Photography Conservator

Creative Scotland; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A national arts organization in Edinburgh is seeking a Photography Conservator to help shape the care and interpretation of its extensive photography collection. This role involves assessing a wide range of photographic materials, enhancing public engagement with art, and contributing to preservation strategies. The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal skills and resourcefulness, playing a vital part in delivering educational programs and exhibitions. This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting impact on the collection's legacy.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Strong professional network in conservation or photography.
• Experience in assessing a wide range of photographic materials.
• Ability to engage with diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Shape care and interpretation of the photography collection.
• Contribute to the mission of making art accessible to all.
• Preserve the collection and support public engagement initiatives.
• Conduct research to deepen knowledge and attract new audiences.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Resourcefulness

Enthusiasm

Confidence in assessing and treating photographic materials

Job description

Full-time and Permanent (35 Hours) Salary £34,944 - £38,218 (pay award pending) Plus generous benefits package Flexible working

About the role

We are delighted to announce a new opportunity for a Photography Conservator to join our Conservation Department. This is a newly created post and an exciting chance to help shape how we care for and interpret our rich and varied photography collection, which is extensive, diverse, complex, and full of stories waiting to be discovered.

To succeed in this post, you’ll bring resourcefulness, enthusiasm, and excellent interpersonal skills along with a strong professional network. You will have the relevant experience, and you will be confident in assessing and treating a wide range of photographic materials and formats.

You will contribute directly to our mission to make art work for everyone. You’ll be at the heart sharing this collection with the widest possible audience. Your work will play a vital role in delivering our wider strategy, supporting our Public Offer, equalities, and environmental priorities.

You’ll help preserve the collection while enabling us to deliver an ambitious programme of exhibitions, a generous lending programme from our diverse collections and a busy acquisitions programme. Through research and outreach, you will deepen knowledge of the collection and help attract new audiences to engage with it.

The photographic collection includes historic and contemporary paper-based material which include photographic prints on a range of supports, slides, plastic and glass plate negatives, photographic albums, cameras and other photographic studio equipment.

This is more than just a conservation role. It is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to the way we care for, understand, and share one of the most complex and compelling parts of the collection.

Please apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Thursday, 15 January 2026.