Tate’s vision is to serve as artistically adventurous and culturally inclusive art museums for the UK and the world. We deliver this through activities in our four galleries across the UK (Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives, Tate Britain and Tate Modern), our digital platforms and collaborations with our national and international partners.
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Paintings Conservator to join our Paintings, Frames & Workshop Conservation team. You will focus on Tate Modern’s programme of exhibitions and displays, documenting, preparing and treating paintings within Tate’s Collection. You will use innovative solutions to plan projects and solve complex challenges for collection artworks and ensure high standards of preservation.
You will hold a recognised qualification in the Conservation of Easel Paintings and have demonstrable practical experience treating and stabilising a broad range of paintings with full consideration of the practical and ethical issues. You will have performed condition surveys, prepared estimates and will understand long-term care issues for paintings. Effective communication will be essential, as well as good time management, project planning skills and the ability to work well under pressure and to meet deadlines.
About the Role
You will join the team as a Paintings Conservator within the Paintings, Frames & Workshop team, providing support and expertise across the Tate Modern programmes. Day -to-day, you will work closely with colleagues in the Paintings, Frames & Workshop Conserv ation teams to prepare large groups of paintings for exhibition & displays. You will undertake condition assessments and conservation treatments, and provide advice for loan, acquisition, storage, packing and installation.
Support for Tate’s Programmes
• Your primary focus will be to support the Tate Modern programme of exhibitions and displays, providing advice and recommendations on all aspects of care and use of the collection. You may also be called on to support other programme areas if needed.
• Devise maintenance schedules for works on display; monitor and undertake maintenance duties.
• Co-ordinate Tate Modern projects; organise/deliver conservation input on time and within budget, including providing accurate time and cost estimates for your activities.
• Undertake condition checks, preparation, treatments and associated activity in support of the Tate Modern programme. This is may include undertaking courier activity to oversee transport and installation of art works at non -Tate sites.
• Provide display specifications and recommendations for safe transport, handling, installation and display of works of art for Tate sites and acquisitions programmes, advising staff as required.
Technical Examination, Research, Treatment and Documentation of Paintings
• Assess and analyse the structure and condition of works of art, using a full range of specialist techniques.
• Apply conservation procedures to formulate treatments ensuring high standards of preservation and presentation; use innovative solutions to solve complex problems.
• Undertake preparation, treatment and document for paintings in Tate’s collection and care.
• Carry out and present investigations into artists’ techniques, production methods and conservation as required.
• Create and update records for Tate’s collection management system (TMS) and Conservation Records. Collections Care and Preventive Conservation Activity.
Collections Care and Preventive Conservation Activity
• Active involvement in the design, development and implementation of long -term collection care procedures, including packing, transport, storage, display and installation.
• Liaise with both Conservation and Art Handling Technicians to ensure works are safely packed and installed. Create case specifications and design specialist storage.
• Assist with preventive conservation such as environmental monitoring, integrated pest management and events management.
• Support studio activity and implement Heath & Safety measures.
Management, Supervision and Training
• Supervise junior and PR staff.
• Act as a mentor to junior staff and support the development of professional expertise within the Conservation department.
• Contribute to programmes of training and development for Tate staff, interns and others.
• Supervise agreed project teams; plan and supervise the work.
• Support the Conservation management team to review, improve and implement procedures and policies.
Public and Professional Activities
• Keep up to date on current thinking and best practice within Paintings Conservation through Continuing Professional Development.
• Share knowledge and expertise within the Conservation department.
• Liaise with external colleagues to ensure Tate is at the forefront of setting international standards for the conservation profession and collections care.
• Contribute to raising the national and international profile of conservation at Tate.
• Support learning activities and initiatives; contribute to lectures, tours and publications.
About your team
The Paintings, Frames and Workshop Conservation team treats a broad range of artworks and enjoys being creative and pragmatic, providing solutions and collaborating with colleagues. They work proactively across all programme areas including Exhibitions and Displays, Loans, Acquisitions and International Partnerships. The Conservation department sits within the Collection Care division and provides specialist conservation expertise to support the programme, and care for Tate’s Collection. Specialist areas include Time -based media, Paintings, Frames and Workshop, Sculpt ure and Installation Art, Paper and Photographs, Conservation Science and Preventive Conservation. Working together, the department brings excellence and innovation to the care of Tate’s Collection, preventing damage and deterioratio
About You
You will provide support and expertise for the Tate Modern programme of Exhibitions & Displays, incorporating loans and acquisitions. You may also work flexibly across other programme areas as required. You will care for and treat paintings , and contribute to the development of strategies, procedures and workflows for the preservation of paintings in Tate’s collection.
• Professional qualification in Paintings Conservation.
• An understanding of a broad range of conservation methods to formulate appropriate treatments with full consideration of practical and ethical issues.
• Demonstrable analytical and problem -solving skills where complex conservation challenges arise.
• Experience assessing condition and preparing paintings for loans, exhibitions and displays. This should include providing accurate time and cost estimates as well as advising on the packing, storage, transport and installation of paintings.
• Experience documenting and conserving a wide range of paintings to a high standard.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrable organisational, time -management and planning skills with the ability to work well under pressure and prioritise workload to meet deadlines.
• Experience of creating an inclusive and respectful culture within a team and applying the principles of diversity and inclusion in building and maintaining relationships with colleagues, advocates, and partners/donors.
• Ability to work effectively within a large and complex organisation, as part of a team , co-lead or alone.
• Willingness to undertake courier trips in the UK and internationally.
• Good end-user IT skills, including image processing and database software to document artworks.
• An interest in and commitment to the work of Tate
The requirements listed here are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. You don’t have to satisfy every requirement and we welcome candidates who bring transferable skills. Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered.
How to Apply
Our opportunities are open for you to apply online.
Please visit: www.tate.org.uk/about/workingattate/ to create an account by registering your details or, if you are an existing user, log into your account.
For all opportunities we ask candidates to complete an online application form for the vacancy they are interested in. If you need an application form in an alternative format please call us on 020 7887 49 87. Once you have submitted your application you can keep track of its progress by logging into your account.
Interviews will be held week commencing 19th October. Where vacancies attract large volumes of applicants, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Therefore, if you are interested, please try to submit your application as early as possible.