Role Summary
Lead Curator: Research Collection
Collection Projects and Resources
Full-time
Permanent
£49,132 per annum
Application deadline: 12pm (midday) on 30 November 2022
About the role:
The British Museum is seeking an innovative and strategic thinker to lead curatorial and research teams in the delivery of an exciting and complex new programme to transform research access to the Museum’s collection in storage. You will play a key management role in the delivery of provenance and due diligence research in support of major collection storage move projects, and work in partnership with the University of Reading and others to establish a coherent, collaborative research programme focused on collections at the new British Museum Archaeological Research Collection (BM_ARC).
Key areas of responsibility:
In this role you will plan curatorial research projects and recruit project-dedicated curatorial teams who will work to ensure that collections are auditable prior to transit, and accessible to researchers when new stores are established. You will work together with curators and other museum experts to contribute to the development and design of new storage and associated study spaces to be delivered as part of the masterplan. You will lead on the establishment of a high-profile research programme at the BM_ARC, securing significant external funding as PI, with the aim to enhance catalogue information about the collection. Timely communication and positive stakeholder engagement will be key to the success of this role.
About you:
You will have delivered significant research or fieldwork projects, ideally involving archaeological collections and archives, and have substantial experience of managing people and budgets. The successful candidate will be a recognized authority in a relevant research area, comfortable leading and managing multidisciplinary and cross-departmental teams, and able to build new networks and research partnerships working across the museum and academic world. Awareness of the legal frameworks and ethical considerations associated with museum collections is essential.
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 one of the leading visitor attractions and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, Egyptian mummies, the Admonitions Scroll, and the Amaravati sculptures.
The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:
- Membership of the civil service pension scheme
- 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
- Generous annual leave allowance
- 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 in order to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
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.
We are also currently piloting a flexible way of working that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage and how flexible working could work for you.
The Museum adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.


