The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences sits at the intersection of the arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. Established in 1879, the museum includes the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Observatory and the Museums Discovery Centre. The Museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia.
The Powerhouse Precinct at Parramatta is one of the largest cultural infrastructure projects currently being undertaken in Australia. The project will transform and renew one of Australia’s oldest and most important cultural institutions and carry forward its legacy to reflect the changing needs of the contemporary communities of NSW. A key element of the project is the relocation and digitisation of the Museum collection.
The Opportunity
As a Conservator at Museum Discovery Centre, you will be part of a team working on the preparation of the collection currently stored at Ultimo for digitisation and relocation to the Museums Discovery Centre. Working closely with the Collections Packing & Logistics Team, you will be responsible for overseeing the unpacking, safe handling, housing and appropriate storage of the relocated collection at the MDC.
Key highlights:
- Assess conservation and preservation needs, participate in optimal preventive conservation activities and procedures
- Identify and appropriately house objects that need to be located in specialised storage areas
- Assist with the planning and logistics of the collection relocation throughout the site and minimise double handling
- Undertake research and assist in the identification and management of hazards present in the Museum collections
- Perform complex conservation treatments of objects in preparation for their relocation.
For more information on this position, view the role description here.
The successful candidate
To be successful in this role you will have:
- Demonstrated experience in performing conservation treatments of collection objects relevant to the incumbent’s specialisation.
- Knowledge of national and international frameworks, ethics and issues relevant to heritage collections.
- An understanding of the chemicals and materials that may be used for conservation treatments, storage requirements and relevant WHS issues.
- Tertiary qualification in Conservation or a related field, plus a minimum of 2 years conservation experience in one or more subject specialisation areas; or 5 years conservation experience.
- Physical requirements: This role requires the physical capability to stand for long periods of time, fine motor skills and manual dexterity to safely handle collection objects.
For more information or to apply visit: JobsNSW.
