Museum Collections Officer – Forest Ecosystems and Wildlife

We’re looking for a Museum Collections Officer – Forest Ecosystems and Wildlife  who can  volunteer in a hybrid role both remotely (online) and in-country for a total of 12 months. IOF has long experience in forestry (which in Nepal is primarily community forestry for local use and biodiversity conservation), wildlife conservation and natural resource management. The museum offers hands-on learning through its unique collection. 

• This assignment seeks to preserve and enhance the collection and update its exhibits at the museum, IOF Hetauda Campus.
• To be considered for this role, you need a Bachelor’s degree in Forest Science, Zoology, Botany, Environmental Science, Museum Studies, or a related field, along with a relevant professional qualification and basic knowledge of herbarium management or biological specimen curation.
• As a volunteer, you will help organise and improve museum (forest ecosystem) documentation and specimen management, develop new ideas, and support funding proposals.

About the Partner Organisation 

The Institute of Forestry (IOF) was established in 1947 in Kathmandu as the Nepal Forestry Institute. In 1972, it became part of Tribhuvan University. IOF has three campuses: the Dean’s Office in Kathmandu, Hetauda Campus, and Pokhara Campus. The museum is located at the Hetauda Campus, . IOF aims to become a leading centre for forestry and natural resource management. IOFs main activities and programs include offering higher level technical education (PhD, MSc, and BSc) in Forestry (community forestry, biodiversity conservation), Wildlife conservation and Natural Resource Management (NRM) and conducting research, extension and dissemination activities in Forestry, Wildlife and NRM. Staff of IOF feel a strong need to preserve the collection and revitalise the exhibits as part of their commitment to the delivery of quality education. Therefore, an Australian volunteer with experience in museum work, herbarium management, and documentation  can effectively support IOF in bringing the Hetauda Museum collection up to modern standards and revitalising its exhibits to ensure its preservation and use in future education and research.

About the Australian Volunteers Program  

The Australian Volunteers Program is an Australian government-funded initiative. We support partner organisations across the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to achieve locally led change.  

Volunteers are supported throughout their volunteer journey. We actively support and encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to volunteer and aim to make the program as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have accessibility requirements, please contact us to discuss how we can support you to volunteer with us - inclusion@australianvolunteers.com. Learn more about our commitment to inclusion.