Description

Closing Date: 19-Apr-2024

About the role:
To be responsible for and represent all aspects of Ancient Mesopotamia at the Museum and assist the Permanent Curator for Ancient Mesopotamia in delivering outstanding projects relating to the Mesopotamian collection. To undertake research into and make publicly accessible the collections of objects from Ancient Mesopotamia and other related collections across the Museum.
An exciting and rare opportunity for the successful candidate to help curate and undertake research into one of the world’s most important Mesopotamian collections spanning 4000 years of history, from the Sumerian times to the Assyrian period. The role offers further important opportunities to widen the candidate’s experience in all aspects of museum’s curatorial work within a renowned department composed of leading scholars in their respective fields in the Middle East.
Key areas of responsibility:
To support the permanent curator for Ancient Mesopotamia in delivering curatorial tasks and research projects on, and beyond, the Mesopotamian collection including projects involving external partners.
To lead on upgrading the documentation of the Mesopotamian collection.
To identify and co-lead on improving the display of the Mesopotamian collection in the Museum’s galleries and elsewhere both on- and off-site.
To lead and deliver public programming projects via publication, digital, display, and broadcast.
To act as an advocate for the Museum.
Managing and motivating staff, including responsibility for managing performance and supporting professional development including postgraduate students, CDA students, external scholars and volunteers.
About you:
MA / MSc in Ancient Near Eastern history and archaeology
Experience of a temporary exhibition or gallery refurbishment
Experience as a supervisor or director of a research or fieldwork project
Experience of engaging the public in the relevant field
Experience of working in a Museum, University or environment that promotes Mesopotamia.
Management experience of people, teams, projects, and budgets
Open, effective communicator with good spoken and written English
Ability to work as part of a team.
Ability to present in public in an engaging manner.
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 one of the leading visitor attractions and its world-famous collection includes the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, Egyptian mummies, the Admonitions Scroll, and the Amaravati sculptures.
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 in order to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
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 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. We would typically see this role as working on site about 4 or 5 days a week.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.