Conservator, Photography, M+ Museum

West Kowloon Cultural District Authority; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

West Kowloon Cultural District Authority's M+ Conservation and Research Department seeks a Conservator to preserve the museum's photographic collections and related media. The role involves examination, documentation, treatment proposals, preventive care, and collaboration with registrars and other departments.

You will lead workflows for cold storage studies, advise on environmental controls, contribute to research, protect artworks, train staff and interns, and ensure ethical handling and

Qualifications

• Master degree in conservation with specialization in photographic materials.
• At least 5 years of postgraduate experience in photography conservation.
• Experience with preservation, documentation, and display of photographic works.

Responsibilities

• Contributing to preservation and display of the M+ Collection through examination, documentation, treatment, and display.
• Examination and documentation of archival and fine art photographic materials, including condition reporting.
• Developing treatment proposals and performing conservation treatments in line with ethics and standards.
• Advising environmental storage and shipping protocols for long-term care of photographs.
• Leading photographic cold storage and acclimatization studies with collection registrars.
• Conducting research on materials and techniques of artists in the collection.
• Collaborating with other departments on handling, storage, display, shipping, and sustainability.
• Ensuring mounting, environmental monitoring, IPM, and emergency preparedness meet high standards.
• Communicating research results through publications or professional presentations.
• Staying current on methods and training staff and volunteers in best practices.

Skills

Photography conservation

Documentation and reporting

Treatment proposal development

MS Windows / macOS

Education

Master's degree in Conservation (photographic materials)

Tools

Museum Collections Management System (TMS)

Job description

M+ is a museum dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, designand architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Located inHong Kong’s WestK, we areone of the leading museums of modern and contemporary visual culturein the world. The museum reflects our unique time and place, buildingon Hong Kong’s historic balance of the local and the international to define a distinctive and innovative voice for Asia’s twenty-first century.

M+ is a museum dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, designand architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Located inHong Kong’s WestK, we areone of the leading museums of modern and contemporary visual culturein the world. The museum reflects our unique time and place, buildingon Hong Kong’s historic balance of the local and the international to define a distinctive and innovative voice for Asia’s twenty-first century.

The M+ Conservation and Research Department focuses on the preservation and long-term care of a diverse and unparallel collection of twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual culture, including design, architecture, moving image, and visual art.

Housed in a state-of-the-art facility spanning 1,600 sqm, the conservation studios and labs are furnished with equipment tailored to the unique needs of various disciplines. Working collaboratively, the international team has specialisations in objects and sculptures, installations, paintings, Asian and Western paper, photographs, time-based media, preventive conservation, and scientific research, ensuring the care and preservation of the collection. M+ provides a dynamic and evolving work environment and our Conservation team welcomes enthusiastic conservation professionals to meet the challenges of managing conservation needs and collection access. For a glimpse into the work of M+ Conservation team, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H1UmaIR7Bo

This is a fixed-term contract position of 2-year with possibility for renewal subject to organisational needs and individual performance.

Reporting to the Senior Conservator, you will be an integral part of a growing conservation team to set up guidelines for the adequate development of preservation and conservation activities within M+ for one of the leading collection on contemporary visual culture in the world.

You will be responsible for:

• Contributing to the preservation and display of the M+ Collection by participating in a wide range of conservation activities such as examination, documentation, treatment and display, preventive care, research and outreach.

• Examination and documentation of archival and fine art photographic materials through identification, imaging, condition reporting and treatment proposals for new acquisitions, works planned for exhibition and loans, as well as providing expert opinions on the condition of and resources for proposed acquisitions

• Performing conservation treatments and preparation for display by developing treatment proposals according to available resources and codes of ethics, performing treatments according to museum practice standard, documenting treatments in the Museum Collections management system (TMS).

• Supporting preventive care of the photographic collection by advising environmental recommendations for long term storage, display, and shipping, and ensuring maintenance protocols are implemented when necessary.

• Playing an integral role leading the photographic cold storage and acclimatization study, working closely with collection registrars, and implementing procedures, protocols and workflows within the museum;

• Conducting specialised research on the materials and techniques of artists represented in the collection and possibly investigating degradation processes, treatment options and efficacy of treatments;

• Participating in extended conservation/preservation efforts in a collaborative way with other departments under Collections and Exhibitions such as developing guidelines for handling, storage and display, shipping, installation and sustainability;

• Ensuring all other conservation elements such as mount making, environmental monitoring, IPM, collection emergency preparedness and purchase of laboratory supplies are considered to the highest possible standard;

• Communicating on conservation topics, if possible reporting on research results through publications or presentations at professional gatherings, in agreement with the Senior Conservator;

• Keeping current on state-of-the-art conservation/preservation methods and techniques by reading relevant literature and attending presentations, seminars or training; and

• Contributing to advising and training staff in best practices for the care, handling, display, storage, packing and shipping of photographic works, as well as supervising conservation volunteers or interns as required; and

• Performing any other duties from time to time as reasonably assigned by the Authority.

You should:

• possess a master degree from a recognised conservation training programme with a specialization in photographic materials;
• have at least 5 years of practical postgraduate experience working on photography conservation and with substantial knowledge of traditional and recent photography techniques; institutional/museum experience is preferred;
• have proven experience treating and documenting a wide range of works to a high standard with full consideration of practical and ethical issues. Experience on colour photography and extra-large photographs is preferred.
• have the ability to provide specialist advice for storage, transport and installation of works for display;
• be knowledgeable or interested in modern and contemporary art conservation, including ethics, theory, materials and techniques; Awareness of practices of reproductions as conservation strategy is preferred.
• demonstrate expertise in diverse conservation techniques and theories. Familiarity and experience with cultural materials in South East Asia would be advantageous;
• be an innovative and enthusiastic team player with strong critical thinking and applied problem solving skills;
• be able to work in a fast paced and continuously challenging environment;
• be proficient in MS Windows and/or Apple OS platform; and
• have strong oral, written and interpersonal communication skills in English and preferably in Chinese.

Candidates with less experience will be considered for Associate Conservator.

16-11-2026

For more information, please visit https://www.westk.hk or contact: Eric Hui /[phone]