Position at Westminster Abbey

Preventive Conservator
Westminster Abbey
Part time:  24 hours per week

Salary:  circa UKP11,500 for a 3-day week plus excellent benefit
package including final salary pension scheme. To begin December
2006

Closing date: 13 October 2006

Previous applicants for the conservation cleaner post (part time)
should not apply.

We are seeking a qualified Conservator or someone with the
equivalent skills, with at least two years post training experience
to join the conservator at Westminster Abbey.  It is essential that
you have a broad understanding of preventive conservation within an
historic environment and a working knowledge of polychromed surfaces
on a variety of substrates, but with particular regard to wood and
stone from the medieval period.  Considerable experience in insect
pest management is also vital.

The Abbey is a busy working church and the purpose of this role is
to carry out preventive conservation/housekeeping duties in areas
containing fragile medieval painted surfaces and other vulnerably
positioned historic material.  The continuation of various
monitoring programmes around the Abbey (and its Precincts) also
forms part of the job.

This position offers the chance to not only help preserve a very
important collection spanning centuries of both art and British
history but to help establish housekeeping guidelines for the future
care of the collection at Westminster Abbey.

You will work directly under the supervision of the Conservator.  It
is an essential requirement of this role that you are fit and in
good health.  You should be able to work at heights and either alone
or in a small team.

Responsibilities:

    Housekeeping duties in the Sacrarium, Edward the Confessor's
    Shrine and Henry V's chapel. These areas contain some of the
    most art historically important tombs of the early medieval
    period along with the famous Cosmati pavements, 15th century
    sculpture and a 15th century Italian altarpiece. The objects in
    this area are made from diverse range of materials and many are
    in a fragile condition demanding sensitive handling; the upkeep
    of this area constitutes the main responsibility of the
    position.

Other duties include:

    Carrying out careful dusting/vacuuming of other historic objects
    including the Coronation Chair and areas of medieval floor
    tiles.

    Continuation of the Integrated Pest Management programme

    Monitoring iron expansion and movement in monuments

    Environmental monitoring

    Basic recording and documentation

    Any other duties as may be reasonably requested from time to
    time, depending upon the skills and experience of the
    Conservator.

Please send your CV and covering letter to:

    Vanessa Simeoni
    Conservator, Westminster Abbey
    Conservation Department
    vanessa.simeoni [at] westminster-abbey__org

Westminster Abbey is an equal opportunities employer


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:18
                  Distributed: Friday, October 6, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-20-18-009
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