At a Glance
- Tasks: Digitise and manage Scotland's insect collections for research and public access.
- Company: Join National Museums Scotland, a leading museum group with diverse collections.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, pension contributions, and free access to museums.
- Other info: Be part of a major digitisation project with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by unlocking natural science collections for everyone.
- Qualifications: Experience in data entry and knowledge of insect taxonomy required.
The predicted salary is between 30496 - 32743 £ per year.
National Museums Scotland is one of the leading museum groups in Europe with one of the largest and most diverse collections in the world. As an organisation our values are Creative, Inclusive, Collaborative and Forward-thinking. We are looking for a careful, motivated and collaborative individual to join our Natural Sciences team.
Benefits of joining us as our Natural Sciences Collections Digitiser include:
- Annually, alongside your salary, National Museums Scotland contributes 28.97% of this towards you being a member of the Civil Service Pension Scheme
- A generous annual leave of 28.5 days – rising to 33.5 after 5 years, plus an additional 8 paid public holidays.
- Free access to national (and international) museums and exhibitions
- A range of wellbeing benefits including Employee Assistance Programme 24/7 Access to all the above and more from day one of employment.
About the Natural Sciences Collections Digitiser role:
Help unlock Scotland’s insect collections for research and public discovery. Working with the Natural Sciences digitisation team, you will carefully prepare, photograph and database insect specimens, creating accurate records and images for colleagues, researchers and the public. This practical role is at the heart of a major collections digitisation programme. This role is part of the DiSSCo-UK project, funded by UKRI. DiSSCo UK (Distributed System of Scientific Collections) is a £155 million, 10-year national programme to digitise and connect the UK’s natural science collections. The programme is funded through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and delivered by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in partnership with the Natural History Museum and more than 100 partners across the UK. The digitiser posts are associated with the first phase of the project focusing on pinned insects (NMS) and herbarium sheets (RBGE).
As a Natural Sciences Collections Digitiser at National Museums Scotland you will:
- Select and safely prepare insect specimens and collection containers for digitisation, escalating fragile or damaged material where needed.
- Create specimen database records to MIDS Level 1 or above, following agreed data standards and collection-management procedures.
- Capture high-quality images and process, name, store and manage image files within agreed image and file-management systems.
- Quality-assure specimen data and images, correct routine errors, maintain project documentation and support upload or publication through NMS digital platforms.
Skills and experience we’re looking for in our Natural Sciences Collections Digitiser:
- Experience of accurate data entry or managing structured records, with confidence using databases or comparable collection-management systems.
- Knowledge of insect taxonomy and the basic curation of insect collections.
- Meticulous and sensitive handling of delicate specimens and labels.
- The ability to work independently, follow written protocols and maintain accurate documentation, with strong attention to detail in data capture and quality control.
Please be sure to view relevant attachments for this role (available on our Careers Portal: careers.nms.ac.uk) for full details of the position. The closing date for this role is 24 August 2026. The Selection Event is likely to take place during the week commencing 14 September 2026.
Natural Sciences Collections Digitiser employer: National Museums Scotland
National Museums Scotland is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that values creativity, inclusivity, and collaboration. As an ICT Technician, you will benefit from generous annual leave, a substantial pension contribution, and a supportive environment focused on employee wellbeing and professional growth. Located in the heart of Edinburgh, you will be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to maintaining high-quality technology services for one of Europe's leading museum groups.
