Cultural Heritage Inspector BQ-SE

https://www.caribbeanopus.com/job/cultural-heritage-inspector-bq-se-11020

As Cultural Heritage Inspector, you will bring specialist knowledge and additional capacity to the Culture Department (Statia Government) to support the development and preservation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage in line with the island’s cultural policy plan and the Culture Covenant CN.

You will proactively contribute to further cultural development, address social issues affecting the island’s cultural identity, and support promising initiatives and partnerships, laying a strong foundation for the future.

St. Eustatius actively collaborates with surrounding islands, other Dutch Caribbean territories, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and various knowledge partners, including UNESCO, the Knowledge Centre for Intangible Heritage Netherlands (KIEN), and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE).

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Inspect historical sites to assess required restoration and conservation work, including cost estimation and safety measures.
  • Monitor and report on maritime and underwater heritage, in collaboration with stakeholders and government entities.
  • Manage, lobby for, and facilitate the return of historical artefacts to the island, ensuring proper documentation.
  • Present project proposals to sustain tangible and intangible cultural heritage, aligned with UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) frameworks.
  • Provide guidance on inquiries and advise the Government and relevant stakeholders.
  • Conduct research using archives, heritage legislation, and conservation standards.
  • Stay updated on international heritage preservation standards.
  • Create heritage policies applicable to both Government and NGOs.
  • Collaborate with conservation and planning departments.
  • Offer advice to teams and stakeholders involved in conservation projects.
  • Advise the Government on funding opportunities for preserving historical elements.
  • Work with the Statian community and other stakeholders to preserve and promote the island’s history and cultural identity.
  • Conduct research on Statia’s history and culture to support public displays, community engagement, and awareness campaigns.
  • Assist the community with research projects and information requests.
  • Develop educational programmes and activities for primary and secondary schools.
  • Draft funding submissions for short- and long-term projects to ensure sustainability.
  • Deliver lectures and presentations on Statian culture.
  • Oversee the establishment and management of a National Archive/Heritage House.
  • Improve communication and digitisation of archives for community access.
  • Draft and reconstruct heritage sites using archival reports and historical data.
  • Meet regularly with local stakeholders to provide updates and consultation.
  • Offer guidance to landowners on heritage-related matters.
  • Ensure the preservation and conservation of heritage sites across the island.

Working Conditions

  • Temporary employment to replace absent staff.
  • Placement in salary scale 12, between gross $5,500.99 and $6,884.96 monthly (based on a 36-hour work week), as per the Statia Government salary table dated 4 December 2024. Placement within the scale depends on qualifications and experience.
  • Full-time 36-hour work week.
  • Holiday allowance of 8.33% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.33% of the annual income.
  • Inclusion in the pension fund.

For more details on employment conditions, visit: Statia Government website → Job Vacancies → Working in Statia

Job Requirements

  • HBO degree or higher (Bachelor’s or equivalent).
  • Minimum of five years’ research experience.
  • In-depth knowledge of relevant policies, legislation, and regulations (local and international).
  • Proficient in English and Dutch.
  • Familiarity with the island’s culture and history.
  • Understanding of UNESCO heritage frameworks (intangible and tangible), legislation, and cultural standards.
  • Skilled in methodologies and techniques for conducting heritage investigations.
  • Knowledge of international heritage treaties.

Required Skills and Competencies

  • Ability to adapt to Statia’s conditions and small-island context.
  • Proficient in management, administration, and archiving.
  • Strong networking and social skills.
  • Skilled in drafting project proposals and funding applications.
  • Able to manage buildings and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Apply

The selected candidate must provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) and undergo a medical evaluation for pension fund inclusion. An assessment and reference check may be part of the recruitment process. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 10 September 2025.

This vacancy is advertised internally and externally simultaneously. In the case of equal qualifications, preference will be given to internal candidates.

Interested in applying?

Please submit your application in writing no later than Wednesday 27 August 2025, to:

The Executive Council of the Government of Sint Eustatius

CFP: State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in the Era of Blue Economy and Incorporation into Maritime Spatial Planning

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/heritage/special_issues/A6HXIZBZUM

Dear Colleagues,

Underwater cultural heritage (UCH) refers to human-made structures and artifacts submerged underwater, including sunken cities, shipwrecks, and submerged ruins. UCH research is crucial for understanding humanity’s past, cultural heritage, and the evolution of maritime technology. This field focuses on UCH-related policies in the era of blue economy and on its incorporation into marine/maritime spatial planning endeavors worldwide. The focus of this Special Issue will also be on the diagnostics, conservation, and monitoring of UCH through advanced scientific techniques and technologies. Preserving cultural legacies, promoting sustainable tourism, and generating blue economic benefits while safeguarding the marine environment and preventing unauthorized looting and exploitation are key priorities. Harmonious co-existence with other maritime uses (e.g, tourism, nature conservation, offshore wind infrastructure, etc.) is also a key priority of this Special Issue.

The goal of this Special Issue is to collect papers (original research articles and review papers) to provide a comprehensive platform for showcasing cutting-edge research and advancements in the field of underwater cultural heritage. This Special Issue seeks to bring together contributions that highlight policies and strategies acknowledging UCH as a contributor to blue economy and as a distinct maritime use in maritime spatial plans from all over the world. Contributions focused on multi-use settings, including UCH in a harmonious co-existence with other traditional or emerging maritime uses, are also welcome. Moreover, this Special Issue invites papers which incorporate innovative diagnostic techniques, conservation methodologies, and monitoring approaches aimed at preserving and protecting underwater cultural sites. The aim of this Special Issue is to advance the understanding of underwater cultural heritage, promote sustainable conservation practices, and contribute to the broader body of knowledge in cultural heritage management and preservation.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • Policies and strategies acknowledging UCH as a contributor to blue economy;
  • Modes of incorporation of UCH as a distinct maritime use in maritime spatial plans;
  • Realized examples of harmonious co-existence of UCH with other marine uses and the assessment of the potential of UCH-driven multi-use;
  • Advanced diagnostic techniques for the identification and documentation of underwater cultural heritage sites;
  • Innovative conservation methodologies and strategies for preserving and protecting underwater cultural heritage;
  • Valuation methods of underwater cultural heritage;
  • Sustainable management practices for the long-term preservation of underwater cultural heritage sites.

Prof. Dr. Stella Sofia Kyvelou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI’s English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • underwater cultural heritage
  • accessible underwater cultural sites (AUCSs)
  • sunken cities
  • shipwrecks
  • UCH and sustainable tourism
  • Underwater natural and cultural heritage
  • coastal/marine cultural ecosystem services
  • diagnostic techniques
  • conservation and monitoring
  • coastal heritage
  • underwater cultural landscapes
  • UCH and climate change
  • valuation methods of UCH

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.