Senior Conservator

heritagesg; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HeritageSG is recruiting a Senior Conservator to lead its Archaeology Services Unit in Singapore, reporting to the Head Archaeologist and supervising an Assistant Conservator. The role will develop HeritageSG's archaeological conservation capability and oversee the long-term preservation of the Archaeological Collection.

The Senior Conservator will establish professional standards, facilities, and workflows for conservation, provide conservation support for development-led excavations, and

Responsibilities

• Establish and implement workflows and standards of practice for the conservation and care of the Archaeological Collection, based on current professional ethics and principles, and appropriate to HSG's needs and resources.
• Provide expert conservation input into the development and review of broader policies and processes relating to the management, care, and use of the Archaeological Collection.
• Lead the planning and set-up of HSG's archaeological conservation laboratory, including procuring conservation equipment and materials, overseeing the fit-out and equipping of the space, and establishing workflows for the operation and maintenance of the laboratory.
• Establish and maintain appropriate health, safety, and risk-management practices for conservation laboratory and field activities, in accordance with local requirements and relevant regulations.
• Plan and manage time, budgets, and other resources required to deliver conservation work for the Archaeological Collection.
• Develop systematic approaches to prioritising conservation work across the Archaeological Collection, taking into account condition, significance, intended use, and available resources.
• Establish conservation documentation and knowledge-management processes to ensure that conservation information is appropriately maintained and accessible for the long term.
• Contribute conservation expertise to emergency preparedness and response procedures relating to the Archaeological Collection.
• Supervise and mentor an Assistant Conservator, who may have had little or no prior professional conservation training or experience: work with the Assistant Conservator to identify their training and development needs, assign work appropriate to their developing competencies, and provide appropriate oversight.
• Develop the Assistant Conservator's practical skills, professional knowledge, and understanding of conservation principles through structured on-the-job training, supervised practical work, and other appropriate developmental opportunities.
• Support the development of wider organisational knowledge and capability relating to conservation and care of the Archaeological Collection.
• Working closely with the archaeologists, Assistant Conservator, Collection Manager, and other relevant stakeholders, lead and provide conservation support for archaeological excavations, and for care of the Archaeological Collection.
• Lead and coordinate conservation activities for terrestrial and underwater archaeological excavations.
• Develop and implement conservation plans covering all stages of projects, from pre-excavation through to post-excavation. Plans should address all necessary technical aspects, and related resource and budget requirements.
• Coordinate and provide conservation support across all stages of projects, including finds recovery, preventive and interventive conservation of finds, and documentation. This may also include procurement of the equipment, materials, and other resources required to support the conservation work.
• Where necessary, train archaeologists, volunteers, or other individuals involved in excavations to carry out appropriate first aid and basic care for finds.
• Lead and undertake preventive and interventive conservation of the Archaeological Collection in storage and for display, loan, research, and other forms of access and use.
• Determine when technical examination or scientific analysis is required. Where specialist capabilities such as X-radiography or advanced scientific analytical techniques are required, identify and work with appropriate external service providers or institutional partners to obtain the necessary results.
• Ensure that conservation work is appropriately documented, and that the records are incorporated into relevant knowledge management systems.

Job description

HeritageSG is recruiting a Senior Conservator to join its Archaeology Services Unit. Reporting to the Head Archaeologist, and supervising an Assistant Conservator, the Senior Conservator will lead the development of HSG's archaeological conservation capability and be responsible for the conservation of the Archaeological Collection under HSG's care.

The Archaeological Collection comprises materials recovered from terrestrial and underwater environments through archaeological excavations undertaken over the past few decades and finds from future excavations. The Senior Conservator will establish the professional standards, facilities, and workflows required for the Collection's long-term preservation, access, and use, and provide conservation support for development-led terrestrial and underwater archaeological excavations.

Key Responsibilities

The Senior Conservator will fulfil both a leadership and a hands-on operational role, providing specialist archaeological conservation expertise and developing HSG's conservation capability.

Conservation leadership and systems

• Establish and implement workflows and standards of practice for the conservation and care of the Archaeological Collection, based on current professional ethics and principles, and appropriate to HSG's needs and resources.


• Provide expert conservation input into the development and review of broader policies and processes relating to the management, care, and use of the Archaeological Collection.


• Lead the planning and set-up of HSG's archaeological conservation laboratory, including procuring conservation equipment and materials, overseeing the fit-out and equipping of the space, and establishing workflows for the operation and maintenance of the laboratory.


• Establish and maintain appropriate health, safety, and risk-management practices for conservation laboratory and field activities, in accordance with local requirements and relevant regulations.


• Plan and manage time, budgets, and other resources required to deliver conservation work for the Archaeological Collection.


• Develop systematic approaches to prioritising conservation work across the Archaeological Collection, taking into account condition, significance, intended use, and available resources.


• Establish conservation documentation and knowledge-management processes to ensure that conservation information is appropriately maintained and accessible for the long term.


• Contribute conservation expertise to emergency preparedness and response procedures relating to the Archaeological Collection.

Capability development

• Supervise and mentor an Assistant Conservator, who may have had little or no prior professional conservation training or experience: work with the Assistant Conservator to identify their training and development needs, assign work appropriate to their developing competencies, and provide appropriate oversight.


• Develop the Assistant Conservator's practical skills, professional knowledge, and understanding of conservation principles through structured on-the-job training, supervised practical work, and other appropriate developmental opportunities.


• Support the development of wider organisational knowledge and capability relating to conservation and care of the Archaeological Collection.

Conservation support

• Working closely with the archaeologists, Assistant Conservator, Collection Manager, and other relevant stakeholders, lead and provide conservation support for archaeological excavations, and for care of the Archaeological Collection.


• Lead and coordinate conservation activities for terrestrial and underwater archaeological excavations.


• Develop and implement conservation plans covering all stages of projects, from pre-excavation through to post-excavation. Plans should address all necessary technical aspects, and related resource and budget requirements.


• Coordinate and provide conservation support across all stages of projects, including finds recovery, preventive and interventive conservation of finds, and documentation. This may also include procurement of the equipment, materials, and other resources required to support the conservation work.


• Where necessary, train archaeologists, volunteers, or other individuals involved in excavations to carry out appropriate first aid and basic care for finds.


• Lead and undertake preventive and interventive conservation of the Archaeological Collection in storage and for display, loan, research, and other forms of access and use.


• Determine when technical examination or scientific analysis is required. Where specialist capabilities such as X-radiography or advanced scientific analytical techniques are required, identify and work with appropriate external service providers or institutional partners to obtain the necessary results.


• Ensure that conservation work is appropriately documented, and that the records are incorporated into relevant knowledge management systems.

Research and outreach

Contribute to and unde