Metalwork Conservator

The Royal Household; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Pension plan

Complimentary lunch on-site

Parental leave options

Volunteer days

Shop discounts

Free admission tickets

Job summary

The Royal Collection Trust seeks a master metal conservator to safeguard a diverse metal collection, from jewellery to sculpture, preparing treatments for display and publication.

You will work with senior conservators and the Decorative Arts team to document treatments, plan proposals and ensure safe, timely delivery of conservation projects.

Qualifications

• A master's degree in metals conservation or equivalent professional experience.
• Extensive experience delivering conservation treatments for metal objects.
• Experience using conservation workshop equipment and safe working practices.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.
• Excellent communication to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Proficient IT skills with collections databases.

Responsibilities

• Conserve and restore metal objects for exhibition, publication, photography and display.
• Prepare treatment proposals and document conservation work with accurate records.
• Coordinate handling, movement and installation with art handlers and technicians.
• Collaborate with conservators, curators, photographers and external specialists.
• Provide technical insights to support future conservation activity.
• Advise on care and preservation of metal objects, including COSHH and RAMS compliance.

Skills

Metal conservation

Workshop safety

IT for collections

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree in metals conservation

Tools

Databases

Collections management systems

Job description

It's conserving a world class collection of works of art.

It's knowing your expertise will help preserve cultural heritage for generations.
And it's joining a team committed to the highest standards of care. This is what makes a career with Royal Collection Trust so special.

Spanning everything from jewellery to sculptures, the Royal Collection's metals holdings are diverse, historic, and of international significance. Conserving such a vast and complex range of objects requires skill and a passion for craft and heritage.

Working closely with the Senior Metalwork Conservator and wider Decorative Arts team, you'll undertake conservation treatments, contribute to exhibition and photography programmes, and help maintain the highest standards of care for a unique and varied collection.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conserve and restore a wide range of metal objects, from jewellery and objets de vertu to large-scale sculpture, preparing them for exhibition, publication, photography and display.
• Prepare treatment proposals, documenting conservation treatments and maintaining accurate records in line with Royal Collection Trust conservation protocols.
• Work closely with art handlers, technicians and other specialists to coordinate the safe movement, handling and installation of objects across workshops, stores, photography studios and galleries.
• Collaborate with conservators, curators, photographers, exhibition teams and external mount makers to ensure projects are delivered to the highest standards and within agreed timescales.
• Contribute technical insights and research findings that enhance understanding of objects within the Collection and support future conservation activity.
• Provide advice on the care and preservation of metal objects, supporting both displayed and functional collections.
• Health and safety will be central to your work, and you'll take responsibility for maintaining safe working practices, including COSHH and RAMS compliance.

About you

Essential Criteria:

• A master's degree in metals conservation, or equivalent professional experience, alongside experience managing conservation projects and delivering complex conservation treatments across a range of metal and mixed-media objects.
• Strong practical experience in the conservation of a wide range of metal objects, supported by an understanding of conservation theory and ethics, materials science and conservation technologies.
• Confident using conservation workshop equipment and applying safe working practices within a workshop environment.
• Highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects to agreed deadlines.
• A confident communicator who can explain conservation concepts, treatment options and technical information clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Good IT skills and experience using databases or collections management systems to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• You'll be equally comfortable working independently and collaborating closely with colleagues across multidisciplinary teams to achieve shared objectives.

What We Offer:

We know that to deliver our best work; we need to feel at our best. That's why at the Royal Household we offer a generous benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and life priorities.

• Enjoy 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days (pro rata, plus bank holidays)
• Our excellent non-contributory pension plan is highly valued by our employees, as is complimentary lunch on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day.
• We also offer a range of leave options to support your life priorities, such as parental pay and leave and volunteering days, as well as benefits to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Other perks include 20% off at our Royal Collection Trust Shops and complimentary admission tickets across all our locations, along with many more exclusive employee discounts.

Find out more about the full range of benefits available to our employeeshere.