Vacancy for Time-Based Media Fellowship at Heritage Conservation Centre

Digital Preservation Coalition; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly stipend of SGD5,000

One-time relocation cost of SGD3,000

Job summary

The Heritage Conservation Centre is offering a Time-Based Media Fellowship for 6 months to 1 year starting January 2026. The role involves assessing and documenting time-based media artworks, contributing to conservation efforts, and developing a research project. Candidates should have a Master’s degree and relevant experience in digital preservation.

Qualifications

• Prior experience with digital file management and analysis, specifically with video or software files.
• Experience with TBM conservation, archives or library systems.

Responsibilities

• Perform condition assessment, testing, and complete condition documentation for time-based media works.
• Participate in the HCC Collections Survey Project.
• Develop a research project based on the interest of the fellow.

Skills

Digital Preservation

Condition Assessment

Documentation

Education

Master’s degree in conservation or related discipline

Tools

Collections Management System

FRED forensic workstations

Job description

• Vacancy for Time-Based Media Fellowship at Heritage Conservation Centre

Vacancy for Time-Based Media Fellowship at Heritage Conservation Centre

31 July 2025

Monthly stipend of SGD5,000

Fixed Term

Heritage Conservation Centre Time-Based Media Fellowship 2026

The Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC), an institution under the National Heritage Board (NHB), plays a leading role in heritage conservation in Singapore. It is also the repository and conservation facility for the management and preservation of Singapore’s National Collection (NC) of more than 250,000 artefacts and artworks.

Housed in the western part of Singapore, the HCC is a purpose-built facility with centralised storage space, conservation laboratories for the treatment of objects, paintings, paper, and textiles, a laboratory for scientific analysis, material testing and research, and a photography studio for the visual documentation of artefacts.

Over the past twenty years, the NC has seen an exponential increase in the number of Time-Based Media artworks. The collection counts more than 200 works, acquired primarily under the purview of National Gallery Singapore (NGS) and Singapore Art Museum (SAM). These include video, audio and software-based artworks. In 2023, a cross-departmental Time-Based Media Working Group was established with the scope of designing a multi-phase Time-Based Media Care and Preservation Plan to create a mature ecosystem focused on addressing the many outstanding needs of a growing media collection.

The HCC welcomes applications for a 6-month to 1-year [1] fellowship opportunity in Time-Based Media Conservation starting January 2026.

The fellowship will focus on a broad range of tasks such as supporting a digital survey of the Time-Based Media collection and prioritising artworks by treatment urgency, performing condition checks and supporting exhibition works. The fellow shall also contribute to workgroup discussions such as accessioning workflows and a long-term preservation plan.

Key tasks:

Perform condition assessment, testing, and complete condition documentation for time-based media works including time-based media installations. Recommend and execute treatment on works of art in consultation with the TBM conservator. Keep full documentation of artworks treatment.

Participate in the HCC Collections Survey Project. This task includes completing the intake process for time-based media artworks through ingestion, documentation, condition check, as well as sorting the works by urgency of treatment.

Accessioning and analysis of new TBM acquisitions.

Forensic Recovery of Evidence Device (FRED) Workflow Creation: Contribute to operational workflows and use cases for a FRED forensic workstation.

Develop a research project based on the interest of the fellow and the needs of the conservation department.

Minimally a Master’s degree in conservation or related discipline, such as audiovisual archiving and preservation, computer science, and familiarity with the American Institute for Conservation Code of Ethics and Standard of Practice.

Prior experience with digital file management and analysis, specifically with video or software files

Experience with TBM conservation, archives or library systems.

Understanding of digital preservation principles and practices.

Experience on working with a Collections Management System desirable

Experience with FRED forensic workstations desirable

Stipend

The position will come with a monthly stipend of SGD5,000 and a one-time relocation cost of SGD3,000*.

*Relocation cost will be paid to a selected fellow who is not a local resident in Singapore.

Applications

Candidates must submit a Cover Letter, Resume (maximum 2 pages), an example of a recent treatment, copy of key publications or writing samples (if applicable), completed application form (Annex A) and recommendations from 2 referees in support of the application.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for a video interview.

An example of a recent treatment of a time-based media work

Completed application form (Annex A);

Recommendations from two referees in support of the application proposal. Referee should state how long and in what capacity he/she has known the applicant and evaluate the scholarly merit of the proposed research project, as well as the applicant’s research potential. Referees may also send the letters directly to [e-mail] with subject line “Research Fellowship 2026_”.

Candidates will receive email acknowledgements of the receipt of their applications by August 2025. They will be informed of the results by September 2025.

Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.

[1] Final fellowship duration will be determined based on prevailing Ministry of Manpower guidelines, and will range between 6 months and 1 year.