Costume and Textile Mounting Specialist, Hcc

The Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC), an institution under the National Heritage Board (NHB), plays a leading role in heritage conservation and collection management in Singapore. It is the repository and conservation facility for the management and preservation of Singapore’s National collection under the custody of NHB. HCC supports more than 10 museums and heritage institutions under the umbrella of NHB. Its conservation services are constituted by a team of conservators that includes conservators of paintings, objects, paper, têxtiles, alongside conservation scientists.

**Job Purpose**

Working in close collaboration with the other members of the Textile conservation section, the mounting specialist will perform work with various level of complexity related to the mounting and installation of costume and têxtiles for fashion and/or têxtile related exhibitions, museum opening, revamp and outgoing loans organised by various museums under NHB. Reporting to the Textile Conservator, you will be an integral part of the HCC Conservation Services team and support the HCC’s mission to manage, care for and facilitate access to the National Collection in Singapore.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Caring for the costume and têxtile collections from the National Collection in accordance with HCC’s conservation principles
- Developing and fabricating mounts and equipment for costume and têxtile display, photography and safeguarding of the National Collection in storage, taking into account sustainability and preventive conservation aspects

**Other duties include**:
**_Collection display, access and long-term collection care _**:

- Documenting and tracking costume/têxtile mounting progress within the têxtile conservation section, and working closely with the liaison conservator for an exhibition
- Serving as the liaison for the Textile conservation section for costume/fashion related exhibitions and managing the project timelines and completion of the projects
- Providing supervision and managing external seamstresses for quality control
- Supervising safety of artefacts in the presence of outside contractors
- Coordinating relevant artefact movement within HCC and with Collecting Institutions under NHB and providing advice on safe handling, transport and installation
- At the discretion of the conservator(s), perform routine maintenance on artefacts displayed in the galleries
- Working closely with Collection Management colleagues for the long-term care and preservation of the NCs in storage through new acquisition condition assessment, storage improvement projects and collection survey

**_Research and Dissemination _**:

- Undertaking study or research projects on costume and têxtile mounting technique and safe materials including publication and representing HCC by presenting work done
- Professional development and advocacy
- Provide relevant training on costume mounting on the job to subordinates and others within NHB and other fellow colleagues outside NHB
- Promoting têxtile and costume mounting through Management & Operations Group (MOG) colleagues’ outreach opportunities and/or museum’s media focused activities as required

**_General Support _**:

- Managing the mannequin and mounting materials inventory
- Assisting in procurement of conservation and mounting materials
- Any ad hoc duties assigned

**Requirements**:

- Good working knowledge of materials and techniques with demonstrable and proven experience in the field of historic and contemporary costume & têxtile conservation and mounting
- Good practical skills of pattern-cutting, toile-making, knowledge of historical costume and modern garment silhouettes would be a great advantage
- Minimum of three years’ experience in the handling and care of artwork in a museum, gallery, fine art moving company, or professional art studio required; experience with mannequins and/or 3D modelling & printing preferred
- Have extensive art handling skills, manual dexterity, and ability to lift and move art with extreme care
- Strong interpersonal skills and positive work ethic, excellent organisational and communication skills and problem-solving ability
- Enjoy working in a fast-paced environment
- Good team player who possesses a dynamic and flexible approach to working collaboratively in the cross-disciplinary team environment
- Good report writing and IT skills and time management skills
- Passion for conservation and be keen to communicate this to our audience, both verbally and written
- *All applicants will be notified whether they are shortlisted within 4 weeks of the closing date of this job posting._