Conservator: Conservation Mounting (Art on Paper) - London

Role Summary

Conservator: Conservation Mounting (Art on Paper)
Collection Care and Moves

Part-time (28.8 hours per week)

Permanent
£ 33,470 per annum (pro rata)
Application deadline: 12pm (midday) on Tuesday 19 August 2025

About the role:

To care for the collection through a combination of preventive and interventive measures in support of the museum\’s operating plan, and to contribute to public outreach activities of the Department of Conservation. This role requires the post holder to have or be developing specialist knowledge in the area of conservation mounting and housing art on paper. The post holder will work alongside conservators of art on paper; advising and collaborating to ensure the collection is displayed and stored safely.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Contribute to the preservation of art on paper, documents and photographs, by providing conservation mounting and housing.
• Aid with the preparation of objects for loan, exhibition, and permanent display.
• Assist towards the care of the collection through dedicated projects on collections in-store, documentation, surveys, data collection, analysis, and support with public speaking at public events.
• Get involved with the department’s outreach activities and support with developing ideas for potential funding bids.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues within the department, on projects such as developing new preventive or interventive measures.
• Other duties as assigned such as contributing to the mounting of materials / object types outside of own specialism as necessary.

About you:

• Recognised professional conservation qualification to degree level or equivalent training in conservation mounting, with emphasis on the conservation of the material relevant to the specialism of the role.
• Demonstrable practical skills in conservation mounting of the material relevant to the specialism of the role.
• Understanding of mechanisms involved in material deterioration and knowledge of contemporary principles and practice in preventive conservation.
• Understanding of conservation theory and ethical decision making.
• Relevant knowledge of health and safety.
• Good computing skills and proficiency with a range of IT systems.
• Able to undertake highly detailed tasks whilst working under pressure and be an effective problem solver and decision maker within a team environment.

About the British Museum:

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

You can view a selection of our impressive collection of prints and drawings in our virtual gallery .

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 (find out here what benefits a civil service pension provides).
• 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

Additional details:

For more information about this role, please see the job description.

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

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 new minimum salary threshold of £41,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is the highest. You can find more information here:

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 welcome questions and conversations at interview stage about how flexible working could work for you.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.