Senior Collection Care Technician

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is already a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history. But it’s where we go next that makes things really interesting.

In our strategic vision: Archives for Everyone, we set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive - a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring.

That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you.

Job Overview

Salary: £29,258 per annum

Contract type: Permanent

Band: D / Executive Officer

Closing date: Sunday 8th February 2026 at midnight

The National Archives is the official archive of the UK government, holding over 1,000 years of the nation’s history. We provide expert guidance on information management to government departments and public sector bodies, while also advising on the care and preservation of archive collections.

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join the Collection Care Department, which is dedicated to:

• Preserving the collection to ensure an unbroken historical record for present and future generations

Unlocking and sharing the collection’s potential to enrich the experience of our users and maximise public access

Driving innovation to continually enhance and improve collection care practices

As a Senior Collection Care Technician, you will work alongside a team of conservation, preservation, engagement, and heritage science professionals. The role involves supporting both ongoing programmes and participation in special projects, requiring a balance of initiative and collaborative teamwork with colleagues across the organisation and with external partners. You will play a key role in safeguarding the physical record via preventive and interventive methods. Your work will support improved access to the collection, extend its lifespan and enhance the experience of all our users.

The successful candidate will be a committed advocate for Collection Care’s objectives, demonstrating high professional standards and contributing actively to the development of innovative best-practice approaches to archive care.

This role requires on site presence and is not suitable for home working.

This is a full time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department.

Application Process

• Interview: Interviews will be held on-site in Kew in February 2026. Candidates invited to interview will take a short hands skills test as part of the assessment.
• Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words.
  
  

Selection for interview will be based on the ‘essential’ requirements in the job description so please ensure that your statement demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.

Sponsorship

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

Skills

As a generalist with a broad and adaptable set of technical skills, you will be working across several teams in a department with a range of specialisms. Training will be provided where needed and your curiosity, your enthusiasm for learning new skills, and your technical aptitude will help you to address new challenges. Working across teams, you will cover areas of remedial and preventive conservation, exhibitions and loans, heritage science, and engagement. Areas of work will include:

• Carrying out conservation treatments, working collaboratively with conservators in preparation and execution of more complex treatments
• Designing and constructing custom housings and mounts for safe handling, storage and display of collection material
• Conducting condition assessments of collection material, recording conservation activities and object condition in line with departmental procedures
• Working as a team member across various projects, managing time and resources, contributing to successful delivery to agreed targets
• Contributing to ongoing preservation programmes, including monitoring of collection storage and display environments

Leading on day-to-day delivery of the pest management programme, undertaking monitoring, identification and reporting

Participating in TNA’s organisational disaster response plan as a member of the Emergency Response Team and managing site-wide salvage equipment

Supporting the loans and exhibitions programmes, including mounting preparation and packing of collection material, as required and participating in installation, deinstallation and transportation of collection material for on-site exhibition

Providing technical support for heritage science activities, including technical analysis, data collection and documentation

Supporting departmental engagement activities, helping to deliver programmes, tours and resources that promote your work and the work of the department to both internal and external audiences, as required

Contributing to the overall improvement of knowledge and skills within the department by exploring new approaches to archive conservation, informing projects and treatments, and taking a proactive approach to personal and professional development

The post-holder may be required to undertake any other duties which may reasonably be required as within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the post as defined.

Working Conditions

• Conservation studio and collection storage environments

Display Screen Equipment user

Moving items up to 10kg in weight

Working with insects; possibly with birds and rodents

May encounter distressing material

Person Specification

Essential

• Excellent practical and technical skills, with the ability to develop innovative solutions to a wide range of technical challenges across different functions within the department.
• Excellent creative problem-solving abilities, applying sound judgement to a range of tasks and situations and seeking guidance, as required.
• Proven ability to work independently, whilst also collaborating as part of wider team.
• Excellent organisational skills, able to prioritise workloads and deliver high-quality outcomes within deadlines.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, supporting effective engagement with various stakeholders.
• Proficiency with IT systems, including MS Office products, with the ability to collect, manage and interpret data and to adapt to a wide range of applications.
  
  

Desirable

• Experience within a cultural heritage setting, with a good background and working knowledge of conservation and preservation.

Sound knowledge of current conservation practice and ethical standards, with the ability to adopt creative and innovative approaches to the care and conservation of large archival collections.

Other Requirements

• This role requires on site presence and is not suitable for home working.
• Must be prepared to travel to other institutions in the UK and internationally, as required.
• Occasional weekend working and overnight stays may be required.
  
  

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is

found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service

D&I Strategy.

Benefits

Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development. Annual leave entitlement of 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum.

Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at  https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ (opens in new window)

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional
  
  

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks (opens in new window)

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)

nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code  (opens in new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. (opens in new window)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. (opens in new window)

Contact Point For Applicants

• Name: The National Archives Recruitment Team
• Email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk
  
  

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)