Collection Project Officer

Science Museum Group; Swindon; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a world-leading museum group as a Collection Project Officer, where you will play a crucial role in documenting and caring for a diverse collection. This full-time position offers a unique opportunity to work with fascinating objects, from vehicles to cameras, while ensuring they are accurately recorded and preserved. With a strong focus on teamwork and communication, you will contribute to the innovative collections management at the National Collections Centre. Enjoy a supportive work environment that values your contributions and offers great perks, including generous leave and health benefits.

Benefits

27 Days Annual Leave

Health & Dental Insurance

Enhanced Contributory Pension

Interest-Free Loans

Great Discounts

Career Growth Support

Flexible Work Policies

Employee Assistance Programme

Colleague Networks

Qualifications

• Experience in documenting a museum collection with attention to detail.
• Ability to work efficiently and maintain high standards.

Responsibilities

• Document, hazard survey, and photograph objects at the NCC.
• Assist with packing and transporting a variety of objects.

Skills

Object Handling

Attention to Detail

Collections Care

Preventive Conservation

Communication

Education

Experience in Museum Collections

Tools

Mimsy XG Database

Barcode Scanning Technology

Job description

Do you have experience handling and packing objects and good attention to detail? Would you like to be part of the team documenting, hazard surveying, packing and transporting a wide variety of objects in our collection?

About us

The 545-acre Science and Innovation Park is the home of the Science Museum Group's National Collections Centre (NCC), our hub for collections management and access. The NCC is transforming how we care, manage, and make accessible over 400,000 objects and 1.5M items in our Library and Archive. A new collections management facility houses a vast range of objects in the collection from microscope slides to railway carriages.

We are now recruiting for Collection Project Officers to join the NCC Collections Consolidation Project Team. This is a full-time role, working 35 hours per week on a fixed term contract until December 2025.

About the role

As Collection Project Officer you will document, hazard survey, condition assess and photograph objects already stored at the NCC. You will assist with the preparation, packing and transport of objects across the NCC site and into a new collections store. You will be working with a variety of SMG objects, ranging in size from aircraft and vehicles to television sets and cameras.

The role will follow a rapid inventory workflow, systematically working through objects to ensure they are accurately recorded in the collections database. You will be using barcode scanning technology and SMG's database (Mimsy XG) to track and catalogue a very diverse collection in addition to creating high quality record photographs of each object. You will receive training to identify and record hazardous materials in the collection, ensuring this data is recorded in the collections management system, and making sure objects are labelled appropriately.

About you

Joining us you will have knowledge and experience of documenting a museum and/or science and technology collection. You will have good attention to detail alongside the ability to work efficiently with desire to maintain consistent high standards. You will be able to work well as part of a multi-disciplinary team, with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues to ensure you can work together to meet deadlines.

You will have relevant experience of object handling and packing, as well as an understanding of collections care and preventive conservation. Crucially, you will be able to assist with the manual movement of our collections, using manual handling techniques and equipment effectively, for example trolleys.

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

Working with a world-leading museum group that offers access to truly unique environments and collections, you'll benefit from the perks listed below, as well as full support for life events such as parental and adoption leave, sickness, and career breaks.

• Meaningful work. We're a mission-led organisation where the work you do supports us in Inspiring Futures.
• Career growth. We offer enhanced support with personal and professional development.
• Work/life balance. We offer 27 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, along with flexible policies which support you and your home life.
• Health & Dental Insurance. Extra peace of mind, from day one.
• All our colleagues can access an employee assistance programme, access to the Unmind app, and other wellbeing support.
• Colleague networks. Our colleague-led networks are an informal forum for colleagues to come together to discuss topics of shared interest and lived experience. They create a space for people to exchange ideas, discuss best practice, socialise and build a sense of community.
• Enhanced contributory pension. To support you in saving for the future.
• Interest-free loans. When you need a little extra cash for life events or home improvements.
• Great discounts. Free entry to exhibitions, discounts in our shops, cafes, and access to other museums in the NMDC network.

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 develop 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.