PhD position at Rijksmuseum

PhD in Analytical and Organic Chemistry on Cleaning of Modern Oil
    Paintings
Rijksmuseum

36 hours per week

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the national museum of the
Netherlands.  Its collection includes 1.1 million works of art and
objects from and about the Netherlands, spanning the period from the
Middle Ages up to and including the 20th century.  The Rijksmuseum
attracts some two millions visitors per year.  In April 2013 the
Rijksmuseum reopened to the public following a large-scale
restoration and renovation campaign, resulting in a breathtakingly
beautiful building, innovative layout and displays, spectacular
exhibitions, exciting events and various facilities catering to all
ages.

The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam in collaboration with the Faculties of
Science of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is offering a PhD
position in chemistry and conservation science.  The research
focuses on the development of cleaning methods for powdery modern
oil paints and the degradation mechanisms involved.  The PhD
candidate will work in the laboratories of the Rijksmuseum in the
Ateliergebouw, in close collaboration with the Paintings Research
Scientist and conservators of the paintings conservation department,
and in the laboratories of the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular
Sciences at the UvA at the Science Park.

Summary This PhD project studies the application of nanotechnologies
being developed as part of the NANORESTART EU-project, for the
conservation and preservation of modern and contemporary art.  The
PhD project will focus on powdery, underbound and delaminating
modern oil paints.  The degradation mechanisms involved will be
investigated and the effect of novel polyfunctional nanomaterials on
the chemical and physical condition of these sensitive paints will
be assessed using well-defined model oil paint systems developed and
synthesized by the candidate.  These model systems will be
chemically characterized before and after treatment with the novel
nanomaterials.  Potential analytical techniques for this study are
3D Optical Microscopy (Hirox), SEM/EDX, ATR-FTIR, Raman, OCT, AFM
and various mass spectrometric techniques.

Requirements The successful candidate is a chemist specialized/
experienced in (in)organic synthesis, spectroscopic techniques, and/
or mass spectrometry with an affinity for works of art.  He or she
has a true interest to apply science to the field of cultural
heritage and has the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.

Terms of employment: The full-time appointment will be on a
temporary basis for a maximum period of four years (18 months plus a
further 30 months after a positive evaluation) and will lead to a
dissertation (PhD thesis).  The candidate is expected to attend
courses and (international) meetings and to disseminate the research
outcome to the conservation field.  Based on a full-time appointment
(36 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from Euro
2.177,- in the first year to Euro 2.760,- in the final year,
according to the Dutch salary scales for PhD students.  The
collective labour agreement (CAO) for independent national museums
applies.

For further information about this post, please contact

    Dr. Katrien Keune
    Scientific Researcher
    +31 20 6747268

Queries regarding job application procedures should be directed to

    Lieke Boers
    P&O Department
    +31 20 6747304

Applications: Please send your application (cover letter, CV, list
of publications) by email to vacatures<-at->rijksmuseum<.>nl, stating the
job vacancy name, by no later than 20 December 2016

Museumstraat 1
Postbus 74888
1070 DN Amsterdam


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