Fellowship at National Archives, Kew

Conservation research fellowship
Developing preservation and conservation protocols for transparent
    paper
Kew, West London
National Archives
UK

Full-time/Fixed Term Appointment for a period of 12 months

Starting Salary: UKP31,870 plus generous benefits package, including
pension, childcare vouchers, sports and social club facilities,
onsite gym, subsidised staff restaurant and opportunities for
training and development.

The National Archives is the UK government's official archive,
containing 1,000 years of recorded history from the Domesday Book to
the present. Our experts in conservation and preservation care for a
huge range of documents - from parchments to synthetic materials
that cover a collection of over 10 million records.

The Conservation Research Fellow will assess the extent of
conservation and preservation problems associated with different
transparent papers now and in the future and develop a methodology
for characterising, assessing and treating the main types of
transparent paper depending on the context of use. Dissemination of
research outcomes through peer-reviewed publications, conferences
etc. in order to reach a wider audience is an essential part of this
role.

Reports to: Head of Conservation Research and Development

Role and Responsibilities: As the Conservation Research Fellow you
will apply specialist knowledge in support of this project and
contribute to the development of a decision-making framework for
conserving records made of transparent paper. You will take a
strategic lead in ensuring the delivery of this research project
within 12 months and within budget. Working with key departments
across The National Archives, the Conservation Research Fellow will
apply their professional experience to plan and deliver the
"Developing preservation and conservation protocols for transparent
paper" research project. As a specialist you will be expected to
work independently exercising your professional judgment in making
decisions and establishing new approaches that will help to deliver
the overall objectives of the project.

Including:

    Review the main manufacturing processes and the implications on
    the long-term stability of transparent papers held at The
    National Archives

    Determine the quantity of transparent paper in The National
    Archives' collection and its current state of preservation

    Understand the main deterioration mechanisms of transparent
    paper within the context of The National Archives

    Develop a decision-making framework for the preservation and
    conservation of transparent paper

    Disseminate the outcomes of this research to a wide professional
    community

Person Specification

  Essential:

    Post-graduate degree in conservation, conservation science or
    considerable experience of conservation of relevant materials

    Knowledge of material science of paper with a track-record of
    conservation research

    Experience of analytical testing and data processing

    Strong inter-personal and communication skills to support
    networking and engagement internally and externally

    Ability to project-manage and deliver agreed outcomes on time
    and within budget

    Strong analytical skills: An ability to understand and
    synthesise complex information in order to inform future
    programmes

    A track record of published research

 Desirable:

    Experience in paper conservation

    Experience in archival collection care

Closing date: Friday 29 June 2012 at midnight

Interviews: To be confirmed

To apply:

    visit <URL:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/jobs>


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:4
                  Distributed: Saturday, June 16, 2012
                        Message Id: cdl-26-4-019
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