Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities

Host organisation: Orkney Natural History Society Museum

Project title: Natural History Collections Research Assistant

Project description

Work alongside the Natural History Collections Assistant to research aspects of the Natural History Collections as part of a larger project to digitise collections to be used as baseline data for biodiversity loss and climate change. This will include preparing data for the online catalogue, researching the provenance of specimens within the collections, including specimens that may have been acquired through Colonial activity.

Outputs

  • Input of data into the online catalogue of an area of the collection (TBC).
  • Research for the summer exhibition 2027 and a series of blogs.

In person/remote/hybrid

Hybrid.

This will be a mix of in person at the museum and remote working.

Benefits to the researcher

Opportunity to gain work experience within a museum by working with an inspirational and highly motivated team of museum professionals. Gain skills in how to turn research into accessible text for the wider public through helping with the production of an exhibition and marketing the museum through social media through posts and blogs. Gain experience in working with the public and volunteers.

Key relationships

The researcher will work with the Curator, Collections Manager, Museums Climate Change Exhibitions & Outreach Officer, Natural History Collections Assistant, Custodians, Volunteers and Trustees.

Subject areas

This opportunity would be relevant to the following subject areas:

Museum and Gallery Studies; Heritage Management; Information and Knowledge Management; Records Management; Information and Knowledge Management; Imperial/Colonial History; Media and Communication Studies; New Media/Web-Based Studies; Ethics; Ethnography and Anthropology.

Person specification

A1. Knowledge Base
  • Essential: Research methods – theoretical knowledge; Research methods – Practical application; Information Seeking; Information literacy and management.
  • Desirable: Subject knowledge; Academic literacy and numeracy.
A2. Cognitive Abilities
  • Essential: Analysing; Synthesising; Critical thinking; Evaluating; Problem Solving.
A3. Creativity
  • Essential: Inquiring minds; Innovation.
  • Desirable: Intellectual insight; Argument construction; Intellectual risk.
B1. Personal qualities
  • Essential: Enthusiasm; Perseverance; Integrity; Self-reflection; Responsibility.
  • Desirable: Self-confidence.
B2. Self management
  • Essential: Preparation and prioritisation; Commitment to research; Time management; Responsiveness to change; Work-life balance.
B3. Professional & career development
  • Essential: Continuing professional development.
  • Desirable: Career management; Responsiveness to opportunities; Networking; Reputation and esteem.
C1. Professional conduct
  • Essential: Respect and confidentiality; Appropriate practice.
  • Desirable: Health and Safety; Ethics, principles and sustainability; Legal requirements; IPR and copyright; Attribution and co-authorship.
C2. Research management
  • Essential: Research Strategy; Project planning and delivery.
  • Desirable: Risk management. 
C3. Finance, funding & resources
  • Desirable: Income and funding generation; Financial management; Infrastructure and resources.
D1. Working with others
  • Essential: Collegiality; Team working; Collaboration; Equality and diversity.
  • Desirable: People management; Influence and leadership; Supervision; Mentoring.
D2. Communication & dissemination
  • Essential: Communication methods; Communication media.
  • Desirable: Publication.
D3. Engagement & impact
  • Essential: Society and culture. 
  • Desirable: Teaching; Public Engagement; Enterprise; Global citizenship.

First published: 28 September 2026

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