Imperial War Museums
Preventive Conservator (EMS)
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What It's Like to Work Here
At Imperial War Museums, we care for collections that help people understand the impact of conflict and its role in shaping our world. You'll join a team of specialists dedicated to protecting nationally significant collections and making them accessible for future generations. We foster a collaborative, supportive environment where expertise is valued, continuous learning is encouraged, and everyone contributes to preserving history for research, learning, and public engagement.
Why This Role Matters
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in a major preservation project across IWM's five sites. As Preventive Conservator (EMS), you'll help implement a new Environmental Monitoring System (EMS) that will provide the data, tools, and processes needed to manage environmental risks and protect our collections for years to come.
Your work will directly support the long-term preservation of collections and displays by ensuring environmental conditions are accurately monitored and managed. Through your expertise, staff training, and project delivery, you'll help embed a consistent approach to environmental monitoring across the organisation, enabling informed conservation decisions and reducing risks to irreplaceable collections.
What You'll Be Doing
- Lead the installation and rollout of a new Environmental Monitoring System across all five IWM sites.
- Coordinate the removal of legacy monitoring equipment and manage the transition to the new system.
- Work closely with IT, Systems teams, and external suppliers to migrate and validate historical environmental data.
- Develop and oversee testing activities to ensure the new system delivers accurate and reliable monitoring data before full implementation.
- Analyse environmental data and provide insights that support preventive conservation decision-making.
- Deliver training, guidance, and knowledge transfer to colleagues, building confidence and capability in the use of the new EMS.
- Use environmental monitoring information to identify and mitigate risks to collections, displays, and storage environments.
- Build strong working relationships with colleagues across sites to ensure consistent environmental monitoring practices and successful project delivery.
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What We're Looking For
We'd Love To Hear From You If You Have
- A qualification in preventive conservation, museum studies, or demonstrable equivalent experience.
- Strong knowledge of preventive conservation principles, including the agents of deterioration.
- Experience delivering preventive conservation projects and environmental monitoring programmes.
- Experience analysing environmental data and using findings to inform decisions and recommendations.
- The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver work to agreed deadlines.
- Experience working within established procedures, policies, and professional standards.
- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively across multiple teams.
- A collaborative and proactive approach to problem solving.
- Willingness and ability to travel to IWM sites as required.
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How You'll Work
You'll work closely with Preservation colleagues, site teams, IT specialists, and external suppliers to deliver a high-profile project spanning all five IWM locations. The role combines practical project delivery, technical implementation, and conservation expertise, requiring regular collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders. You'll be part of a team committed to protecting collections and sharing knowledge across the organisation to ensure long-term preservation success.
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
- Successfully deliver the installation and implementation of the new Environmental Monitoring System across all five IWM sites.
- Establish effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and site teams.
- Complete environmental data migration and validation activities with a high degree of accuracy.
- Deliver training and guidance that enables colleagues to confidently use and maintain the new system.
- Embed consistent environmental monitoring processes and practices across IWM.
- Provide reliable environmental data and insights that support preventive conservation decision-making and reduce risks to collections.
For a full list of duties and the person specification (which your application will be marked against) please view the Job Description.
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