/ Maura Ellenberger
Open position: Collections Manager / Curator for the Herbaria Basel
The Herbaria Basel at the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel seeks a competent, experienced, and motivated Collection Manager / Curator for the herbarium of the Basel Botanical Society (acronym BASBG).
This collection is housed at the University since 1987, and since 2017 jointly curated with the University herbaria (BAS / RENZ), together the oldest active plant collection in Switzerland, founded in 1589. With 320k specimens (incl. many Types), BASBG is one of the largest privately-owned herbaria; it hosts an active digitalisation project, a flora project, and offers stimulating interaction with professional and amateur botanists.
The appointment is from 1 April 2021 or upon agreement, 30-40%, initially for one year, and can be extended upon mutual agreement.
Your position
• Organisation and execution of collection management: herbarium inventory and loan management; specimen preparation, determination, annotation and maintenance; maintenance of the Herbarium digital collection information system
• Supervision and coordination of technical staff and volunteers
• Contact person for relevant parties (Botanical Society, visitors, volunteers, etc.)
• Supporting fund-raising efforts
• Supporting teaching and research activities in the herbarium
Your profile
• Completed university training (at least Msc-level) in biological sciences
• Demonstrably broad experience working with herbarium specimens
• Experience with plant determination and broad knowledge of the central European and Mediterranean flora
• Knowledge of digital collection databases, including data standards, is preferred
• Motivating and competent leadership style and a high degree of independence
• Excellent communication skills (German is strongly preferred)
We offer you
An interesting position as Collections Manager / Curator, with many responsibilities for the care of an important plant collection, in collaboration with the Curator of the Herbaria, at the oldest active Swiss herbarium. A stimulating, collaborative and friendly working environment with close interactions with professional and amateur botanists, that allows for pursuing personal curatorial interests. An appointment at the University of Basel, which offers excellent personnel and salary regulations.
The duties of the Collections Manager can be combined with a lectureship plant identification starting spring 2022 (separate appointment). The lectureship encompasses planning and execution (with help of student assistants) of two practical bachelor-level courses in plant identification in German. Applicants are requested state their interest in this lectureship.
Application / Contact
Please send your complete application, including motivation letter, CV, and contact details of 2-3 persons that can provide references, as a single pdf to Ms. Maura Ellenberger (maura.ellenberger@unibas.ch). Evaluation of the applications starts March 1 and continues until the position is filled. For further information, please contact the Curator of the Herbaria Basel, Dr. Jurriaan de Vos (jurriaan.devos@unibas.ch).