Position at British Library

Digitisation Conservator
International Dunhuang Project (IDP)
The British Library
London, St Pancras.

Fixed Term Contract for 2 years
Full time (36 hours a week)

Salary is UKP25,452 per annum (Grade C) + benefits

The British Library leads and collaborates in growing the world's
knowledge base.  The Collection Care department, which comprises of
some 40 people, is responsible for the care of one of the largest,
richest and most diverse research collections in the world.  Funding
for this two-year post is secured from by external funds.

This is an opportunity for an experienced conservator to work in a
small, busy team.  You will be carrying out conservation and
preparation treatments on fragmentary paper manuscripts in Tangut
that are being digitised as part of this project, operating with
minimal supervision.  You must have the skills and knowledge to
plan, manage and track your work to ensure that deadlines are met.
You will also have the opportunity to work on Chinese scrolls from
Dunhuang, under the supervision of an experienced conservator.

Conservation is needed to ensure adequate throughput for the
digitisation of the Tangut material according to the project
schedule.  This is mainly previously unconserved and unnumbered
material, currently completely unavailable and unknown to scholars.
It came into the Museum/Library from Aurel Stein's third Central
Asian expedition of 1913-16 and has remained in his original paper
packets.  There is an urgent need to make this material accessible
for the first time

You need to have either a degree in conservation or equivalent
knowledge and skills sets, and practical hands-on experience in
conservation of paper materials for digitisation and/or large-scale
conservation projects; a broad knowledge of available conservation
treatments within the field of paper conservation together with the
ability to diagnose conservation problems and to develop and
evaluate options for solutions.  You should also have a high level
of manual dexterity and the ability to treat fragile and delicate
materials, together with knowledge of materials chemistry and the
properties, behaviours and interaction of a wide range of organic
and inorganic materials.  A good knowledge of preventive
conservation issues is also required.

Closing Date: 26 June 2015
Interview Date:15-16 July 2015

For further information and to apply, please visit

    <URL:http://www.bl.uk/careers>
    quoting vacancy ref: COL00195


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