Location: Natural Sciences Museum, 149 Holme Lane, Sheffield, S6 4JR
Duration: August 2026, with the possibility of continuing into September 2026
Hours: Zero-hours contract. Flexible working pattern, with up to five days per week (9:00am–5:00pm) available depending on museum requirements and your availability.
Pay: National Minimum Wage (age dependent)
About the Role
The Natural Sciences Museum is looking for a motivated and reliable Summer Museum Collections Assistant to support our collections team during a busy period of collections care and documentation. This is an excellent opportunity for a student or recent school or college leaver seeking practical experience in museums, natural history, archaeology, conservation, or heritage.
Working alongside experienced museum staff, you will assist with the preparation, storage and documentation of fossil specimens as part of an ongoing collections management project.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare fossil specimens for long-term archival storage.
- Construct archival cavity mounts and other specimen supports using conservation-grade materials.
- Place specimens into appropriate storage containers and trays.
- Assist museum staff with labelling and cataloguing collections.
- Support the digitisation of museum records and specimen information.
- Handle collections carefully and follow museum collections care procedures.
- Keep workspaces organised and maintain high standards of housekeeping within collection areas.
- Carry out other collections-based tasks as required by museum staff.
About You
No previous museum experience is required, as full training will be provided. We are looking for someone who:
- Has a careful and methodical approach to practical tasks.
- Pays close attention to detail.
- Can follow instructions accurately.
- Is reliable, organised and able to work independently after training.
- Has basic computer skills for data entry.
- Has an interest in natural history, museums, palaeontology, conservation or heritage (desirable but not essential).
What You'll Gain
This role provides valuable hands-on experience working with real museum collections and is particularly suited to students considering careers in museums, conservation, natural sciences, archaeology, palaeontology or related disciplines.
You will gain experience in:
- Museum collections care and preventive conservation.
- Archival mounting techniques, including the preparation of cavity mounts.
- Fossil handling and storage.
- Collections documentation and digitisation.
- Working within a professional museum environment.
There may be an opportunity to continue working during September, subject to project requirements and mutual agreement.
Pay: From £12.71 per hour
Work Location: In person
