National Maritime Museum (DSM), Bremerhaven

The German Maritime Museum – Leibniz Institute for Maritime History (DSM) is one of eight research museums belonging to the Leibniz Association. Its exhibition and research programme focuses on the study of maritime technologies and the relationship between humans and the sea. With around 100 employees and trainees and approximately 8,000 square metres of exhibition space, it is one of the largest maritime museums in Europe.

In the "Documentation and Provenance" department, two positions are available, preferably starting on 1 January 2026 Research assistant (f/m/d) (TV-L- 13, up to 100% depending on previous qualifications, initially limited to 2 years until 31 December 2027, with the possibility of extension and, if applicable, subsequent conversion to a permanent position). The department is part of the DSM's collection research focused Programme Area II "Ships as Knowledge Repositories".

With this newly established department, the DSM aims to enable a diverse, participatory and lively generation and networking of knowledge and to highlight both existing gaps in knowledge and new connections. The aim is to arrive at new perspectives for collection research by incorporating current debates on power relations and visibility in data infrastructures as well as ethically responsible data use and networking.

Research associate Provenance and collection research in a maritime context

Tasks

• Systematic research into the provenance of the DSM collection and verification of cultural assets confiscated as a result of Nazi persecution and acquisitions in colonial contexts
• Initiation and supervision of cross-collection collaborations between the DSM and other maritime (and related) museums
• Scientific documentation of results in the collection database and other suitable repositories
• Co-development of provenance-critical and discrimination-sensitive indexing and revision of existing (digital) documentation standards
• Clarification of rights in the context of digitisation and online publication of the collection
• Participation in working groups for the development of a maritime thesaurus
• Design and supervision of participatory digital cataloguing projects
• Collaboration in cross-institutional committees and working groups on provenance research

Profile:

• Completed academic degree (Master's/PhD) in history, art history, cultural studies, European ethnology, cultural anthropology or provenance research (or another subject relevant to the position)
• Experience in practical provenance research and other archival research is desirable
• Very good knowledge of sources, methods and networks in provenance research, as well as ethical and legal issues in the context of provenance and collection research
• Very good knowledge of the standards of digital provenance research and the debates surrounding its development, such as specific controlled vocabularies, cataloguing recommendations, etc.
• Very good knowledge of museum and archive-related IT applications; in-depth experience with collection management systems, especially BeeCollect, is an advantage
• Knowledge of licensing and open access
• Experience in museum work is also desirable, particularly with regard to handling collection objects and their documentation
• Openness to the application and development of new tools for provenance research
• We are looking for a person with strong communication skills who is interested in interdisciplinary collaboration in different teams
• Very good written and spoken German and English skills are required
• Willingness to travel on business
• The position can be filled as an academic qualification position (doctorate or postdoctoral qualification).

What we offer

• Flat hierarchies and short decision-making processes
• Flexible working hours and remote work options
• 30 days of annual leave
• Company pension scheme
• Employee benefits

Interested? Then we look forward to receiving your application!

Please send your digital application, quoting reference number 202510-B, to personal(at)dsm.museum by 31 October 2025 at the latest.

Please provide us with all documents (cover letter, CV, references, recommendations and other supporting documents, if applicable) in a single PDF file.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Dr Antje Schmidt (Head of Documentation and Provenance) at a.schmidt(at)dsm.museum .

Remuneration is based on the TV-L (collective agreement for civil servants) depending on your qualifications, up to a maximum of pay grade 13. In addition to the usual benefits, which are comparable to those in the public sector, we attach particular importance to the compatibility of work and family life. The position is generally suitable for part-time work and working from home.

The German Maritime Museum strives for gender equality and equal opportunities in all areas. We therefore welcome all qualified applications, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity. Applications from people with a migrant background are expressly welcome. Severely disabled applicants will be given priority if they have essentially the same professional and personal qualifications.