Interpretation Developer

Natural History Museum; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading science museum in the United Kingdom is seeking an Interpretation Developer to create engaging exhibitions. This role requires strong skills in interpretation, teamwork, and communication, ensuring that exhibitions effectively convey key messages about natural history. The ideal candidate will have a degree or equivalent experience, with a passion for engaging diverse audiences through well-researched narratives. Collaboration with scientists, designers, and various stakeholders is essential to the success of this role, which includes developing accessible and informative exhibition content.

Benefits

27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays

Generous pension scheme

Life insurance

Free admission to exhibitions

Staff discounts in shops and cafes

Training initiatives and skill-building opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in developing and delivering content in museums or similar environments.
• Ability to write for diverse audiences using audience research.
• Strong interest in natural history and environmental science.

Responsibilities

• Shape exhibition concepts and develop narratives for display.
• Use audience-focused approaches to align messages with the Museum’s mission.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders including scientists and designers.

Skills

Creative interpretation skills

Communication skills

Collaboration

Project management

Planning skills

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent experience

Job description

As an Interpretation Developer you will be part of the team responsible for the creation and curation of the Natural History Museum’s exhibitions. This exciting role sits within the Exhibitions and Galleries team and requires creativity, teamwork, excellent communication skills and attention to detail. Working as part of a team, you will shape exhibition and gallery concepts, develop narratives and interpretation approaches, and select objects and specimens for display. Using an audience‑focused approach and knowledge of best practices in interpretation, you will shape key messages and learning outcomes, aligning them with the Natural History Museum’s mission to create advocates for the planet. You will use interpretation methods to speak to our strategy; showcase our unique collections and science and engage our target audiences. Examples include exhibition text to hands‑on exhibits, film and illustration ensuring that all are accessible, inclusive, inspiring, informative and suited to our audiences needs. You will be highly collaborative, working closely with colleagues across the Museum, including scientists, designers, audience researchers, project managers and representatives from our touring team, as well as external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Creative interpretation professional with degree‑level education or equivalent experience.
• Experience developing and delivering content in a museum, gallery, heritage site, or similar environment.
• Confident writing for diverse audiences and shaping interpretation through audience insight and research.
• Strong interest in natural history and environmental science.
• Excellent planning skills and strong attention to detail, able to manage multiple work packages through to completion, meeting deadlines and bringing a positive, proactive work ethic to both independent and team‑based work.

Responsibilities

• Shape exhibition and gallery concepts, develop narratives and interpretation approaches, and select objects and specimens for display.
• Use an audience‑focused approach and knowledge of best practices in interpretation to shape key messages and learning outcomes, aligning them with the Natural History Museum’s mission.
• Collaborate with scientists, designers, audience researchers, project managers and representatives from our touring team, as well as external stakeholders.

About the Museum

We are a world‑class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivaled 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 1,100 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.

Benefits

• 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
• Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution 4‑10%)
• Season ticket, bicycle and rental loan
• Life insurance
• Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across London and the UK.
• Staff discount at our Museum shops and cafes
• We offer a wide variety of training initiatives and opportunities to build skills. Investing in staff development is important to us, and we are ambitious about helping staff to grow and fulfil their potential.