Assistant Artefact Conservator | Full time | Fixed term to 31 March 2028
Full Time Salary: £34,368 to £37,189 per annum
Length of Contract: Fixed term ending on 31 March 2028
Hours: 35 hours per week | Monday - Friday
Location: National Museums Collection Centre
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.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Artefact Conservator to join our busy and dynamic conservation team, caring for our internationally significant collections of over 12 million items.
This post is to support the ongoing conservation programme for the Late Bronze Age Peebles Hoard.
Benefits of joining us as our Assistant Artefact Conservator 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 days public holidays. For part time staff annual leave and public holidays will be pro-rated to reflect your normal working hours
- 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 Assistant Artefact Conservator role:
You will be a qualified artefact conservator, holding a recognised conservation degree and having a particular interest and expertise in the conservation of archaeological material. You will possess strong planning skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines and to prioritise and risk assess your work programme. You will work, independently and collaboratively, on the examination and treatment of artefacts and will advise on their safe display and storage. You will have strong IT skills to document the condition of objects and related conservation treatments. You will have an enthusiasm for conservation and be able to communicate this to our audiences.
As an Assistant Artefact Conservator at National Museums Scotland you will:
- apply specialist conservation knowledge to National Museums Scotland’s conservation programmes
- carry out practical conservation
- work closely with colleagues across National Museums Scotland, normally under guidance, to provide the conservation necessary to ensure that deadlines are met
Skills and experience we’re looking for in our Assistant Artefact Conservator:
- First degree in a relevant discipline, or knowledge from relevant experience
- Higher degree or recognised diploma in conservation, or relevant experience
- Able practical conservator with proven relevant experience
- Good theoretical understanding of material issues and treatments
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 13/09/26 (13th Sept 2026). The Selection Event is likely to take place during the week of 21/09/26 (21st Sept 2026).
