Assistant/Associate Curator of Collections
The Davis Museum at Wellesley College seeks an innovative, ambitious Assistant/Associate Curator of Collections to join a lively, fast-paced curatorial team.
The position focuses mainly on the permanent collections and participates in an active schedule of collections-based installations and temporary exhibitions, publications, and programs. The successful candidate will align closely with the Davis Museum’s values of inclusion, excellence, innovation, and access, and will bring strong commitment to the academic mission of the institution.
Reporting to the Sonja Novak Koerner ’51 Senior Curator/Assistant Director of Curatorial Affairs, the Assistant/Associate Curator of Collections will be an integral member of the Davis curatorial team, working closely with staff in all areas of Museum operations, with faculty and students across disciplines, and with campus administrative staff. The position will also fosters
relationships with local, national, and international arts communities, and with visitors of all ages and experiences.
The primary responsibilities of the position include all aspects of conceptualizing, planning, and organizing exhibitions and related projects; caring for, researching, and writing about the Davis collections and participating in the acquisitions process; producing gallery didactics and scholarly publications; offering formal lectures and informal gallery talks; participating in events and outreach efforts; supervising interns and student workers.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Ph.D. in Art History or closely related field.
- 3-5 years of experience working in an art museum.
- The ideal candidate will have demonstrated scholarly expertise in a major historical area of Davis collecting, correlated language skills, proven knowledge of professional museum practices, a history of inventive exhibitions and significant publications, experience in collections development and museum cataloging.
- The position requires excellent oral and written communication skills, the ability to work effectively, collegially, and collaboratively with others as well as to manage projects and deadlines independently, and the capacity to maintain simultaneous priorities.
- Proficiency in a digital environment required
- Some travel is required; other duties as assigned
ABOUT THE DAVIS MUSEUM:
The Davis Museum is one of the oldest and most acclaimed academic fine art museums in the United States. Guided by values of inclusion, excellence, innovation, and access, the Davis is at the core of Wellesley’s mission to educate young women for the world. A dynamic force in the intellectual, pedagogical and social life of the campus, the Davis also engages an expanded regional, national, and international community through innovative special exhibitions and enriching public programs. Our signature Rafael Moneo building, which houses collections that span global history from antiquity to the present, is open to all. Wellesley faculty across disciplines utilize the Davis for teaching and learning. During the 2018-19 academic year alone, the Museum hosted 100 classes for 1,685 students—more than half of the campus population.
ABOUT WELLESLEY COLLEGE AND THE ARTS:
The Wellesley College arts curriculum and the highly acclaimed Davis Museum are integral components of the College’s liberal arts education. Departments and programs from across the campus enliven the community with world-class programming– classical and popular music, visual arts, theatre, dance, author readings, symposia, and lectures by some of today’s leading artists and creative thinkers–most of which are free and open to the public.
Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to some 2,400 undergraduate students from 49 states and 58 countries.
