Do you have experience of working with museum collections and the research skills to uncover interesting stories related to our collection? Do you want to explore the history of photography and photographic technologies and help create opportunities to engage with our visitors?
About us
The Science Museum Group (SMG) is here to inspire futures. As part of this world-leading collective, the National Science and Media Museum explores the culture of image and sound technologies and their impact on our lives. It holds internationally significant collections of film, television, photographic and sound technologies as well as extensive library and archive collections. As well as maintaining and developing its historic collections, the museum has ambitions to collect more contemporary and digital material, as well as developing innovative, collaborative modes of collecting.
We are now looking for a Curator of Photography and Photographic Technology to join our expanding Curatorial team at the National Science and Media Museum in the heart of Bradford – the new City of Culture for 2025! This role is a permanent contract, working 35 hours per week.
About the role
As the Curator of Photography and Photographic Technology you will take a leading role on championing and raising the profile of our world class collections of photography and photographic technology.
This is a highly collaborative role which will involve working alongside other specialist Archivists and Curators and fostering links with internal and external stakeholders in photography and photographic technology communities. Working closely with the masterplan team, exhibitions team and digital content teams you will develop the content and interpretation for our new permanent galleries, Sound & Vision, as well as our temporary exhibition programme.
As a Curator you will research and explore the history and current practice of photography and photographic technologies. You will help to create opportunities for engaging visitors with media, technology and engineering-related content across a variety of public programmes, creating new ways of understanding and presenting the collections, particularly focusing on local community engagement. Crucially you will look to embed an ‘Open for All’ approach in the development of the collections, ensuring that diversity, inclusion and access are core to the ways of working.
This is a fantastic opportunity to become a key part of the team at the National Science and Media Museum at an exciting time for both the museum and the city of Bradford as a whole.
About you
Joining us you will have a broad knowledge of the history and current practice of history of science and/or media, with deeper knowledge in a particular subject area within this topic. You will possess experience of working with museum collections in addition to good research skills which will enable you to uncover interesting stories related to our collection.
Due to the collaborative nature of this position, you will have good interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively and proactively to build relationships with internal and external peers, subject specialists and external organisations.
Crucially, you will have excellent oral and written communication skills and good attention to detail, with experience of communicating complex information to non-specialist audiences, for example through blogs, exhibitions, articles, outreach or teaching.
Applying
View the Vacancy Information Pack listed under ‘Attachments’ on the vacancy listing on our website for more details about the role and the application process, or click ‘Apply Online’ to submit an application.
What we offer
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.