Maritime Archaeology Manager – ANMM

About the Australian National Maritime Museum

As one of Sydney’s most visited museums, the Australian National Maritime Museum shares our national maritime story across Australia and the world, online, onsite and through research, presentations and travelling exhibitions, and provides must-visit museum experiences that delight and inspire.

We connect our visitors with the oceans and waterways that are the heartbeat of who we are. From deep time to modern Australian and beyond, we explore our past, our present and future as an island nation shaped by sea, offering a sustainable and cohesive vision for the future.

The Museum welcomes over 2.5 million local, interstate and international visitors annually, and is supported by a thriving and passionate staff, membership, volunteer and education base. Find out more at https://sea.museum.

The key duties of the position include:

About the Role

The position Manager Maritime Archaeology is a senior leadership role within the Knowledge team responsible for managing and developing the museum’s maritime archaeology initiatives.

Key responsibilities include planning and leading maritime archaeology projects, managing team members, procuring equipment and ensuring its safe operation, oversight of the museum’s research vessel, budgeting and project collaborations. The Manager provides expert advice on maritime archaeology and oversees the acquisition, research and interpretation of maritime archaeology collection items through exhibitions, digital and online programs.

The position has a significant role in museum policy, including remaining abreast of relevant maritime archaeology legislation and Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan (PCOL) protocols. This is a role with a high duty of care responsibility, including ensuring currency of all diving requirements and training of staff and volunteers undertaking fieldwork. A key element is research leadership, through practical projects such as interpretation and reconstruction of archaeologically excavated sites, and in scholarly publishing and presentations.

The position will work with the museum’s Digital and Communications teams to develop and maintain a dedicated and vibrant online resource that reflects and showcases the museum’s work in maritime archaeology.

Please note: This recruitment process is intended to fill both current and future vacancies. While the position on offer is ongoing, a merit pool of suitable applicants may be established to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing positions within the next 18 months.

Key Accountabilities

Under broad direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:

• Manage the development of a national centre in maritime archaeology by furthering research activities that support and complement broader national maritime heritage efforts.
• Plan and deliver maritime archaeology programs, including underwater surveys and collaborative research projects, both within and beyond Australian waters.
• Research and publish accounts of maritime archaeology in scholarly, public and specialist forums.
• Represent the Museum in public forums, media opportunities, conferences, and cultural networks.
• Research and develop curatorial content for exhibitions and public programs, providing leadership and expert input on exhibition and program development and review.
• Actively seek external grants, funding and key donations and provide support to the ANMM Foundation fundraising activities.
• Manage and mentor the maritime archaeologists, including direction of major projects such as reconstruction of an archaeologically excavated vessel and collaborative research programs.
• Manage the budget and maintain diving and maritime archaeology equipment according to relevant safety standards and the museum’s maritime archaeology policy and procedures, including training and maintaining relevant qualifications.
• Participate in the museum’s Acquisitions Committee, and in monitoring the museum’s obligations and processes including PCOL, the Collection Development Policy and relevant Maritime Archaeology legislation.

Selection Criteria

1. Demonstrated experience as a project leader or principal investigator on maritime archaeology projects, including both underwater and terrestrial sites.
2. Advanced Open Water Diving Qualifications along with Rescue Diver and Nitrox (EANx) endorsements, plus a recent (< 12 months) dive medical confirming capacity to undertake a regular program of scuba and/or surface supplied diving to depths up to 30 metres.
3. Extensive knowledge of Australian maritime history and heritage, demonstrated via a wide range of published work in maritime archaeology.
4. Comprehensive knowledge of maritime archaeology legislation in regard to fieldwork, consultation, interpretation and object acquisition.
5. High-level public engagement skills and experience in media, conferences, presentations and public speaking.
6. Successful track record in securing grants, consultancies or other external revenue streams to support maritime archaeology programs.

Qualifications and/or relevant experience required

Desirable:

• Eligibility and willingness to obtain ADAS Part 2 qualification for surface-supplied breathing apparatus to 30m.
• Current Australian driver’s licence and minimum coxswain grade 3 certificate in boat operation.
• Experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities or collections.
• Relevant international experience, including working with cultures outside Western/English-speaking countries.
• Familiarity with or ability to use archival record keeping systems such as ELO.
• Experience with collection management database systems such as TMS.

Eligibility

This position is open to all eligible members of the community, and we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with a disability and people from every cultural and linguistic background. To be an eligible member of the community, you must be an Australian citizen. Applications may be accepted from Australian permanent residents who are in the process of acquiring Australian citizenship.

All employees will be required to satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check and obtain and maintain a Working with Children Check registration.

Notes

No Applications will be accepted by mail or email. 

When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria. Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

Selection for this position will be made on the basis of relative merit which will be assessed against each item of the selection criteria. Applications that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered for shortlisting by the Selection Panel. As part of the selection process the Selection Panel may invite candidates to undertake online testing, skills-based assessment and provide samples of written work at interview.