Collection Manager

Overview:

Responsible for the care, organization, preservation, cataloging, and access to the Photography Collection of the Eastman Museum. Facilitate access to and provide information about the collection to museum staff and visitors

Job Responsibilities:

• Organize, catalog according to museum standards, house appropriately, and track the movements in and out of storage for all works in the care of the Department of Photography (DOP), including acquisitions, temporary loans, long-term loans, and related materials.
• In collaboration with the Conservation Department, care for and preserve the DOP collection according to the most up-to-date scientific research and best practices. This responsibility includes but is not limited to monitoring the environmental conditions in DOP collection storage by compiling data from hygrothermographs, dataloggers (PEM2) and adding to eClimateNotebook, sharing the information with appropriate staff, and making recommendations accordingly.
• Serve as head of cataloging for DOP: Create and maintain records for all works in DOP’s care in the museum’s collection database, The Museum System (TMS); train staff and volunteers in the application of DOP cataloging standards and protocols in TMS; manage DOP’s use of controlled vocabularies and thesauri in TMS.
• Manage the Gannett Foundation Photography Study Center: Work with DOP staff to maintain guidelines for collection information and access; schedule and supervise visits to the Gannett Foundation Photography Study Center. Visitors include high school and university classes, scholars, photographers, special guests, and members of the public, as well as GEM staff, interns, students, and volunteers.
• Respond to internal and external inquiries related to photography collection information and access.
• Present lectures and demonstrations about photography collection materials and their care. These may occasionally fall outside of regular business hours.
• Serve on the following GEM committees:  Environmental Improvements Committee, Disaster Preparedness Committee, and others as assigned. Serve on DOP emergency response and collection recovery team.
• Assist DOP curators in evaluating, refining, and enhancing the photography collection.
• Participate in grant activities, including assisting the museum’s grant writer in drafting proposals and supervising grant-funded staff members, as requested.
• Retain statistical information and historical records on collection holdings, current activities, and usage.
• Organize occasional collection installations for the History of Photography Gallery.
• Provide assistance and training in the handling of collection materials to staff, interns, students and volunteers.
• Supervise the Assistant Collection Manager and oversee of students, Interns, and volunteers.
• This position requires standing, walking, sitting, lifting/carrying (40lbs), pushing/pulling (40lbs), balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, speaking, hearing, seeing, depth perception, color vision, and repetitive motion.
• Work takes place in an office environment with moderate to light noise but Collection duties may require work in high, precarious places with exposure to extreme heat/cold conditions due to climate requirements for the collection.
• Perform additional responsibilities/projects as assigned by the Curator in Charge, Department of Photography.

Qualifications:

Education Requirements

• Advanced degree or comparable professional experience in the history of photography, collections management, museum studies, or a related field.

Experience Requirements

• 3-5 years previous collection management experience
• Knowledge of current preservation protocols and proper handling of all photographic materials, both historical and contemporary
• Knowledge of current museum standards, best practices, and ethical guidelines.

Please submit a cover letter and resume for consideration to Lisa Hostetler, Department of Photography Curator in Charge, at lhostetler@eastman.org.