Exhibitions Display and Workshop Technician

To install and remove exhibits on display and to undertake the production of museum-quality exhibit mounts. The post holder will support all aspects of maintenance, dressing and mounting of exhibits and exhibitions (including art exhibitions) and displays throughout IWM.


Assist in the maintenance of both the long term and temporary galleries, conducting regular gallery checks and undertaking any maintenance and repair tasks arising. You will also assist the Exhibitions workshop team in the construction, installation and dismantling of temporary exhibitions across all IWM branches if required.


This is a varied and physically demanding role which will require someone with a flexible and hardworking attitude.

Your duties will include:


Exhibition Display Projects:

1.The installation, dressing and de-installation of exhibits in temporary exhibitions and the long-term galleries.

2.Assist the Senior Exhibitions Display Technician with display case layouts.

3.The design and production of high standard IWM and conservation grade mounts in brass, acrylic or other materials. Devising creative mount solutions with the advice of the Senior Exhibitions Display Technician and follow lender requirements where specified whilst ensuring cost effective implementation of recycling and reuse of mounts and materials.

4.Assist with the mounting and framing of documents, prints, artworks and facsimiles as required.

5.The hanging of works of art alongside art technicians and freelance support as required.

6.You will also be required to assist the Exhibitions workshop team with the construction, installation and dismantling of temporary exhibitions across all the IWM branches as required.


Collections Care:

7. The unpacking, photography and recording of loan items and IWM collections arriving for display as well as packing loan and IWM collection items being returned from display.

8. Liaising with the Registry team on loans as appropriate.

9. Maintain records relating to the galleries and displays, e.g. showcase opening records and object movement records on the IWM collections database, Axiell.

10. Liaise and advise colleagues over display matters, installation schedules, and loan packing.

11. Providing specialist advice on current mounting materials, methods and procedures to the Exhibitions Production Managers, Exhibitions Managers/Officers, Designers, collections management team and other stakeholders, project partners and external organisations.


Gallery Maintenance:

12. Carrying out daily gallery checks and acting on findings to ensure that the displays are maintained to a high standard. This will include detailed reporting of maintenance issues to FM and IWM stakeholders, following through and monitoring maintenance requests.

13. Assist in the day to day set work maintenance of the long-term galleries, conducting gallery checks and undertake any maintenance or repair tasks as required, such a making good walls and setwork structures and painting. Undertaking other basic carpentry and painting jobs as required.

14. Cleaning and redressing cases in the long-term galleries and removing items requested for press, photography, filming or other approved IWM activities.

15. Cleaning setwork plinths of open display objects and cleaning under plinths as and when required.


Budget & Administration:

16. Being responsible for managing work requests that have been assigned, planning and carrying out a schedule of preventative maintenance and keeping the maintenance log up to date. You will also ensure budgets and deadlines are met.

17. Maintaining stocks of conservation grade materials and equipment. Assisting with maintaining inventories for the exhibition stores at all IWM branches and assist with keeping stores and mount- making areas tidy.


Health & Safety:

18. Keeping up to date with current Health & Safety working practises for use of woodworking machinery
and equipment. This will include taking responsibility for ensuring the safe use and maintenance of all equipment in Exhibition workshop areas in accordance with Health & Safety Regulations and maintaining a clean and tidy working environment within the Exhibitions workshop areas and when working on the galleries.

19. Oversee the running of the Exhibitions workshop at IWM London in the absence of the Senior Workshop Technician or Senior Exhibitions Display Technician, managing work requests to meet agreed deadlines.


Working Hours

This is a five day/week post. Working hours are 8am to 4.15pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 4pm Friday, to enable daily checks and as much maintenance work as possible to be carried out on the public site before opening. From time to time flexibility with working hours is required to accommodate deadlines or priorities.
Travel within the UK including to other IWM locations will be required. Out of hours and weekend work may be necessary during busy periods, in particular in the run up to exhibition openings and for maintenance purposes. Time off in lieu will be offered to cover this.

This job description is not all encompassing. Over time the emphasis of the job may change without changing the general character of the job. Your duties may be reviewed from time to time and revised and updated in consultation with you to reflect appropriate changes.

For a full list of duties and the person specification (which your application will be marked against) please view the Job Description on the IWM Jobs website.

Museum Website: https://www.iwm.org.uk/jobs