Do you have the willingness and ability to collaborate with others to produce work as part of the exciting £2.9m ‘Congruence Engine’ research project? Do you have doctoral (or equivalent) level understanding of the history of science and technology or modern social history?
The Science Museum Group is shortly to commence its major academic research project, “The Congruence Engine: Digital Tools for New Collections-Based Industrial Histories”. Its aim is to show how AI and other computational tools can be used to link collections for the purpose of doing new historical work and to enhance access.
This exciting £2.9M three-year project is one of five funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council under the ‘Towards a National Collection’ scheme. The project will consider the histories of the textiles, energy and communications sectors in turn, with activity planned for museums and cities across the UK.
As Postdoctoral Research Assistant you will bring skills from digital humanities and history/history of technology to work at the heart of the project with groups of amateur and professional historians and curators. We are looking for two Postdoctoral Research Assistants to specialise in textiles and energy histories, you will take responsibility for the delivery of the Textiles or Energy Work Package in the Congruence Engine project, under the supervision of the project’s investigators, also contributing across the project themes.
You will have a willingness and ability to collaborate with others, this will enable you to produce new research projects that explore and demonstrate the potential for research and curatorial work that draws on combinations of collections held in differing repositories across the country. Your high level of interpersonal and communication skills and your capacity to enthuse and motivate will be essential to this role.
Joining us you will have doctoral (or equivalent) level understanding of the history of science and technology or modern social history, and the implications of that history for today and the future. You will be able to work independently to initiate and complete specific projects within set deadlines. You will possess experience of designing, organising and participating in events including as a facilitator: workshops, seminars and conferences, etc.
The Science Museum Group (SMG) is here to inspire futures. As the world’s leading group of science museums, we share our unparalleled collection spanning science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine with over five million visitors each year. Joining us as an employee, you will have the opportunity to develop your career in a world-class museum group. We know work/life balance and wellbeing is crucial to our colleagues, so we currently offer up to 25 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays; BUPA medical and dental care; employee assistance programme; enhanced contributory pension; enhanced occupational sick, maternity, paternity and adoption leave and career breaks.
‘Open for All’ is one of the Science Museum Group’s five core values and sets out our important aspiration to be a place for everyone. As a national museum group, we have an ability to reach a wide and diverse population of audiences, colleagues and partners through our geography and scale.
We are working hard to understand our organisation better and to foster a culture that recognises and values different backgrounds, mindsets, skills, experience, knowledge and expertise. By having greater diversity, we believe that we will be a stronger and better organisation and ultimately will be able to inspire more futures. We therefore welcome applications from those who bring difference.
Does this appeal to you? If so, click here to view the Vacancy Information Pack which provides you with details of the role and the application process.
