Shipwright (Heritage Carpenter)

The National Museum of the Royal Navy; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking heritage organization as a Shipwright, where your skills in maritime joinery and ship conservation will be pivotal in preserving historic vessels. This role offers a unique opportunity to work on iconic ships like HMS Victory and engage with visitors, sharing the stories of these maritime treasures. With a commitment to diversity and teamwork, you will be part of a passionate team dedicated to maintaining the heritage of the Royal Navy. Enjoy a range of benefits, including generous leave and a supportive work environment, as you contribute to a mission that links the Navy to the nation.

Benefits

Occupational Pension

Sick Pay

Annual Leave

Flexible Working

Family Friendly Policies

Staff Discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Free Onsite Parking

Enhanced Parental Leave

Cycle to Work Scheme

Qualifications

• Specialist knowledge of maritime joinery and shipwright practice.
• Experience in traditional boat building and timber construction techniques.

Responsibilities

• Conserve and maintain historic ships, focusing on HMS Victory.
• Engage with visitors about conservation work on public attractions.

Skills

Maritime Joinery

Shipbuilding Techniques

Health and Safety Knowledge

Team Collaboration

Education

Level 3 City & Guilds Boatbuilding

Woodworking Qualification

Job description

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Shipwright (Heritage Carpenter)

Reference: APR20257345

Expiry date: 17:30, Wed, 28th May 2025

Location: Portsmouth

Benefits: Occupational pension, Sick pay, Annual leave, Flexible working, Family friendly policies, Staff discounts, EAP

Salary (Grade 5) - £29,993 - £33,872 per annum (dependent upon experience)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week - permanent

Location: National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Our epic story is of the Royal Navy, and its impact on Britain and the world. Here you can come aboard the most famous ships, planes, and submarines of the Royal Navy and experience them through those who served on them. Aswell as being truly captivated by the thousands of unique, emotional, and sometimes quirky stories that have shaped the Royal Navy into what it proudly stands for today.

Our vision is to be the world’s most inspiring Naval Museum, linking Navy to Nation. You are pivotal in us achieving our vision, and to support this we embrace diversity and want everyone to feel valued and have a sense of belonging.

This is a great opportunity to join the team

We are recruiting an experienced Shipwright to join our expanding Conservation & Collections team based in Portsmouth. The successful candidates will be part of a friendly, multidisciplinary team of museum professionals, conservators and maritime industry specialists committed to high quality professional work maintaining and conserving historic ships, with a focus on HMS Victory.

This is an exciting time to join the NMRN, as we move into the next phase of a major Conservation Programme on HMS Victory, and this will occupy much of your time. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be part of conserving the world’s oldest commissioned ship.

You will also spend time based on our other Portsmouth ships - HMS Warrior and HMS M.33 - with occasional travel to the Museum’s other locations in the UK, including Gosport, Hartlepool and Belfast. Occasional weekend working may be required.

Overseen by the Lead Shipwrights, your work will ensure that the NMRN’s Historic Ships are conserved and able to operate effectively and safely. The ships are open all year round as public attractions, so you will also be able to engage with our visitors about the important conservation work that you are undertaking.

What you can bring:

• Specialist knowledge of construction of maritime joinery/shipwright practice, conservation and maintenance of historic ships, vessels or historic buildings.
• Experience in traditional boat or Ship building, Joinery or timber construction techniques.
• Qualified to Level 3 City & Guilds Boatbuilding (2463-03) or equivalent Woodworking qualification or experience
• Practical working knowledge of Health and Safety.
• As you will be removing planking from the hull of HMS Victory, this will be a physically demanding role which will require manual handling on a daily basis.
• A positive attitude and ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to be part of a friendly and diverse workplace within a unique heritage environment.
• Group pension plan with Royal London (6% employer contributions, 2% employee contributions and death in service benefit).
• Free onsite parking - (dependent on site- not necessarily Portsmouth as need a base pass)
• 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays), pro rata for part time employees, increasing to 30 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays) after 5 years’ service, pro-rated for part time employees, with the option to purchase additional annual leave.
• Enhanced maternity/adoption and paternity pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Free admission to other national museums and attractions within the reciprocal agreement.
• Discounts at our shops and cafes.
• Free and discounted tickets for family and friends.
• A range of other benefits including cycle to work
• Paid reservist leave.

We want you to succeed and showcase your skills and experiences, so if you are invited to interview, we will share our interview questions with you ahead of time. If you would like to have an informal discussion regarding the role, or ask any questions, please contact Clementine Mollier, HMS Victory LeadShipwright, at [e-mail]

If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to the application process because of a disability, please contact the People team on [e-mail] for support.

This post requires a DBS check as a requirement of working on the naval base, as well as the right to work in the UK. Please note we cannot currently sponsor work visas.