The Natural History Museum in London is both a world-leading science research centre and the most visited natural history museum in Europe. With a vision of a future in which both people and the planet thrive, it is uniquely positioned to be a powerful champion for balancing humanity’s needs with those of the natural world.
The Museum’s 300 scientists continue to represent one of the largest groups in the world studying and enabling research into every aspect of the natural world. Their science is contributing critical data to help the global fight to save the future of the planet from the major threats of climate change and biodiversity loss through to finding solutions such as the sustainable extraction of natural resources.
The Natural History Museum’s informatics group are leading members of a series of European Commission (EC) funded digital projects working to transform the operation of European natural science collections. These multi-million Euro international initiatives bring together the collections of 115 institutions across 15 countries, representing over one billion scientific specimens and more than 5,000 scientists.
About the role
You will work across their portfolio of EC funded projects, such as SYNTHESYS+ (https://www.synthesys.info/) and ICEDIG (https://icedig.eu/). You will plan, collate, and analyse information on a range of subjects supporting the digitisation, and access to, European natural sciences collections. This work will form a critical knowledge base from which to support efforts to create integrated digital policies and processes across participating institutions. These tasks are described in a series of EC-funded projects and fall under the umbrella of the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (https://www.dissco.eu/), a pan-European programme of which the NHM takes a leading role.
Areas of investigation include collection digitisation, cost modelling, policy harmonisation, gathering and specifying service requirements, workflow development, logistics and coordination, as well as strategy development and project governance.
As a Business Analyst, you will collate data through surveys, documents, online research and in-person or remote meetings. You will work within the informatics team, collaborating closely with project coordinators and project managers to use your analytical and interpersonal skills to gain insights and make evidence-based recommendations, through project reports, data visualizations and presentations.
The post includes opportunities for travel as part of international programmes of activity, as well as partial remote working. The post also has the potential for extension, subject to the outcome of a pending grant application.
About you
You will have experience of analysing, summarising and visualising different types of data, and the ability to distil complex ideas into readable reports and presentations for different audiences. You will be comfortable designing and using different methods to collate structured information, including surveys, online research and face-to-face meetings, complimented by your experience of working within multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional teams.
While experience in the field of natural history collections is beneficial, the main focus is on the ability to analyse diverse information and requirements and disseminate the results in a clear and concise form. We encourage applications from candidates who fulfil most of the key competencies and are willing to support training (both internal and external) and personal development opportunities to fill any gaps in knowledge.
For a full person specification and more detailed list of the role responsibilities, please use the link towards the bottom of this page to download the full job description.
Fixed term Contract: 23 months
Closing date: 9am on Monday 5 October
Interviews expected by Thursday 15 October
What we offer
- 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
- Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution up to 10%)
- Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across the country, such as the British Museum, V&A, National Gallery, Royal Academy and Tate
- Affordable membership to the Civil Service Sports Council which offers a range of benefits including a free digital Tastecard, discounted cinema tickets and corporate membership of English Heritage sites (including Dover Castle and Stonehenge). For more details, visit https://www.cssc.co.uk
- Membership to our Sports and Social Association (for a small fee), which includes access to our in-house gym and clubs such as football, softball, table tennis and tennis and classes in Middle Eastern dance, yoga and Tai Chi
- Staff discounts at a range of local businesses and services
- Up to 50% staff discount at our shops and cafes
- Season ticket, bicycle and rental loans
- Eye care vouchers
- Professional development opportunities – We are committed to the professional development of our staff and offer a range of courses to ensure they reach their potential. We also sponsor professional qualifications and job-related professional membership fees.
How to apply
If that sounds like you please apply online on the Natural History Museum’s careers portal, and provide:
- A comprehensive curriculum vitae giving details of relevant achievements in recent posts as well as your education and professional qualifications.
- A covering letter that summarises your interest in this post, providing evidence of your ability to match the criteria outlined in the person specification
- Please ensure your letter includes details of your latest salary and notice period.
Diversity and Inclusion
We welcome applications from everyone – diversity, inclusion and the feeling of belonging matters to us. By attracting people to work for us from a broad range of diverse backgrounds we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things. We offer a stimulating and professional environment in which to work. This is a remarkable place we look for staff who can work according to our values – we champion diversity, encourage creativity, we are connected, and we value evidence.
Ready to take the challenge?
Read more info and download the full description here.