Job ID: 308709

Consultant - Student/Young Professional in Restoration Works

UNESCO

Location: Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine

Apply by: 10 Jul 2026

Relevant Sectors

Administration, Management, Finance/Accounting, Procurement

OVERVIEW

The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation has resulted in the destruction of Ukraine's cultural infrastructure and critically undermined the institutional capacity of cultural institutions. More than 2,000 cultural infrastructure facilities (libraries, museums, theatres, cultural centres, art schools) have been damaged or destroyed.

As a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant on 6 June 2023, as well as the ongoing shelling of the city of Zaporizhzhia and the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, the staff of the Khortytsia National Reserve faced urgent challenges in safeguarding cultural heritage.

UNESCO provided immediate support to the Reserve following the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP in June 2023 by supplying conservation materials, financing emergency repairs to the facilities used for preserving rescued artefacts, supporting restoration training programmes, procuring essential equipment for the digitization of the collection, underwater research, and archaeological monitoring missions in affected areas.

Within the framework of the new UNESCO project, "Emergency Measures at Khortytsia National Reserve, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine", generously funded by the Government of Sweden, Activity 5 – Professional Training and Apprenticeships for Young Professionals – includes the recruitment of students to strengthen the Reserve's team and support its ongoing cultural heritage protection efforts, namely restoration and conservation works on rescued objects.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening conservation and restoration work on artefacts uncovered as a result of changes in the water level of the Dnipro River, as well as on items from the museum's permanent collection.

This work is essential for safeguarding cultural heritage, ensuring its long-term preservation, and maintaining its accessibility for future generations and research purposes.

ASSIGNMENTS

The assignment will help improve the efficiency of collection management while providing participants with practical experience and opportunities to learn from the Reserve's experts through hands-on work.

SCOPE OF WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Undertake tasks related to the conservation and restoration measures of museum collections, in accordance with the needs and instructions of the Reserve's staff.
Part-time, 26 weeks × 16 hours/week, 832 hours

CONTRACT DURATION

Duration: 26 weeks from the start date of the contract;

DELIVERABLES

Direct participation and acquisition of practical experience in the stabilization and preliminary conservation of archaeological objects under field conditions during hydroarchaeological investigations in the Dnipro River channel near Khortytsia Island and within the territory of the Velykyi Luh (the area of the former Kakhovka Dam);
Participation in the conservation and stabilization of a medieval monoxyl boat (dugout canoe) in the condition of "waterlogged archaeological wood," as well as other ancient wooden navigation vessels and artifacts whose underwater investigation and recovery are planned for the 2026 season;
Involvement of students in, and acquisition of skills related to, the restoration of 12 metal archaeological artifacts discovered in the Dnipro River during underwater archaeological research;
Carrying out work as part of the Restoration Department of the National Reserve "Khortytsia" to ensure proper preservation conditions for cultural heritage objects, specifically watercraft-related monuments and artifacts, in preparation for their relocation and evacuation under wartime conditions.
The selected Consultant is expected to submit regular progress report for UNESCO approval.