Jogja Palace Opens Recruitment for Conservators: Here Are the Requirements
The Yogyakarta Palace is recruiting conservators for its Conservation Laboratory, an institution under the Kawedanan Purayakara of Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, which is responsible for safeguarding and caring for Kagungan Dalem collection items. The following are the administrative requirements for applicants.
“Limited staffing is a major challenge when it comes to assigning care duties effectively and on time,” said KRT Suryaamisena, Penghageng II of the Yogyakarta Palace’s Kawedanan Purayakara, in a written statement received by detikJogja on Thursday evening (15 October 2026).
“For that reason, we invite conservation professionals to join us and play a direct role in raising the laboratory’s standards, ensuring that historical materials endure,” he added.
The Conservation Laboratory is responsible for the care, conservation and restoration of the Yogyakarta Palace’s historic Kagungan Dalem collections.
Conservators are responsible for all work aimed at caring for, conserving and restoring the palace’s historic collections.
This includes preventive conservation, such as checking temperature and humidity and protecting collections from agents of deterioration. It also includes remedial conservation, such as cleaning objects, strengthening their structures, carrying out repairs and restoring ancient collections that have been damaged.
The Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Conservation Laboratory currently has only eight staff members: six conservators and two Lumaksana staff members handling conservation matters.
“Ideally, we need around three additional conservators so that conservation work can proceed smoothly, given the very large volume of Kagungan Dalem antiquities,” KRT Suryaamisena added.
The 2026 recruitment is open to men and women with bachelor’s degrees in archaeology, history, art conservation, chemistry, biology or other related disciplines.
Successful applicants will work as part of a team and are expected to have a basic level of English.
“Working as a conservator at the Conservation Laboratory is a daily job requiring specialised skills, so of course we will provide monthly remuneration that we hope will be fair,” KRT Suryaamisena said.
He added that conservators are expected to wear busana Jawa jangkep padintenan, traditional Javanese attire worn by other Abdi Dalem, every Tuesday and Thursday.
“Women may wear their hair in a bun, with a kebaya tangkepan and jarik wiron. Men should wear complete pranakan attire with a jarik wiron engkol and blangkon,” KRT Suryaamisena explained.
“We therefore hope applicants will have no objection to wearing this attire on certain days. They must also observe the conduct, manners, ethics and courtesy expected at Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat,” he added.
The administrative requirements for conservator recruitment are:
A job application addressed to Gusti Kangjeng Ratu Bendara, Penghageng KHP Nitya Budaya, Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.
A curriculum vitae.
Scans of degree certificates and academic transcripts.
A photocopy or scan of an identity card (KTP).
A 4x6 passport-sized photograph in formal attire.
A recommendation from people connected with museums or from academics/lecturers (optional).
Supporting certificates (optional).
Applications should be emailed to laboratoriumkonservasi@gmail.com with the subject line “Lamaran Konservator - Applicant’s Name”. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday 28 October.