Research Scientist - Dyes and Textiles
The contract is full time for a fixed term, and the annual salary is £36,396. The employer, British Museum, is a Non-Departmental Public Body, which means it is part of central government accountable to the public through Parliament. You will work both remotely and at British Museum. The on-location is in Greater London.
Closing date 03-06-2026
About the job
This is an exciting opportunity to join the British Museum as a Research Scientist, contributing to DYE‑a‑LOG, a major ERC‑funded project re‑examining the global history of early synthetic dyes. You will lead the scientific analysis of historic textiles from South and Southeast Asia and Latin America, using state‑of‑the‑art LC‑MS techniques to uncover how synthetic dyes transformed textile production, trade and colour cultures in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Working within the Museum’s world‑class Department of Scientific Research, you will collaborate closely with curators, historians and international partners, and play a key role in building a ground‑breaking open‑access molecular database of early synthetic dyes that will reshape research in heritage science and textile history.
About you
We are looking for a motivated researcher with a PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science or a related field, and experience analysing organic materials - ideally dyes - using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. You are confident working with complex datasets, enjoy interdisciplinary collaboration, and are keen to see scientific research inform wider historical and cultural understanding.
You communicate clearly, work well in international research teams, and are enthusiastic about producing high‑quality publications while engaging audiences beyond academia. You are particularly drawn to research that connects science with global histories, sustainability and decolonisation.
Key areas of responsibility
- Perform advanced dye analysis of historic textiles using LC‑MS and complementary analytical techniques, and interpret results in collaboration with curators and researchers
- Analyse dye reference materials and contribute to the development of an open‑access molecular database of early synthetic dyes
- Optimise and develop analytical protocols for identifying natural and synthetic dyes in historical textiles
- Produce high‑quality research outputs, including peer‑reviewed publications, conference presentations and public‑facing content
- Contribute to the installation, use and good practice of cutting‑edge analytical facilities within the Department of Scientific Research
- Work collaboratively across museum departments and international partner institutions, supporting workshops, symposia and project reporting
The British Museum is undertaking its biggest transformation since its founding nearly 300 years ago. This physical and intellectual transformation includes large scale building and gallery transformation, new ways of connecting with audiences and different ways of working. As we look towards this exciting future, we remain guided by the words of our founder Hans Sloane - who dreamed of a museum connecting all arts and sciences, which would be accessible to everyone, everywhere.