Objects Conservator

Objects Conservator

Location: Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH. The postholder will be required to work on other sites in Upper Heyford (near Bicester) and Botley.

This post could be considered as a secondment opportunity.

About the role
The Department of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology cares for around 275,000 objects representing the material cultures of Europe, Egypt and Sudan, and the Middle East, spanning almost the entire history of humanity. We are undertaking an ambitious multi-year Collections Management Project, DigitiseLocateStore (DLS), to audit, document, and digitise the collections with the goal of enhancing access—both physically and online—and ensuring best practice in collections care and long-term storage.

To support this work, we are seeking an Objects Conservator to work closely with the team of Collections Assistants carrying out the audit. You will play a key role in carrying out the pre audit conservation assessment plus guiding rehousing of objects and improving storage conditions. This role will directly contribute to the preservation, accessibility, and understanding of the Ashmolean’s world-renowned collections, supporting the museum’s core activities of research, teaching, and public engagement.

The role is based across Ashmolean Museum sites in Oxfordshire (including off-site stores near Bicester and Botley).

This is a part-time role (15 hours per week, 0.4 FTE), 1-year fixed-term post available until 31 May 2027.

About You
You will have a post-graduate or graduate level professional conservation qualification in Objects Conservation with significant experience of implementing conservation or preservation work in a museum, historic collection or similar setting. You will have specialist knowledge and work-based experience of assessing the conditions of archaeological and historical materials and objects, as well as remedial and preventive conservation.

You will have the ability to manage a busy workload including handling competing demands. You will have demonstrable knowledge of COSHH regulation.

You will ideally be confident using Collections Management Software and Digital Asset Management Systems, with excellent data-entry, cataloguing, and IT skills (including Excel).

What We Offer
As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days of annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

Diversity
Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through diverse groups and champions, as well as a number of family-friendly policies, such as the right to apply for flexible working and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example, shared parental leave.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible. If you require the job description or any other materials in an alternative format, or if you would like to request any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please contact the recruitment team at recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk.

How to apply
You will be required to upload your CV and a supporting statement as part of your online application. Your supporting statement should list each of the essential and desirable selection criteria, as listed in the job description, and explain how you meet each one. CVs alone will not be considered.

We aim to provide a supportive working environment and are happy to discuss training and professional development opportunities. The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Daniel Bone, Head of Conservation and Heritage Science, who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role (daniel.bone@ashmus.ox.ac.uk). General queries about the recruitment and application process should be directed to GLAM Recruitment (recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk).

Please discuss secondments with your line manager in the first instance, as you must have their agreement that you can be released for a secondment before you submit an application https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/secondments.

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (BST) on Tuesday 7 April 2026 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place on Monday 27 April 2026.

Contact Person: GLAM Recruitment
Vacancy ID: 185116
Closing Date & Time: 07-Apr-2026 12:00
Pay Scale: STANDARD GRADE 6
Contact Email: recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk
Salary (£): Starting from £35,681 per annum (pro rata)