Job Description

Writer/Editor, English – permanent, 0.8 FTE

Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand

Te Papa is a world-leading, cross-disciplinary museum based on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Our writers are the museum's storytellers, working primarily on exhibitions and related audience-facing experiences across media, both physical and digital. They help to identify powerful stories, give a voice to taonga, and create engaging and accessible text in English and te reo Māori.

We're hiring for two complementary positions:

• one with a focus on writing and editing
• one with a focus on copy-editing, proofing, and maintaining style standards.

Who we're looking for

You're experienced in writing and editing for museums, print or digital media, film, television, education, or similar fields. You're passionate about connecting with broad audiences through creative yet concise and accessible text, underpinned by sound scholarship from subject experts. You also actively support the revitalisation of te reo Māori.

You need to be:

• able to create exhibition text from scratch or from briefs, edit drafts from others, including community writers, adapt pre-existing content for other channels or audiences, and undertake research
• a team player, able to work alongside multiple collaborators, including te reo Māori writers and other Writing Team members, curators and community subject experts, experience developers, digital producers, etc
• confident in advocating for audiences and presenting your ideas in a group
• able to tailor writing for diverse audiences, including children, adults, and international visitors, and to adjust the tone depending on the brief
• willing to take creative risks
• comfortable writing on diverse topics in the arts, history and culture, and science
• able to write to strict word limits and tight deadlines
• proficient in Word-processing software and collaborative digital tools, and familiar with information databases.

It's an advantage if you also have:

• knowledge of te reo and tikanga Māori
• qualifications in writing or editing
• experience in publishing processes and content creation across channels, including digital media.

Writer role

Focuses mainly on writing and editing, especially for medium to large exhibitions. You'll have 5+ years' experience in a similar role. On this small team, you'll also contribute to copy-editing and proofing when required.  

Copy Editor role

Focuses mainly on copy-editing and proofing, and also includes writing for smaller exhibitions and other projects, and substantive editing. You'll have 3+ years' experience in a similar role. You'll maintain the museum's Style Guide and have a thorough knowledge of spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. 

Conditions and salary

These positions are permanent, 0.8 FTE (32 hours a week), with negotiable working days. You'll be based at Cable Street on the Wellington waterfront, with hybrid work options available.

The starting salaries for these positions will be $67,669–$80,357 with opportunity for progression through the band. Offers will be made within the range to reflect the skills and experience of the candidates.

Application details

Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain the legal right to work in New Zealand. Before Te Papa confirms any offer of employment, pre-employment checks will be undertaken, including criminal conviction history and reference checks as a minimum.

To apply:

• indicate which role you're applying for – Writer or Copy Editor
• view the position description and apply online

Applications close 5pm, Wednesday 6 August 2025.