Documentation Officer
Do you have experience handling museum collections, working with collections data and an interest in developing data management skills? Would you like to work with the collections data for our vast and diverse collection?
About us
The 545-acre Science and Innovation Park is the home of the Science Museum Group's National Collections Centre (NCC), our hub for collections management and access. The NCC is transforming how we care, manage, and make accessible over 400,000 objects and 1.5M items in our Library and Archive.
Working within the Documentation team offers an exciting opportunity to work with collections data for one of the world's preeminent science, technology, transport, medicine & media collections.
We are now recruiting for a Documentation Officer based at the National Collections Centre at the Science and Innovation Park in Wroughton, Swindon. This is a full-time (35 hours per week), fixed-term contract until September 2026, with hybrid working also available.
About the role
As Documentation Officer you will have a group-wide reach, working with diverse collections data across the organisation. As well as championing our cataloguing and documentation standards, ensuring that data is consistent and accurate, you will also use your data skills to support the Conservation team in building and improving the information we hold and share about our collections.
You will be working on a project: Empowering Safety: Hazardous Materials Awareness, Identification and Management. This project aims to develop a comprehensive hazardous materials library and dataset, that can be shared with the wider sector, both to raise awareness and increase research and understanding, including around safe and practical management. Ultimately helping to increase access and knowledge of these fascinating but hazardous collections.
You will play a crucial role in ensuring high quality data is generated and maintained. You will use innovative techniques to record and improve collections data. Alongside this you will be responsible for improving data in our Collections Information Systems. You will feed into recommendations on taxonomy and how this data could best be recorded and shared.
About you
Joining us you will have some experience of museum documentation and cataloguing, in addition to an interest in developing data management skills. You will possess a good level of attention to detail and the ability to follow procedures consistently and accurately.
Crucially, you will have experience of handling museum collections, including an awareness of basic collections care. You will have good IT skills, data skills and the ability to work with a Collections Management System as well as a knowledge of museum documentation standards.
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.
Don't feel you meet all of the criteria? At SMG, we are committed to building a workforce that is open for all, and welcome you to apply, even if your experience doesn't fit perfectly. With your transferable skills, you could be the right candidate for this, or other opportunities that we have.
What we offer
Joining us as an employee, you will have the opportunity to develop your career in a world-class museum group. We understand that work/life balance and wellbeing is crucial to our colleagues, so we offer the perks listed below, as well as support for things that happen in life such as parental and adoption leave, sickness, and career breaks.
- Support with personal and professional development
- 27 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
- Employee assistance programme
- Enhanced contributory pension
- Unmind App and other wellbeing support
- Interest-free loans
- Days Out discounts
- Health & Dental Insurance
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. 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, capable to continue to Inspire Futures.
