Job description Job title: Grade: Conservation Assistant 2b Department: Museums Responsible for: Museum volunteers as required Accountable to: Conservator Job summary The Conservation Assistant works across multiple sites to support the functions of the Museums Department, part of the Learning and Quality Directorate. The Museum collections include historically significant ACE Designated collections and modern Human Tissue Authority (HTA) licenced material. 23,000 specimens and objects from the museum collections are currently housed offsite and need to be moved to a different store by November 2026. The Conservation Assistant will provide conservation support for the Museums’ collections and help to prepare and move the museum collections. This includes packing objects and specimens for safe transportation and long-term storage, pest inspecting organic preparations, and assisting in auditing, monitoring and tracking movements of the collections using Adlib/Axiell Collections Management System. The post holder will be part of a small team, but will often be required to work autonomously. This post involves handling organic specimens, including human tissue. Specific duties and responsibilities 1. Collection Move Preparation • To pack the museum collections, including surgical instruments and natural history preparations for safe transportation and long-term storage • To label and photograph the collections in advance of moves • To use Adlib/Axiell the Collections Management System to retrieve information and update locations as needed • To assist in the planning, and transport of museum collections • To care and treat collections as needed • To carry out pest inspections of organic collections 2. Preventive conservation • To assist in auditing, monitoring and recording the integrity of the College museum collections and stores • To clean and maintain the museum collections 3. Remedial conservation • To record conservation activity on the collections management database • To order relevant materials and equipment This job description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and may include other duties and responsibilities as may be determined. It is not intended to be rigid or inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. 21 May 2025 Person specification Essential Desirable • Conservation qualification • Experience of handling human or animal tissues in a museum or laboratory context • Experience of working with natural history/medical collections • Experience of working on a collections move project • Experience of work with heavy objects and hazardous chemicals • Knowledge of collections management • Demonstrational knowledge of Human Tissue Authority requirements and experience of working in licensed premises Qualifications Experience and skills Technical competencies People and interpersonal skills • Relevant degree or level 3 vocational qualification • Conservation Training • Recent experience in a museum or similar environment • Museum or heritage conservation experience • Experience of preparing and packing collections for safe transportation • Experience of using a Collection Management System (CMS) • Manual handling skills • Experience of using Microsoft Office software, including Word, Outlook and Excel • • Demonstrational knowledge of the requirements for safely packing museum collections • Proven communication skills • Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team • Ability to prioritise workloads to meet deadlines • Ability to work with sensitive material The post holder will also need to demonstrate the following values: Collaboration Respect Excellence We embrace our collective responsibilities working collaboratively and as one college. • We work together, using our collective expertise and experience to effect positive change • We are open, honest and transparent, straightforward in our language and actions, acting with sincerity and delivering on our commitments • We take our responsibilities to each other, to patient care and to the environment seriously and we act with this in mind across our work We value every person we come into contact with at the College as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and seek to understand and meet their physical and wellbeing needs. • We treat everyone we meet with kindness and integrity and we seek to promote these behaviours in others • We actively seek a range of views and experiences across our work, and we listen to, and make everyone feel, a valued part of the team We aspire to excellence and success. We share learning from our experiences, apply feedback into practice, and commit to continual improvement. • We work hard to be the best at what we do, recognising and celebrating effort and achievement, and reflecting on our work, so we can learn and improve • We value and invest in research, education and training to drive excellence and put improvements in surgical practice, dentistry and patient care at the heart of our work • We always seek to learn and discover more, valuing knowledge and scientific evidence, basing our decisions on insights, fact and experience The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are open to all talent and we actively ensure that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regards to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.