Maritime Archaeologist

1 week ago


Darling Harbour, Australia Australian National Maritime Museum Full time

Part-time, Non-Ongoing, APS 6 position
- Attractive employee benefits including 15.4% superannuation
- Australia’s leading museum located waterside in beautiful Darling Harbour

The Australian National Maritime Museum is seeking a highly experienced Maritime Archaeologist to join our Knowledge team in this non-ongoing APS Level 6 position. This opportunity is initially part-time for 3 months with the view to move to full-time during the course of the project.

As one of Sydney’s most visited museums, the Australian National Maritime Museum shares our national maritime story across Australia and the world, online, onsite and through research, presentations and travelling exhibitions, and provides must-visit museum experiences that delight and inspire.

We connect our visitors with the oceans and waterways that are the heartbeat of who we are. From deep time to modern Australian and beyond, we explore our past, our present and future as an island nation shaped by sea, offering a sustainable and cohesive vision for the future.

The Museum welcomes over 2.5 million local, interstate and international visitors annually, and is supported by a thriving and passionate staff, membership, volunteer and education base. Find out more at sea.museum.

The Maritime Archaeologist plays a key role in supporting a major capital expenditure project including the acquisition, reconstruction, interpretation and display of an archaeologically excavated vessel. This is envisaged to be a three-year project resulting in the eventual display of the reconstructed boat at the museum in August 2027.

As such the Maritime Archaeologist will be part of a core team that will include the Manager Vessel Reconstruction Project; the project designer and team members from Conservation, Registration, Preparators, Digital, Education and Media.

Ideally this person will be an experienced maritime archaeologist with significant project management skills, extensive demonstrated experience with the excavated vessels and subsequent conservation, a demonstrated experience in working with RHINO and ARTEC archaeological datasets and a sound knowledge of archaeological boat reconstruction.

Under limited direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:

- Support the Manager Vessel Reconstruction Project in the development of a comprehensive Reconstruction Project Design which will include
- A review of archaeological and historical records, photographic documentation, site plans and contexts sheets along with Artec generated annotated scans, and Rhino generated 3D drawings associated with the boat excavation, recovery and conservation.
- A literary review of similar archaeological ships and boat projects overseas.
- An assessment of current overseas best practise in archaeological boat reconstruction with an emphasis on structural supports and mitigation of timber creep.
- An assessment of the practicalities (SWOT analysis) of reconstructing the Barangaroo Boat ‘as found’ or ‘as built’.
- A detailed project budget and
- A detailed project schedule / timeline.
- Support the Manager Vessel Reconstruction Project in the formation of an international panel of specialists to advise the project team on the reconstruction, interpretation and display of the vessel.
- Support the Manager Vessel Reconstruction Project in the assessing, cataloguing and storage of the boat timbers at the museum.
- Interpret the archaeological excavation data, along with data obtained from structured light scanning of the timbers to develop a virtual reconstruction of the boat along with 3d printed concepts of the boat.
- Support the Manager Vessel Reconstruction Project in the physical reconstruction of the boat.
- Research, prepare, present and publish archaeological and historical information related to the project.
- Assist in the development of educational programs related to the project.
- Assist in the museum’s maritime archaeological program when required.

**Selection Criteria**
- Demonstrated and extensive experience in the management of maritime archaeological and archaeological conservation projects.
- Demonstrated experience in project record management and documentation.
- Demonstrated familiarity with national and international archaeological ship and boat reconstruction projects.
- Proven experience in working with multidisciplinary teams to achieve set objective within established time and financial constraints.
- Demonstrated experience in the publication and presentation of archaeological information to a wide audience

**Qualifications and/or relevant experience required**

**Mandatory**
- Postgraduate degree in archaeology or maritime archaeology.

**Desirable**
- Experience with archaeologically excavated vessels such as the ‘Barangaroo Boat’.
- Familiarity with working within a museum environment.
- Familiarity with working with architects and / or exhibition designers.
- Familiarity with working with Gallery Sy



  • Darling Harbour, Australia Australian National Maritime Museum Full time

    Part-time, Non-Ongoing, APS 6 position - Attractive employee benefits including 15.4% superannuation - Australia’s leading museum located waterside in beautiful Darling Harbour The Australian National Maritime Museum is seeking a highly experienced Maritime Archaeologist to join our Knowledge team in this non-ongoing APS Level 6 position. **This...


  • Darling Harbour, Australia Australian National Maritime Museum Full time

    Part-time, Non-Ongoing, APS 6 position - Attractive employee benefits including 15.4% superannuation - Australia’s leading museum located waterside in beautiful Darling Harbour The Australian National Maritime Museum is seeking a highly experienced Maritime Archaeologist to join our Knowledge team in this non-ongoing APS Level 6 position. This opportunity...