Ansøgningsfrist: 18-04-2022
The Natural History Museum of Denmark (NHMD), part of the Faculty of Science at Copenhagen University, is looking for an Interpretation Editorial Manager, to start 1 June 2022 or as soon as possible hereafter.
About Us
Natural history museums have never been more important. Our planet is shared by millions of living species. But now a single one among them, humans, holds the power of changing life on Earth. Solutions to grand challenges for humanity and the planet alike are only possible by way of local action, global collaboration, and by sharing knowledge and resources.
The vision of the Natural History Museum of Denmark is to empower citizens to connect with nature. We want to inspire, engage, and enable people to enjoy, understand, and care for the diversity of the natural world. In the coming years, we will be building a new Danish national museum for the natural world. One big museum complex in the Botanical Garden in the centre of Copenhagen to host state-of-the-art laboratories, outstanding research collections, new public galleries, and combined facilities for teaching and science citizenship. Over the next five years the museum will change the way people think about and use natural history museums. We will be building up an exciting temporary exhibition and events program to achieve this.
About the job
NHMD is undergoing major redevelopment and we are looking for a talented, creative Interpretation Editorial Manager to provide a dedicated editorial facility for exhibition interpretation, and other educational and interpretive media including labels and interactives. The position will report to the Head of Exhibitions & Interpretation and be part of a dedicated team, participating in multiple changing exhibition and new museum installation project teams, working closely with the Exhibition and Interpretation Managers. This position will work closely with Curatorial and Collections, Design and Digital, and Communication whilst also working closely with external design firms. The position holder will be responsible for managing copy editors and translators and will lead on managing the editorial writing and production process of all text, including digital, for exhibitions in the new museum.
We are searching for someone driven by the pursuit of the big idea, writing for different audiences, and a knack for telling a good story. The Interpretation Editorial Manager must have experience writing and/or editing in a creative field and experience in science communication. This individual should have a superb understanding of interpretive and visual design communication best practices, and a track record of writing for different voices, tone, and audiences. They need to have experience, and a good understanding, of the entire text production process from outline concept establishing tone and style, to working with authors to shape content, to working with graphic designers and printers. A successful candidate is a graceful communicator, creative problem solver, and tactful diplomat that cultivates trust and engages the active support of constituents in a dynamic organization.
Key responsibilities:
- Be responsible for the evolving house style guide and manual for use by all exhibition and interpretation publishing across multiple platforms including print and digital media
- Be overall responsible for delivery of a high quality, consistent, and appropriate tone and style across all gallery and exhibition text
- Be responsible for interpretation editing of all labels and related educational and interpretive media for temporary exhibitions and permanent galleries
- Lead on interpretation authoring process, production of labels, and related educational and interpretive media content for new permanent galleries in development, including managing translators and copy editors
- Ensure the strategic development of structured text hierarchies and associated appropriate style, tone and content for specific interpretive installations, exhibitions, and overall, for the new museum project
- Oversee production of labels and related educational and interpretive media for special exhibitions, including layouts, typesetting, and printing, ensuring adherence to deadlines and budget requirements
- Coordinate all content delivery phasing including interpretation editing, copy editing, and translation requirements for new permanent galleries, including liaising across all content teams and with the exhibition experience designers, Tinker Imagineers
- Prepare, rewrite, proof-read, and edit curatorial and interpretive copy as needed
- Establish productive working relationships with colleagues across the museum and community partners; sustain and strengthen a culture of trust, communication entrepreneurship, teamwork and integrity; develop a strong working relationship with the public programming, curatorial, digital and design, and communication teams
- Manage multiple timelines and content delivery schedules across different projects and from different authors, simultaneously
- Ensure suitability for different audiences through accessible voice and, design, and application of visitor research
- Embody an in-depth understanding of NHMD’s interpretive philosophy for exhibition projects.
You will work with a team developing and delivering high quality exhibitions and visitor experiences across multiple sites and platforms. This work will be a key contributor to ensuring a world-class NHMD’s visitor experience that increases and deepens visitor experiences year on year.
About you
As a person you have positive mindset, are open towards changes and understand that collaboration is a key to success. Your work capacity is high and you are able to balance strategic development with day-to-day business that requires hands-on action and delivery on time and to budget. Copenhagen University is an international institution, and you will be expected to be able to work and write fluently in English as well as Danish.
The Interpretation Editorial Manager is expected to share and develop the ambition to inspire citizens of all ages to understand and appreciate the past, present, and future of the natural world.
Your qualifications
- Highly successful proven relevant experience.
- A Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years’ experience writing and/or editing in a creative or educational field.
- A superb understanding of interpretive and visual design communication best practices.
- A proven track record of writing for different voices, tones, and audiences.
- A demonstrable understanding of the field and challenges of science communication.
- Excellent organisational and project management skills.
- Work and write fluently in English as well as Danish.
You will work with curators, scientific researchers, educators, artists and designers, and our visitors to deliver clear high quality visitor experience that is unique, engagement and reflects the core values of NHM Denmark.
Terms of employment
Terms of conditions and payment are set in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the Danish Ministry of Finance.
Employment will be as academic officer. The salary is based on seniority. Negotiation for salary supplement is possible. The working time are 37 hours per week on average. The working hours are flexible.
Your application
If you find the job interesting, please send an electronic application with attachment via Jobportalen (click on the link “Apply Now” at the bottom of the post).
Please include
- Cover Letter, stating your motivation and background for applying
- CV
- Diploma and transcripts of records
Applications should be completed in English as the post holder will be expected to communicate with international design teams and should therefore be able to work and write fluently in English as well as Danish.
Deadline for applications is 18 April 2022. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
The university wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
For further questions
Please contact Kerill Winters, Head of Exhibitions & Interpretation, kerill.winters@snm.ku.dk
The Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen – or SCIENCE – is Denmark’s largest science research and education institution with 4,000 employees and 9,700 Bachelor and Master’s students in 12 departments. The Faculty has an annual budget of DKK 3 billion.
Learn more about The Faculty of Science at www.science.ku.dk
Engaging citizens to participate, and empowering them to take action in their everyday lives is to redefine the role of natural history museums in society to work actively for a sustainable future through scientific reasoning and evidence-based thinking. The Natural History Museum of Denmark offers an abundance of questions and answers. As the national museum of natural history with historic collections, excellent research and a botanical garden, we invite everyone on a journey to explore the wonders of science and nature.
The Museum is Denmark’s main public venue for communicating natural history and scientific knowledge, and has the opportunity and obligation to inspire and shape lasting interest in the natural sciences. Around 40,000 students from primary to upper-secondary school participate every year in educational programmes, either at the Museum or by using online resources. The Botanical Garden has about 1 million annual visitors and about 130,000 people a year currently visit the exhibitions at the Geological and Zoological Museums.
Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.