Community Management TheMuseumsLab (f/m/div)

Our Mission: Discovering and describing life and earth - with people, through dialogue.

The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN) is an excellent and integrated research museum of the Leibniz Association with an international reputation and globally networked research infrastructure. It is active in three closely interlinked fields: collection-based research, collection development and cataloguing, and research-based public and educational work. Over the next ten years, the Museum für Naturkunde will realise its plan for the future. New laboratories and jobs for cutting-edge research will be created. At the same time, one of the world's most comprehensive natural history collections with over 30 million objects will be housed in modern collection buildings and completely digitized in the process. The implementation of the Future Plan, funded with a total of 660 million euros from the Federal Government and the State of Berlin, will only succeed with strong interdisciplinary national and international partners.

Become part of our team as a 

Community Management TheMuseumsLab (f/m/div)

Work schedule: Full time (39 h 24 min per week), duration: as soon as possible until 31.12.2026, salary level: E 11 TV-L, code: 12/2024

Project description:

TheMuseumsLab is a collaborative project designed to offer African and European museum professionals a platform for continuous joint learning, unlearning, networking, career development and perspective exchange on the future of museums in both Africa and Europe. Its primary objective is to facilitate connections that bridge individuals, institutions, and nations across two continents, fostering engaged discussions on how museums can confront their colonial past, meet the present societal, global challenges and work together to actively shape a more equitable future.

The thematic focus of TheMuseumsLab encompasses critical areas such as digitization, provenance research, decolonization, and the presence of objects from colonial contexts in European museums. Moreover, the programme aims at sparking a joint reflection on a new ethical framework for international cooperation. 

The thematic focus of TheMuseumsLab encompasses critical areas such as digitization, provenance research, decolonization, and the presence of objects from colonial contexts in European museums. Moreover, the programme aims at sparking a joint reflection on a new ethical framework for international cooperation. 

TheMuseumsLab comprises three Modules, taking place online and on-site in Africa and Europe. Furthermore, each Fellow participates in a one-week Residency in Africa or Europe in one of the institutions from TheMuseumsLab Partner Museum Network.

Responsibilities:

• Coordination of the annual TheMuseumsLab Fellow cohort.
• Support of the growing Alumni Network.
• Assisting in the facilitation and management of Alumni projects.
• Serving as a primary point of contact throughout the programme year and beyond.
• Offering close support and guidance to Fellows during the Modules.
• Maintaining the Fellows platform/website.
• Developing supportive materials, such as booklets.
• Facilitating Residencies for Fellows at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

Requirements:

• degree in museum studies, heritage studies, curatorial studies, event management, communication sciences, cultural studies, or equivalent
• Special expertise in the planning, implementation and follow-up of digital, hybrid and onsite events
• Professional experience in communication and commissioning external service providers
• Professional experience with tendering processes and award procedures as well as administrative processes in the public sector
• Professional experience in project management and coordination
• Professional experience in collaborative international projects and events
• Knowledge of the African and European museum landscape
• Experience in fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences
• Fluent in both English and German (both orally and in writing)
• Confident handling of MS Office and different video conferencing services
• Sensitive and confident handling of conflict and stress situations
• Motivated, diligent, and independent approach to work
• Enthusiasm for collaborative teamwork
• Distinct Diversity competence

Special notes:

To ensure equal opportunities, applications from qualified women are particularly welcome. Severely disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given preference.

Museum für Naturkunde Berlin offers the option of flexible working hours and mobile working by arrangement.

We look forward to receiving your application with the usual documents (cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates) by 03.05.2024, preferably via our online application portal: https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en/jobs-and-career/jobs

For information on the application procedure, please contact [email protected] .

Further informations:

Privacy Policy:

By sending your application, you provide us with your information for the purpose of processing your application by the Museum für Naturkunde. Your data will be kept strictly confidential at all times. Once we have received your application documents, they will be entered into our database. Your data will be stored on our server. In doing so, we observe the provisions of the data protection laws.

Information about the handling of applicant data at the MfN ( in German) and Privacy policy for the MfN website (in German)

Family Policy:

The Museum für Naturkunde has set itself the goal of promoting a work-life balance and has been awarded the certificate berufundfamilie audit of berufundfamilie gGmbH - an initiative of the Hertie Foundation.

Further information can be found under: https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en/uber-uns/jobs-und-karriere/arbeiten-am-museum-fur-naturkunde/reconciling-work-and-family-life-audit