Public Engagement Coordinator (Fixed Term)

The Cambridge University Herbarium is one of the largest archives of botanical diversity in the UK. It holds an estimated 1.1M specimens from all over the world and represents over 300 years of natural history recording, with the oldest specimen dating to 1703. The Herbarium is embedded within the Department of Plant Sciences and has a team of 3 staff including a Curator, as well as a dedicated team of volunteers. In recognition of the extraordinary cultural, scientific, and historical importance of the Herbarium, it was awarded Designation Status by the Arts Council England in 2022. Numerous academic departments currently engage in collections-based botanical science across many frontiers of scientific discovery, both internal and external.

We are recruiting for a Public Engagement Coordinator to lead on the development and delivery of the Herbarium's outreach and public engagement programmes, ensuring that our local and regional communities and stakeholders are served and supported to a high standard. The coordinator will also contribute to welcoming the public to the Herbarium, and ensure visitor and staff safety and security, as well as the security of our collections. The overarching purpose of the new role is to enhance our outreach and engagement with local and regional communities, with quantitatively and qualitatively measurable impact on existing and new audiences.

The Herbarium primarily seeks to support all research and teaching activities both in Cambridge and further afield but is looking to develop its external programmes especially with respect to the local and regional public and global online communities. The Herbarium is situated in state-of-the-art facilities within the newly built Sainsbury Laboratory on the site of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. But the building and consequently the Herbarium is largely closed to members of the public, and so we must develop new and innovative ways to reach beyond our confinements to reach a variety of local and regional audiences, generally in collaboration with other service providers. This new role of Public Engagement Coordinator seeks to deliver this essential work.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance. 

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click on the apply button above. 

Please notice that if you have not received any news from us 1 month after the closing date you should consider that on this occasion your application has not been successful.

Please quote reference PD38617 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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