Associate Curator, South & Southeast Asian Art

Institution: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, United States
Department: Asian Art
Contract: Regular, full-time
Workplace type: On-site (employees must reside within commuting distance of NY, NJ, CT, or PA)
Salary: $95,000 – $110,000 per annum
Requisition ID: JR-43859

The Metropolitan Museum of Art seeks an Associate Curator, South & Southeast Asian Art to work within the Department of Asian Art, one of the Museum’s most active curatorial departments. The role focuses on the care, research, display, publication, and expansion of the Museum’s collection, with particular emphasis on South Asian and Himalayan art, including Tibetan art and Indian court painting from the Sultanate to the colonial period.

Working closely with the Curator and curatorial colleagues, the Associate Curator will develop thematic installations, propose and organise exhibitions, conduct original research, contribute to publications, and engage with the Museum’s teaching and public programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Organise regular rotations in the Indian Special Exhibition Gallery
• Research, catalogue, and publish works from the Indian subcontinent, with a focus on Indian painting and Tibetan art
• Propose and organise special exhibitions and related publications
• Make and recommend acquisitions through purchase or gift, including provenance research
• Consult with conservation specialists on care, condition, and documentation of works
• Review outgoing loan requests and advise departmental leadership
• Update object records in the Museum’s collections database (TMS)
• Deliver public lectures, tours, docent training, and mentorship for interns and fellows
• Cultivate and steward donors and collectors for acquisitions and fundraising
• Contribute to Friends of Asian Art and Visiting Committee events
• Foster relationships with scholars, dealers, collectors, and institutions nationally and internationally
• Communicate research and collections knowledge to specialist and general audiences
• Attend Museum events and conduct collection visits outside standard hours as required

Requirements and Qualifications

Applicants must have:

• A PhD or PhD coursework in South Asian Art History
• At least 5 years of curatorial or academic experience focused on South Asian pre-modern art history
• Demonstrated scholarly achievement through research, publications, and public presentations
• Ability to conduct primary-source research in Sanskrit and Hindi, and preferably Tibetan
• Working knowledge of an Indian language and a European language (preferred)
• Experience cultivating donors and collectors
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaborative skills
• Demonstrated competence in quality of work, collaboration, communication, and adaptability