Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellowship, Curatorial – Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, United States

Institution: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Contract: Full-time, fixed-term until September 30, 2028
Department: Art of the Ancient Americas
Reports to: Associate Curator & Department Manager
Salary: $25 per hour
Start date: As soon as possible

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) invites applications for the Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellowship in the Art of the Ancient Americas department. This full-time fellowship provides advanced curatorial training and supports scholarly research connected to the museum’s permanent collection and related projects. The Fellow will be fully integrated into curatorial operations, gaining experience across research, cataloguing, exhibition organization, community engagement, publications, conservation, and provenance research.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to installations, rotations, and interpretive materials for the Geffen Galleries in collaboration with multiple departments
• Build and strengthen relationships with Indigenous and local communities across the Americas, including Land Acknowledgement initiatives and public programming
• Conduct research on the Ancient Americas collection and update object records in LACMA’s databases and online platforms
• Assist in developing interpretive content for exhibitions and participate in departmental activities such as loans, acquisitions, and conservation
• Join LACMA’s Curatorial Forum and Junior Curatorial Forum, taking part in reading groups and colloquia

Qualifications

• Master’s or doctoral degree in Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, Art History, Archaeology, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
• Specialization in the arts of the Indigenous Americas
• Proficiency in Spanish or an Indigenous language preferred
• Excellent writing, organizational, and communication skills
• Strong interest in ethical museum practice, critical interpretation, and collaboration with descendant communities