Are you able to use your knowledge and expertise in chemical science and adapt it to our museum collections? Can you collaborate with colleagues to review ways of working and policies around hazardous materials?
About us
The 545-acre Science and Innovation Park is the home of the Science Museum Group's (SMG) National Collections Centre (NCC), our hub for collections management and access. As the Conservation and Collections Care team we are responsible for the physical care of the objects in the Science Museum Group collections which span science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.
We are recruiting for a Conservation Scientist to join our team based at the NCC at the Science and Innovation Park in Wroughton, Swindon. This is a full-time role working 35 hours per week on a fixed-term contract until December 2025, with hybrid working also available.
About the role
As Collections Scientist, you will be working on a Collections Review project to create a better understanding of the collections we hold through in-depth reviews of selected parts of the collection. The focus for this role will be to support the review team on a review of specific hazards within SMG's Collection, such as radiation and synthetic dyes.
Bringing your knowledge and expertise of chemical science and adapting it to collections, you will research our collections and provide recommendations on the management these hazardous collections and where required advise and feed into the removal of hazardous objects. You will work alongside external consultants and internal colleagues to review our ways of working, including our policies, standard operating procedures and risk assessments, and ensure our processes are practical and safe, ensuring that any changes are agreed, communicated and implemented.
About you
Joining us, you will be able to carry out scientific analysis using a range of equipment questioning and interpreting results, for example, portable XRF, FTIR and Raman, Alphaguard Mini Rad, Smartlon and Selectra. You will bring experience in updating spectral libraries and will have experience working with and researching a range of hazardous materials.
You will be an effective communicator with a proven ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders, subject specialists and external consultants or contactors, as well as collaborate as part of a team.
Applying
View the Vacancy Information Pack listed under 'Attachments' on the vacancy listing on our website for more details about the role and the application process, or click 'Apply Online' to submit an application.
Don't feel you meet all of the criteria? At SMG, we are committed to building a workforce that is open for all, and welcome you to apply, even if your experience doesn't fit perfectly. With your transferable skills, you could be the right candidate for this, or other opportunities that we have.
What we offer
Joining us as an employee, you will have the opportunity to develop your career in a world-class museum group. We understand that work/life balance and wellbeing is crucial to our colleagues, so we offer the perks listed below, as well as support for things that happen in life such as parental and adoption leave, sickness, and career breaks.
- Support with personal and professional development
- 27 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
- Employee assistance programme
- Enhanced contributory pension
- Unmind App and other wellbeing support
- Interest-free loans
- Days Out discounts
- Health & Dental Insurance
Open for All is one of the Science Museum Group's five core values and sets out our important aspiration to be a place for everyone. We are working hard to understand our organisation better and to foster a culture that recognises and values different backgrounds, mindsets, skills, experience, knowledge, and expertise. By having greater diversity, we believe that we will be a stronger and better organisation, capable to continue to Inspire Futures.
