A new and exciting opportunity has arisen at the Museum of the History of Science. The Museum is seeking two Project Assistants to become part of a team to audit, document, prepare and pack the objects in a significant reserve collection, currently housed in a large off-site museum collections facility, as part of a major collections move. The roles are full time (36.5 hours per week), fixed-term contracts to 31 December 2017 and are based in Oxford.

The Project Assistants, coordinated by the Project Team Leader, will be required to participate in the documentation, conservation cleaning, photography, packing, and storage of objects in a safe manner and within the project deadline. The Project Assistants will be responsible on a day-to-day basis to the Project Team Leader, with oversight of the project by the Museum Collections Manager and the Museum Conservator. The posts will be based in a heritage collections environment, in ambient conditions and will require standing, use of steps and ladders, and lifting of objects and packed boxes.

A Project Team Leader and four Project Assistants are already in post. The new Project Assistants will join this existing team.

Full details of the positions are available in the job description. The essential requirements include experience of working in a museum or equivalent heritage site; understanding, knowledge and experience of collections handling and packing complex and delicate artefacts; the ability to use critical thinking and independent judgement to interpret objects, and information about them, against standardised guidelines; previous experience of museum documentation and databases, particularly EMu, familiarity with the principles of museum security, appropriate packing and storage of objects, and collections care; and a proven ability to work effectively as part of a team.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 16 January 2017. Interviews will take place during the week beginning 30 January 2017, with a view to an immediate start.