Curatorial Assistant
Institution: Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Contract: Full-time
Schedule: 35 hours/week, Monday–Friday
Work Format: Fully on-site
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is seeking a Curatorial Assistant II to support curatorial initiatives, herbarium management, and plant records operations within one of the world’s leading botanical research institutions.
Founded in 1872, the Arnold Arboretum is the oldest public arboretum in North America and houses one of the largest documented collections of woody plants worldwide. The role offers the opportunity to work closely with historical collections, living plant inventories, and archival records within a major research and public institution.
About the Role
The Curatorial Assistant will work under the supervision of the Manager of Plant Records and contribute to herbarium care, plant inventories, database management, and curatorial projects related to the Arboretum’s living collections and archives.
The position combines collections stewardship, outdoor fieldwork, data management, and public-facing support for researchers, scholars, and visitors.
Responsibilities
- Support the care and maintenance of more than 120,000 herbarium specimens
- Prepare, mount, label, barcode, digitize, and database new plant vouchers
- Monitor specimen preservation, pest control, and collection organisation
- Assist researchers and visitors using the herbarium collections
- Coordinate specimen transport and shipping between Harvard facilities
- Conduct inventories of living plant collections, greenhouse, and nursery holdings
- Maintain records within the BG-BASE institutional collections database
- Assist with accessioning, display labels, and curatorial documentation
- Perform data entry, records audits, and special curatorial projects
- Serve as an informational resource for staff, scholars, students, and the public
Working Conditions
- Outdoor work in varied weather conditions throughout the year
- Handling plant collections and herbarium specimens
- Must be comfortable working around insects
- Driving Arboretum vehicles between sites when required
- Physical tasks including bending, kneeling, lifting up to 25 pounds, walking, and standing for extended periods
Candidate Profile
- Minimum one year of experience in a related field
- Ability to drive Arboretum vehicles
- Experience conducting inventories of plant collections throughout the year
- Bachelor’s degree in botany, horticulture, or a related field preferred
- Experience in plant records, curation, public gardens, or herbarium environments preferred
- Strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively