awareness of collections care issues.
Communication and Collaboration
15. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and stakeholder groups within National Museums NI and conservation professionals in other organisations.
16. Answer general enquiries and contribute to outreach and engagement activities including talks, tours and developing links with relevant external bodies.
17. Undertake research and contribute papers, posters etc. at relevant national and international conferences.
Other
18. Carry out other duties as required by National Museums NI, consistent with the grade and responsibilities of the post.
