Swedish Museum of Natural History https://www.nrm.se/
The Swedish Museum of Natural History is pleased to announce an open, permanent position for the Assistant Head of the Department of Zoology.
Apply at https://recruit.visma.com/spa/sv/public/apply?guidAssignment=ffcb51cd-a057-4f97-b6ea-96967fcccd82&description=True (in Swedish) by 31 March 2025.
About the museum
The Swedish Museum of Natural History is the largest museum in Sweden and a leading research institution, with collections dating back to the time of Linnaeus. Our collections currently house more than 11 million specimens, approximately half of which belong to the Department of Zoology. For more information, please visit: Swedish Museum of Natural History.
About the position
As Assistant Head of the Department, you will play a key role in the scientific collection management team, taking on leadership responsibilities alongside and on behalf of the Head of Department. Your duties will include overseeing personnel, managing budgets, ensuring a positive work environment, and planning, leading, and monitoring the department’s work in alignment with the Museum’s mission, vision, strategic plan, and goals.
We are looking for someone who serves as a natural role model and an inspiration to colleagues. Your tasks will involve recruiting, onboarding, training, evaluating, and supporting the development of staff, as well as resolving conflicts when necessary.
In addition to the leadership duties, you will contribute to the curation and enrichment of our scientific collections. This includes coordinating guest researcher services, managing loan correspondence, and overseeing the reception of donations.
If you have a background in research, there is also the opportunity to dedicate time to your own research projects.
Formal qualifications
Required
- PhD in Systematic Zoology (or equivalent)
- Managerial or leadership experience (or equivalent)
- Strong expertise and knowledge in scientific collection management at a natural history museum
- A good understanding of recent developments in zoological research and the importance of natural history collections
- Documented scientific output in zoological taxonomy, morphology, and systematics
- Proficiency in a Scandinavian language, both spoken and written. If it is not your native language, a commitment to learning Swedish quickly is expected.
Desirable
- Experience in organizational development and management, including budget oversight
- Experience in decision-making processes involving both staff and executives (samverkan)
- Practical knowledge of public activities and outreach
- Formal training in managerial roles and leadership
- Familiarity with biological research, scientific natural history collections, and their societal relevance
- Experience leading teams and projects in scientific research and collection management
- Familiarity with systematic work environment management
- Understanding of the Swedish governmental organizational structure
Personal qualifications
We are seeking a structured individual who is adept at planning, organizing, and prioritizing tasks—both personally and for your team. You should have strong collaborative skills, capable of building and maintaining positive working relationships, recognizing colleagues’ strengths, and sharing your own expertise to foster a productive team dynamic. You must be self-reliant, confident in delegating tasks, and follow through on responsibilities. Additionally, you should communicate clearly and respectfully, making difficult decisions when needed, and be open to giving and receiving constructive feedback.