The Natural History Museum is a world-class visitor attraction and a leading science research centre. We use our unique collections and unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually.
We employ one of Europe's largest concentrations of earth and life scientists. We are home to one of the world’s most extensive collections of natural history specimens, an awe-inspiring resource of life on Earth, both past and present. We have a long-standing international reputation for excellence, innovation, and leadership in collections-informed science. We are experts in taxonomy, systematics and phylogenetics, biodiversity genomics, evolutionary biology, parasitology, ecology, palaeontology, mineralogy, planetary sciences, and bio/geodiversity informatics at the forefront of leading research. To support the realisation of our vision of a future where both people and the planet thrive, we focus our science on solutions from and for nature.
This is an exciting and critical time for the Natural History Museum as we seek to secure the future of the collections by embarking on a new era of exploration and discovery to unlock crucial data and deliver innovative solutions for nature. We’re expanding to a three-site operating system, where science (collections, research, laboratory facilities) is pursued across all sites. The new collections, science and digitisation centre, based at Thames Valley Science Park, and due to open in 2027, will complement the existing London and Tring sites and act as a gateway to the natural world, dedicated to expanding access to vital scientific information and developing novel analytical technologies to understand the changing natural diversity.
As part of this expansion, and to continue to strengthen our world-class research, we are seeking an internationally-recognised senior scientist to become Director of Research. The new Director will have the opportunity to shape a strong vision for collections-based research that aligns with the broader strategy of the Museum. They will also lead the Natural History Museum Research community and research themes, while also overseeing the programme of postgraduate education and training delivered through our Graduate Centre. As a member of the Executive Board and the Science Executive, the Director of Research will also contribute to the collective leadership of the Museum and ensure the integration of research across all its activities.
The successful candidate should demonstrate a strong track record of leadership, collaboration, and partnership building through interdisciplinary research, with high-quality outputs, impact, and a history of securing competitive research funding. They should also possess outstanding strategic and operational leadership skills, with proof of effectively managing and inspiring diverse teams and thriving in intricate, multi-stakeholder settings. They should share our dedication to nurturing an inclusive culture where all employees have the chance to succeed and advance in their careers.
An executive search exercise is being undertaken by Perrett Laver to assist the Selection Committee.
For further information, including a detailed job description and person specification, and details of how to apply, please visit https://plusportal.perrettlaver.com/ using reference number 7431GRA.
The closing date for applications is 09:00 BST on Tuesday 26th August.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
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