Imaging Assistant – London

The British Museum is recruiting multiple Imaging Assistants to support an ambitious, museum-wide digitisation effort. These roles sit within the Documentation and Digitisation Programme and will be embedded across four curatorial departments: Africa, Oceania and the Americas; Middle East; Money and Medals; and Britain, Europe and Prehistory.

The British Museum’s Documentation and Digitisation Programme is creating and enriching digital collection records; providing images, and enhancing metadata above our nationally recognised standards. Working across the collection, this ambitious programme plays a strategically vital role in enabling the Museum’s vision for greater access, scholarship and long‑term collection stewardship. It is delivering research‑ready collection information that is transforming how the collection is understood, used and shared.

As an Imaging Assistant, you will produce high‑quality digital images of collection objects using photography and scanning techniques, ensuring that they are accurately processed, documented and linked to collection records. You will play a key role in improving access to one of the world’s most important collections, supporting both public engagement and academic research.

About you

You have experience in photography, digitisation or image processing, with strong attention to detail and the ability to work accurately and consistently. You are confident using spreadsheets, databases and digital tools, and can quickly learn new systems. Organised and self‑motivated, you can manage your workload to meet targets while maintaining quality. You collaborate effectively with others but are equally comfortable working independently. An interest in museum collections or cultural heritage is an advantage.

Key areas of responsibility

• Capture and produce high‑quality digital images of collection objects using photography and scanning.
• Process and prepare images to agreed standards (including cropping, background, orientation and quality checks).
• Accurately match images with collection records and associated metadata.
• Manage and validate data using spreadsheets and collections management systems.
• Safely handle a wide range of collection objects, following collections care procedures.
• Work with colleagues to resolve data issues and support accurate, consistent digitisation outputs.

The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane – who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.

At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found here, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:

• Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
• Discounts at onsite catering, Museum shops and local Bloomsbury partners.
• Social and wellbeing perks including Staff parties, social clubs, CSSC sports and leisure, and support from the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship.
• Peer support and allyship with five diversity networks for community.
• Interest‑free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.

Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:

• Care Deeply
• Embrace the Unknown
• Spark Curiosity
• Value Many Voices

These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details.

Right to Work: The British Museum holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Applicants are responsible for determining whether the advertised salary and role meet current UKVI sponsorship requirements and for ensuring they have, or can obtain, the appropriate right to work in the UK. The Museum cannot provide immigration advice, and eligibility should be checked before submitting an application. The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre‑employment screening of Civil Servants.