Merchandising Assistant
| Posting date: | 06 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £27,000 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 20 February 2026 |
| Location: | London, London, SW7 2DD |
| Company: | Science Museum Group |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | SMG03419_1770388969 |
Summary
Are you looking to start your career in merchandising and build practical experience in a fast-moving retail environment at a national museum?
About us
The Science Museum Group (SMG) manage five National museums each with shops and online stores, with an annual turnover in excess of £5million. SMG stock a wide range of product categories including toys, clothing, apparel and food.
The Merchandising team at SMG help to ensure the products we sell are relevant, engaging and profitable, and ensure our retail spaces are appropriately stocked with the items our visitors want.
To support our merchandising team, we are looking for a Merchandising Assistant to join our Retail department on a permanent basis. This is a full-time opportunity for 35 hours a week, based at the Science Museum, London.
About the role
As Merchandising Assistant, you'll play a vital role at the heart of our retail operation, acting as the first point of contact for the Merchandising team, helping to keep our museum shops fully stocked and performing against sales targets in a high-volume administrative setting.
You'll maintain administrative systems and processes that support our merchandising activity. As a key contact for enquiries, you'll also support the EPoS system and work closely with colleagues across the retail department to resolve issues efficiently and communicate sales information clearly.
You will also support with maintaining spreadsheets for monitoring data, and generally ensuring the team runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. This will also include raising purchase orders and processing invoice requests, working alongside the finance team to complete these tasks.
We offer a hybrid working pattern, with a minimum of two days onsite.
Download the Vacancy Information Pack file under 'Attachments' on this vacancy listing on the Science Museum Group website for more details about the role and the application process.
About you
We accept administration experience gained in different ways; top priorities are delivering high-quality customer service, paying careful attention to detail, and keeping tasks well organized.
Having previously supported a busy, varied team; you will be well organised, have good IT skills particularly Excel, and collaborate effectively with colleagues. Open-minded and attentive, you engage well with diverse colleagues and find satisfaction in working together.
This is a great opportunity for someone looking for an entry level position in a Merchandising team and looking to take on more to progress their career and personal development.
Not sure if you meet all the criteria? We welcome you to apply even if your experience doesn't match directly. With your transferable skills, you could be the right candidate for this, or other opportunities that we have.
Applying
View the Vacancy Information Pack listed under 'Attachments' on the vacancy listing on our website for more details about the role and the application process or click 'Apply Online' to submit an application.
What we offer
Working with a world-leading museum group that offers access to truly unique environments and collections, you'll benefit from the perks listed below, as well as full support for life events such as parental and adoption leave, sickness, and career breaks.
- Meaningful work. We're a mission-led organisation where the work you do supports us in Inspiring Futures.
- Career growth. We offer enhanced support with personal and professional development.
- Work/life balance. We offer 27 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, along with flexible policies which support you and your home life.
- Health & Dental Insurance. Extra peace of mind, from day one.
- All our colleagues can access an employee assistance programme, access to the Unmind app, and other wellbeing support.
- Colleague networks. Our colleague-led networks are an informal forum for colleagues to come together to discuss topics of shared interest and lived experience. They create a space for people to exchange ideas, discuss best practice, socialise and build a sense of community.
- Enhanced contributory pension. To support you in saving for the future.
- Interest-free loans. When you need a little extra cash for life events or home improvements.
- Great discounts. Free entry to exhibitions, discounts in our shops, cafes, and access to other museums in the NMDC network.
Open for All is one of the Science Museum Group's five core values and sets out our important aspiration to be a place for everyone. We are working hard to understand our organisation better and to develop a culture that recognises and values different backgrounds, mindsets, skills, experience, knowledge, and expertise. By having greater diversity, we believe that we will be a stronger and better organisation, capable to continue to Inspire Futures.