Curator: Korean Collections

The British Museum, founded in 1753, is a leading visitor attraction with a remarkable collection spanning over two million years of human history and culture. Our world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Sutton-Hoo finds, and the Lewis Chessmen. We also hold an extensive collection of prints and drawings spanning 600 years, including works by the greatest graphic artists such as Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.

As the Curator: Korean Collections, you will undertake research and make publicly accessible the Korean collections, supporting the Museum Operating Plan and all relevant Museum strategies. Your key responsibilities will include making the collection, and knowledge about it, publicly accessible via publication, digital, display, and broadcast. You will lead on upgrading the documentation of the collection and support and improve the display of the collection in the relevant galleries and elsewhere both on- and off-site. You will also contribute to general income generation for the Museum and build the collection through acquisition via donation and purchase.

The ideal candidate will have a BA/BSc (or equivalent) in Korean Studies, Art History, History, Archaeology or other relevant subject. You should have experience of research, fieldwork and publication and be fluent in Korean and English (reading, written, spoken). Experience of public speaking to academic and non-academic audiences and some experience of management issues (people, projects, budgets) is also required. You should be an open, effective communicator with good spoken and written English and have the ability to work as part of a team.

The Museum offers a competitive benefits package including: Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) plus 2.5 privilege days and plus bank holidays. Membership of the civil service defined benefit pension scheme. Free entry to a wide range of museums and exhibitions. Participation in private and public Museum activities, including talks by leading curators from around the world and behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn how museums care for and manage their extraordinary collections. Interest-free travel, bicycle, and rental deposit loans. Professional and personal development opportunities. Employee Assistance Programme. Discounts on food and gift shop purchases.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees have the right to work in the UK. If you currently do not hold the right to work in the UK, we can only sponsor a limited number of roles that meet eligibility criteria. To offer a sponsorship, the job role you apply needs to be in the list of eligible occupations. Additionally (with some limited exceptions), the role will need to meet the minimum salary threshold of £38,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. The British Museum is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from unlawful discrimination or harassment. We value the benefits that a diverse workforce brings to a museum which represents world culture. The Museum is committed to ensuring that no job applicant suffers unlawful discrimination because of any protected characteristics. Our recruitment procedures aim to ensure that individuals are treated because of their relevant knowledge, skills, and experience. We specifically encourage applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented within our senior roles. We offer a flexible way of working scheme that allows our employees to work remotely in a way that suits them and the organisation. We would typically see this role as working on site about 3 days a week.