Conservator: Conservation Mounting (Art on Paper)

Trustees of the British Museum; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent cultural institution in London seeks a Conservator specializing in Conservation Mounting for art on paper. The role involves preserving valuable documents and photographs, preparing objects for exhibition, and supporting public outreach initiatives. Applicants should have a professional conservation qualification and practical skills in the field. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to contribute to a world-famous collection.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Membership of civil service pension scheme

Free entry to museums

Private Museum activities

Interest-free loans

Professional development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounts on purchases

Qualifications

• Recognised professional conservation qualification to degree level or equivalent training in conservation mounting.
• Demonstrable practical skills in conservation mounting.
• Understanding of mechanisms involved in material deterioration.
• Relevant knowledge of health and safety.
• Ability to undertake detailed tasks under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the preservation of art on paper through conservation mounting.
• Aid with the preparation of objects for loan and exhibition.
• Assist with documentation, surveys, and public speaking.
• Support department outreach activities.

Skills

Practical skills in conservation mounting

Understanding of material deterioration

Good computing skills

Effective problem solver

Education

Professional conservation qualification

Job description

Social network you want to login/join with:

Conservator: Conservation Mounting (Art on Paper), London

col-narrow-left

Client:

Trustees of the British Museum

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

-

EU work permit required:

Yes

col-narrow-right

Job Reference:

8c3601b76321

Job Views:

10

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

col-wide

Job Description:

Key areas of responsibility:

• Contribute to the preservation of art on paper, documents and photographs, by providing conservation mounting and housing.
• Aid with the preparation of objects for loan, exhibition, and permanent display.
• Assist towards the care of the collection through dedicated projects on collections in-store, documentation, surveys, data collection, analysis, and support with public speaking at public events.
• Get involved with the department’s outreach activities and support with developing ideas for potential funding bids.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues within the department, on projects such as developing new preventive or interventive measures.
• Other duties as assigned such as contributing to the mounting of materials / object types outside of own specialism as necessary.

About you:

• Recognised professional conservation qualification to degree level or equivalent training in conservation mounting, with emphasis on the conservation of the material relevant to the specialism of the role.
• Demonstrable practical skills in conservation mounting of the material relevant to the specialism of the role.
• Understanding of mechanisms involved in material deterioration and knowledge of contemporary principles and practice in preventive conservation.
• Understanding of conservation theory and ethical decision making.
• Relevant knowledge of health and safety.
• Good computing skills and proficiency with a range of IT systems.
• Able to undertake highly detailed tasks whilst working under pressure and be an effective problem solver and decision maker within a team environment.

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 a leading visitor attraction, and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. The Museum also holds an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.

You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in ourvirtual gallery.

The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Generous annual leave allowance of (pro-rata?)25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays.
• Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
• 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.
• Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts on food and gift shop purchases

For more information about this role, please see the job description.

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to [emailprotected] .

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in theUK.If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations. Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the new minimum salary threshold of £41,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here:https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job

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 specifically encourage applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented within our senior roles.

We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.