The British Museum
Curator: Early Medieval Europe Collection
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Project Curator: Early Medieval European Collection (Documentation)
Full-time 41 hours per week
Hybrid working mainly based in Bloomsbury, London
Fixed term contract to 31 December 2028
£36,396 per annum
Application deadline: Sunday, 2 August 2026
About the Role
The British Museum is seeking a Project Curator to join the Britain, Europe and Prehistory Department. Working as part of the Museum's Digitisation and Documentation programme, you will play a key role in documenting, researching and digitising collections relating to the Early Medieval European collections.
Working closely with curatorial colleagues, collections managers and imaging specialists, you will help improve access to the Museum's collections by ensuring collection records are accurate, accessible and meet professional documentation standards. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a major strategic programme supporting the Museum Masterplan and the long-term preservation and accessibility of internationally significant collections.
About the Documentation & Digitisation Programme
The British Museum’s Documentation and Digitisation Programme is creating and enriching digital collection records; providing images, and enhancing metadata above our nationally recognised standards. Working across the collection this ambitious programme plays a strategically vital role in enabling the Museum’s vision for greater access, scholarship and long-term collection stewardship. It is delivering research-ready collection information that is transforming how the collection is understood, used and shared.
About You
You will be a proactive and detail-oriented museum or heritage professional with experience working with collections and collection management systems, alongside a strong interest in the material culture of Britain, Ireland and Europe during the Early Medieval period, c. 400 to 1100 CE.
You will bring a meticulous approach to research and cataloguing, a commitment to improving access to collections, and the ability to maintain accuracy and consistency while working on a large-scale digitisation project.
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Key Areas of Responsibility
- Document, research and digitise the Museum’s Early Medieval European collections.
- Work collaboratively with Imaging Assistants, Assistant Collections Managers and curatorial colleagues to catalogue collection material and improve the quality and accessibility of collection records.
- Consult object registers, archives and historical documentation to support research, registration and digitisation activity.
- Ensure that documentation outputs and publicly accessible collection information are accurate, consistent and fit for purpose.
- Manage priorities effectively to deliver project objectives, monitor progress against targets and contribute to the successful delivery of the Museum's wider digitisation programme.
The Masterplan
The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Benefits
At the British Museum, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do and have designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. Our full list of benefits can be found here, but we’ve outlined some highlights below:
- Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
- Civil Service Pension Scheme defined benefit with 28.97% employer contribution.
- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days (and +5 days after 10 years).
- Discounts at onsite catering, Museum shops and local Bloomsbury partners.
- Social and wellbeing perks including Staff parties, social clubs, CSSC sports and leisure, and support from the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship.
- Learning and development through courses, mentoring and Athena as well as support for professional qualifications.
- Interest-free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.
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Our Values
Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:
- Care Deeply
- Embrace the Unknown
- Spark Curiosity
- Value Many Voices
These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.
Additional Details
If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details to bmrecruit@britishmuseum.org.
Right to Work: The British Museum holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Applicants are responsible for determining whether the advertised salary and role meet current UKVI sponsorship requirements and for ensuring they have, or can obtain, the appropriate right to work in the UK. The Museum cannot provide immigration advice, and eligibility should be checked before submitting an application.
Internal Applicants: We welcome internal applicants regardless of background, department or length of service but encourage you to let your manager know before applying. If you are on a permanent contract and want the fixed-term contract to be treated as a secondment, you will need to obtain your manager’s support before submitting an application.
Interviews are expected to take place the week commencing 31 August 2026.
The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening of Civil Servants.
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