Assistant Conservator (Textiles), HCC

NHB National Heritage Board; Singapore; On-site; SGD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Assistant Conservator (Textiles) at the Heritage Conservation Centre, an institution of the National Heritage Board, is responsible for interventive conservation and exhibition-support tasks within the Textile Conservation section.

Under the Senior Textile Conservator, you will contribute to long-term preservation, preventive conservation and outreach initiatives while maintaining meticulous records and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team across NHB’s national collections.

Qualifications

• Background in Conservation or related discipline (Science, Arts & Humanities, Textiles or Fashion Design).
• Foundational understanding of art and heritage science, materials and deterioration, conservation ethics and treatment terminology.
• Good manual dexterity and aesthetic sensitivity with familiarity with conservation tools.

Responsibilities

• Carry out conservation work for textiles and garments, including condition assessment, documentation and interventive treatments under supervision.
• Assist in planning exhibition and gallery revamp tasks, coordinating schedules with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain written, digital and photographic records in the collections management system.
• Support preventive conservation activities such as environmental monitoring and storage improvements.

Skills

Manual dexterity

Attention to detail

Verbal and written communication

Teamwork

Education

Conservation or related discipline

Tools

Conservation tools

Job description

[What the role is]

The Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC) is an institution of the National Heritage Board (NHB) and supports the collecting and display activities of more than ten museums and heritage institutions across NHB. HCC's main mission is to care for the National Collection, facilitate its current and future access and promote its use while enhancing its cultural significance. HCC is located in a purpose-built facility that serves as the centralised storage and conservation labs for the National Collection of Singapore. The National Collection encompasses a wide range of art and heritage objects, including but not limited to decorative objects, social history objects, contemporary art installations, industrial and technical heritage objects.

Currently, the Conservation department at HCC comprises 6 conservation specialisations organised in sections: Inorganic Objects, Organic Objects, Paintings, Paper, Textiles, and Conservation Science. HCC is now recruiting an Assistant Conservator to join the Textiles conservation section.

Job Purpose:
The Assistant Conservator (Textiles) is a member of the Textile Conservation section within the Conservation department. Working under the supervision of the Senior Textile Conservator, the role supports the organisation’s mission to manage, care for and facilitate access to the National Collection through interventive conservation work, exhibition support, contributing to long-term preservation strategy, preventive conservation, and outreach initiatives.

[What you will be working on]

Collection care

• Carry out conservation work for textiles and garments in the National Collection, including condition assessment and documentation, photography, interventive treatments, and textile mountings under the supervision of the Senior Textile Conservator.
• Assist the Textile project lead in planning and coordinating exhibition and gallery revamp preparations, including conservation-related and administrative tasks such as scheduling and liaison with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain written, digital and photographic records on the organisation’s collections management system.
• Support preventive conservation activities such as environmental monitoring, pest management, display mounting, handling and storage improvements.

Research, Advocacy, and Professional development

• Assist with conservation studies or research projects that will contribute to the long-term knowledge building for the National Collections, including the documentation of findings and preparation of reports or publications where relevant.
• Participate in HCC’s outreach initiatives, such as public programmes, talks, or educational activities that advocate for heritage conservation.
• Keep abreast of developments in textile conservation practice and contributing to the professional development of the section.

General support

• Assist with administrative duties or institutional projects, as assigned.

The above job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities or qualifications associated with the job. Other duties may be assigned.

[What we are looking for]

• Background in Conservation, or a related discipline such as Science, Arts and Humanities, or Textiles or Fashion Design. Candidates with equivalent professional experience will be considered.
• Candidates of the relevant background are expected to have a foundational understanding of art and heritage science, including basic knowledge of materials and their deterioration process, conservation ethics, and conservation treatment methods and terminology.
• Good manual dexterity and aesthetic sensitivity are essential, along with familiarity with commonly used conservation tools and techniques. Experience in hand‑sewing or other textile craft skills will be advantageous.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with keen attention to detail, patience, and organisational abilities.
• Ability to work respectfully with multicultural materials, with sensitivity to their cultural significance and contexts.
• Ability to work both collaboratively as part of a team and independently, managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Physical ability to handle collection objects with care, work in storage environments, and stand for extended periods where required.
• A proactive approach to work, with the initiative to identify and address issues, and a positive and collaborative disposition.

Work location

The Assistant Conservator (Textiles) will be mostly based at HCC at 32 Jurong Port Road, Singapore 619104, and will be required to periodically travel to other locations in Singapore as part of work duties.

Successful candidates will be offered a 2-year contract in the first instance.