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Join a UNESCO World Heritage Site and leading plant science institute as a part-time Project Paper Conservator
Overview
Salary
£34216
Location
Kew Gardens, Richmond
Expires
Expires at anytime
Organisation summary
Join The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew), a globally recognised plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and popular visitor attraction. RBG Kew is on an exciting mission to understand and protect plants and fungi for the welfare of all life on Earth. They are dedicated to creating a world in which nature is managed sustainably, valued by all, and safeguarded against the current extinction crisis. Being a part of RBG Kew means contributing to their conservation efforts leveraging their extensive plant and fungi collections, world-renowned scientific research, global partnerships, and historical gardens.
Role Summary
- This is a part-time, temporary role as a Project Paper Conservator.
- You will work onsite at Kew's Conservation Studio preparing paper-based collections for exhibition loan and returns.
- Responsibilities include remedial conservation treatments, mounting and de-framing botanical illustrations, and planning.
- Must document treatments accurately and conduct loan photography and documentation to create detailed condition assessment reports.
Role Requirements
- You should have a qualification in Conservation or equivalent experience, with a speciality in paper conservation, preferably art, prints and drawing collections.
- Experience in conservation practices for paper-based works, exhibit preparation, and delivering remedial treatments is crucial.
- Excellent writing skills, attention to detail, experience in loan photography, and report creation.
- Ability to plan, meet deadlines, and work collaboratively in a team is essential.
Benefits
- RBG Kew offers continuous learning opportunities, a generous annual leave, flexible work hours, and supports work-life balance.
- Offers an Employee Assistance Programme, cycle to work scheme, discounted gym membership and competitive pension scheme.
- Provides free entrance to diverse national museums and galleries, as well as their own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a leading plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major visitor attraction. Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth. We are working to end the unprecedented extinction crisis and to help create a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. We will achieve these goals by drawing on our leading scientific research, unrivalled collections of plants and fungi, global network of partners, inspirational gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, and our 260 years of history. Join us on our journey as protectors of the world’s plants and fungi.
The role: We require a temporary part-time Project Paper Conservator to assist our in-house team with our exhibition loan programme. The successful candidate will work onsite at the Conservation Studio at Kew, preparing paper-based collections for exhibition loan and returns. This includes undertaking remedial conservation treatments and mounting and framing/de-framing botanical illustrations. The Project Paper Conservator will ensure that planning and treatments are accurately documented and undertake loan photography and documentation to produce accurate condition assessment reports.
Job requirements: With a qualification in Conservation, or equivalent experience, our ideal candidate will have a specialism in paper conservation, ideally art, prints and drawing collections. They must have knowledge and experience of conservation practices and methodologies especially for works on paper. With experience preparing paper-based collections for exhibition, our ideal candidate will be competent delivering remedial conservation treatments, such as backing removal, cleaning and repairing treatments as well as mounting and framing, and packing loans ready for transportation. With excellent written communication skills and attention to detail they will have experience undertaking loan photography and producing accurate condition assessment reports. Our ideal candidate will be able to work collaboratively as part of a team while having a proven ability to plan own time and meet deadlines.
Benefits: Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.
