Historic Machinery Technician
Do you have experience as a time-served apprentice in a relevant field or equivalent experience in a relevant mechanical engineering role? Would you like the opportunity to carry out essential maintenance on our working collection of machinery?
About us
Our Gallery Maintenance team plays a crucial role in ensuring the seamless operation of the Science and Industry Museum. We are now recruiting for a Historic Machinery Technician to join the team based at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester on a full-time, fixed term contract until March 2026.
We will be hosting a virtual Q&A session which will give you the chance to learn more about the role and anonymously ask questions. This will be held on Thursday 13th June at 13:00 - 13:45 via this link.
About the role
As a Historic Machinery Technician, you will ensure our galleries and exhibitions are safe and working by inspecting and testing our galleries and displays before the museum opens, making any necessary repairs for the day ahead. Once the museum opens, you will maintain the unique collection of working textiles and industrial heritage machinery. This will also include collaborating with the Learning team to demonstrate our historic machinery.
You will also work on the £20million refurbishment of our Power Hall, teaming up with the Collections Care team and expert contractors to bring our unique collection of industrial heritage machinery back to operation.
You will consistently follow museum policies and procedures and contribute your technical expertise to the development of new procedures, galleries and exhibitions - providing both hands-on support and supervision.
About you
Joining us you will have experience as a time-served apprentice in a relevant field or have equivalent experience (or a qualification) in a relevant mechanical engineering or technical role. You will have experience of accurately measuring industrial machinery parts and a good knowledge of relevant health and safety regulations, including PUWER.
Crucially, you will be a good communicator with the ability to confidently work with a wide range of people at all levels, including external stakeholders, subject specialists and the public. You will have good attention to detail and the motivation to uphold the high standards of presentation, performance and health and safety practice.
Applying
View the Vacancy Information Pack listed under 'Attachments' on the vacancy listing on our website for more details about the role and the application process, or click 'Apply Online' to submit an application.
Don't feel you meet all of the criteria? At SMG, we are committed to building a workforce that is open for all, and welcome you to apply, even if your experience doesn't fit perfectly. With your transferable skills, you could be the right candidate for this, or other opportunities that we have.
What we offer
Joining us as an employee, you will have the opportunity to develop your career in a world-class museum group. We understand that work/life balance and wellbeing is crucial to our colleagues, so we offer the perks listed below, as well as support for things that happen in life such as parental and adoption leave, sickness, and career breaks.
- Support with personal and professional development
- 27 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
- Employee assistance programme
- Enhanced contributory pension
- Unmind App and other wellbeing support
- Interest-free loans
- Days Out discounts
Open for All is one of the Science Museum Group's five core values and sets out our important aspiration to be a place for everyone. We are working hard to understand our organisation better and to foster a culture that recognises and values different backgrounds, mindsets, skills, experience, knowledge, and expertise. By having greater diversity, we believe that we will be a stronger and better organisation, capable to continue to Inspire Futures.
