Project Assistant - 7 posts

Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM), University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) at the University of Oxford invites applications for a practical role supporting the Move Project. You will prepare, pack and move diverse museum objects across Oxfordshire to a new storage facility, updating collections records as you go.

You will work alongside experienced colleagues, with training provided for handling equipment, health and safety, and access to appropriate protective gear.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a museum or heritage environment, especially with handling and moving artefacts.
• Good understanding of collections documentation and health & safety procedures.
• Able to manage priorities and work well independently or in a team.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, pack and transport collections to a new storage facility.
• Maintain accurate location records in collections databases.
• Conduct condition checks and support conservation colleagues as needed.
• Use specialist handling equipment with safety and care.

Skills

Museum handling

Documentation & databases

Health & safety

Manual handling

Teamwork

Communication skills

Excel basics

Education

Museum Studies or Conservation qualification

Tools

Excel

Museum databases software

Job description

Company: Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM), University of Oxford

You will join the University of Oxford's Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) Move Project, helping to deliver the final stage of an ambitious programme to relocate important museum collections into a new purpose-built storage facility.

Working alongside an experienced team, you will help prepare, pack, document and safely move collections from museum and off-site storage locations across Oxfordshire to the new Collections Storage Facility in Swindon.

You will handle a wide variety of museum objects and delicate artefacts, ensuring that collections are packed, transported and stored according to agreed professional standards. You will also update collections databases, maintain accurate location records, undertake condition checks and work closely with museum, conservation and technical colleagues.

This is a practical, hands-on role involving regular manual handling, standing, using stairs and ladders, and operating specialist handling equipment, for which training will be provided. The role involves working across multiple sites, some of which are not easily accessible by public transport, so access to your own vehicle is required.

You will have experience of working in a museum or heritage environment, ideally within a collections or conservation department, together with practical experience of handling, packing and moving museum objects and delicate artefacts. You will have a sound understanding of collections documentation, museum databases and relevant health and safety procedures, alongside excellent attention to detail and accurate record-keeping skills. You will be confident using computer applications, including email and Excel, and will have excellent communication and organisational skills. You will be able to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and work effectively both independently and as part of a team. You will also be physically able to undertake the manual handling activities associated with the role, with appropriate equipment and reasonable adjustments where required.Knowledge of specialist museum collections, experience of museum cataloguing systems, or a qualification in Museum Studies or Conservation would be advantageous.

Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM), University of Oxford