Introduction to the Natural Science Museum of Barcelona Consortium

The Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (Natural Science Museum of Barcelona - MCNB) is an institution with over 140 years of history, which holds a natural heritage of more than three million specimens and 25,000 documents in the realms of mineralogy, petrology, palaeontology, zoology and botany. Its history begins with the legacy of the collections belonging to the naturalist Francesc Martorell i Peña and to the city, which formed the basis of what was to be the first public museum in Barcelona, in the then recently-opened Parc de la Ciutadella.

The Museum is divided into three sites in strategic locations in the city: the Museu de Martorell and Castell dels Tres Dragons, in the Parc de la Ciutadella; the Jardí Botànic de Barcelona (Barcelona Botanical Garden) and the Jardí Botànic Històric (Historical Botanical Garden), in the Parc de Montjuïc, and the Museum in the Parc del Fòrum, the latter intended primarily for activities, workshops, talks, a media centre and so on.
The mission of the Natural Science Museum of Barcelona is to generate and share knowledge of the diversity and evolution of the natural world with the aim of helping to conserve it and create a society that is better informed, more closely connected and more responsible where nature is concerned. It does this by safeguarding collections that are tangible evidence of Catalonia’s natural heritage, by researching its biological and geological diversity and by creating experiences that encourage exploration, learning, appreciation, enjoyment, dialogue and participation among the widest possible audience.

The Museum sees inclusion as an all-embracing concept that includes both physical and social dimensions, for which reason it shows its commitment by running a series of programmes inspired by the values of fairness, accessibility and proximity, as the democratic expression of a public project that reaches out to everyone and contributes to social change by combating exclusion.

Since 2012 the Natural Science Museum of Barcelona has been managed by a Consortium, a public body of an associative, voluntary nature, made up of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government) through the department responsible for culture and Barcelona City Council, and forms part of Barcelona City Council. The authorities take responsibility for providing the resources necessary to assure the operation of the Museum.

Museum management has the following functions:

• To direct the administration and execution of the decisions taken by the governing bodies of the Consortium.
• Run the Consortium on a technical level.
• Roll out and strategically plan the organisational structure, as proposed by the Manager's Office.
• Set the strategic lines to achieve the institutional goals and assess their degree of accomplishment.
• Give technical advice to the other organs of the Consortium.
• Set up and run the Consortium's strategic projects.
• Suggest and validate general themes of exhibitions and activities.
• Draw up the Consortium's Programme Contract.
• Seek new resources.
• Establish relations with the governing bodies and other administrations.
• Coordinate relations between the Consortium and the Institut Botànic (Botanical Institute).
• Represent the Consortium at seminars, conferences, exhibitions and so on, both locally and internationally.
• To maintain strategic relations with other significant administrations and figures in the public and private environment who could favour and enhance the services provided.
• Attend and take part in meetings with the General Council and the Delegate Commission.
• Comply with and ensure the application of occupational risk prevention regulations, in accordance with the responsibilities arising from the current legal framework and from the internal rules of the Consortium.
• Assure the protection of personal data and act in accordance with criteria of ethics and transparency.
• Ensure health and safety in their place of work, making proper use of equipment related to its activities, in accordance with established procedures and current regulations in the field of occupational risk prevention.
• And, in general, any others of a similar nature that may be assigned to them.

Entry qualification:

• Bachelor's degree in a science-related subject

Other requirements for applicants:

• Knowledge of one of the two official languages of Catalonia to a sufficient level to ensure proper performance of the position's responsibilities is required, and it is asked that within a year they acquire sufficient skill in the other official language; the latter must be duly accredited. A high level of English is also required.
• At least 5 years of experience in management and/or senior positions in museums and/or other centres handling natural history.
• Postgraduate university training in any subject related to science, museum studies, teaching or natural history management
• Spanish nationality or that of an EU member state is a requirement. In other cases, appointment will be conditional on obtaining legal residence in Spain.
• It is a requirement not to have been removed from the service of any public administration as a result of a disciplinary process, or to be disqualified in any way by court decision from holding public posts or positions. In the case of non-Spanish nationals, they must not be disqualified (or in any equivalent situation) or have been subject to a disciplinary sanction (or equivalent) that in their home state prevents access to public employment on the same terms.

For further information on the museum and the requirements for this position, please visit the website.