Curator at the Department of Botany (m/f/x)

The following role as Curator of Phanerogams is available as of 1. March 2025

Staff at the Natural History Museum preserves, researches, and presents its extensive collections in a building designed as a comprehensive work of art. The Museum showcases the diversity of nature, evolution of planet Earth and life, and related cultural development of mankind and offers an inspiring meeting place for diverse interactions.

The earliest collections are over 250 years old. Today, approximately 30 million objects are curated to scientific standards.

Housing about 5.5 million objects, the botanical collection of the NHM is one of the largest herbaria globally. One goal is to leverage the collections for research and to make them increasingly available and usable digitally. In addition, we are currently working on showcasing the botanical collection as part of the NHM’s publicly accessible, permanent exhibition area. Your tasks will therefore include:

Your Responsibilities

Curation of the phanerogam collection

Curation of ancillary spirit, carpological, xylological, and large object collections

Handling of external requests

Databasing herbarium specimens

Development, funding solicitation, and implementation of research projects

Generating scientific and popular science publications

Supervision of preparators, project staff, interns, and volunteers

Supporting visiting researchers

Participation in outreach activities for the public and students including giving tours and citizen science projects

Collaboration with other NHM departments (e.g. Exhibition Management, Science Communication)

Our Expectations

Completed botany degree, PhD strongly desired

Broad floristic knowledge (e.g., Central Europe, Mediterranean, Near East, Neotropics, Palaeotropics)

Scientific expertise in plant taxonomy and systematics with a broad knowledge across a larger taxonomic group

Record of relevant publications in peer-reviewed journals

Demonstrated experience with herbarium work (curation and collections management)

Experience with databases and digitization of herbarium specimens

Experience with supervising volunteers desired

Ability to work in a team

Our Offer

An exciting and diverse range of tasks carrying responsibility

Work experience in one of the largest museums in Austria

Flat hierarchies, open communication, and a good work atmosphere

Flexible working hours

An office in the center of Vienna with good access to public transport

Salary dependent on professional qualifications and experience

Benefits provided by the NHM as an employer are available at https://jobs.nhm.at/das-nhm-als-arbeitgeber.html.

The salary we offer is, depending on your qualifications and experience, EUR 3,080.- (gross), 14 times per year, so EUR 43,120.- pa for 37.5 hours per week.

If we have captured your interest, we look forward to receiving your concise application by 31 January 2025.

Please note that applications (including a cover letter referencing the points in requirements above, CV, and graduation certificate) will only be accepted online via https://jobs.nhm.at/

Your contact person for further information: Sabine Burger-Koch