Within the Collaborative Conservation Skills Internship Programme, the Heritage Collections at the University of Edinburgh will host a twelve-month internship to develop and extend core skills in the preventive and interventive conservation of historic musical instruments, a specialist area considered ‘at risk’ by Icon.
Heritage Collections preserves, provides access to and interprets the rare and unique collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives, art, and musical instruments looked after by the University. The Musical Instrument Collection traces its origins to 1845, and today it is recognised as one of the world's most significant repositories of musical heritage. Comprising over 6,000 objects and spanning more than 500 years, it has official Recognised Collection of National Significance to Scotland status.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with a world-renowned musical instrument collection within a vibrant and supportive environment. We are looking for an early career conservator committed to developing their knowledge and experience in musical instruments and their preservation.
In addition to the development of core professional skills, this internship will provide networking opportunities with conservation professionals in Scotland, including participation in Icon Scotland events and the prospect of establishing connections further afield. The intern will collaborate closely with colleagues from a range of disciplinary backgrounds within Heritage Collections, working as part of the Conservation & Collections Management team.
Key Responsibilities
- To carry out condition and risk assessments, historical and technical research, interventive and preventive treatments and documentation of musical instruments in the University’s collection.
- To assist with collections management tasks including but not limited to cataloguing and inventory of objects in storage.
- To assist with tasks related to the Maintenance and Collection Care regime for the instruments in the collection, including collection moves in support of the C&CM service and wider services in Heritage Collections.
- To implement housekeeping protocols for display spaces and storage facilities, including surface cleaning, display maintenance, environmental monitoring, and disaster response and recovery.
- To participate in outreach and netwoirking activities (e.g. in-person and online dissemination and promotional activities).
- Any other duties required to facilitate preservation and access to collections as required by the Senior Conservator, or any other appropriate member of the Heritage Collections team.
Key Contacts
Internal:
- Conservation & Collections Management team
- Musical Instrument Collection Curator and St Cecilia’s Hall Curator
- Wider Heritage Collections teams 
- Wider Library & University Collections colleagues at the University Collections Facility and the Main Library
- IS Facilities
- Users of the collection, volunteers, students and interns.
External:
- Institute for Conservation
- Liaison with those using the Musical Instrument Collection (e.g. researchers, performers, visitors), general public, contractors, suppliers, etc.
- Wider Conservation and Heritage sectors.
About You
- Recently completed, or in final stages of obtaining a relevant qualification (e.g. degree in objects conservation)
- Competent skills in conservation (preferably musical instruments, objects conservation), or musical instrument making and restoring
- Attention to detail, a high level of accuracy, and excellent hand-skills
- Competent skills in documentation techniques
- Knowledge of collections care and documentation, and an understanding of collections-related best practice
- Ability to organise and deliver work within agreed timescales to a high level of accuracy
- Flexible approach to changing tasks, work environment and approaches to working practice
Please find the full job description here:
Job Description - Icon Internship (Musical Instruments Conservation)
How to Apply
Please provide the following by Friday 23 May 2025, 12 noon:
- Your CV of no more than 2 sides of A4 (to include contact details, information on your qualifications and any previous voluntary or work experience, and contact details for two referees).
- A supporting statement of not more than 1000 words detailing your experience/skills in relation to the essential and desirable criteria of the internship description, and describing how participation in the programme would benefit your future career.
- Confirmation that you are eligible to work in the UK.
Please email your application to Dr Jonathan Santa Maria Bouquet: [email protected].
Interviews will be held on 30 May 2025.
For more information, please contact Dr Jonathan Santa Maria Bouquet : [email protected].
Funders
Funded by the Collaborative Internship Programme, delivered in partnership with Icon.
