Curator, Invertebrates

**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**

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
- 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