Curatorial Assistant

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Organisation: J. Paul Getty Museum
Location: Getty Villa, Malibu, California, USA
Contract: Full-time, three-year fixed-term position
Working arrangement: Hybrid
Salary: $28.05–$35.76 per hour
Department: Antiquities
Visa sponsorship: Not available

About the Position

The Department of Antiquities at the J. Paul Getty Museum is seeking a Curatorial Assistant to contribute to the preparation and delivery of a major international loan exhibition exploring the Levant and the Classical world, scheduled to open in 2029.

Reporting to the Anissa and Paul John Balson II Senior Curator of Antiquities, the Curatorial Assistant will support all aspects of the exhibition, from loan coordination and catalogue production to installation, public programming and digital interpretation.

The ideal candidate will have a background in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Classics, Classical Archaeology or a related field and be a highly organised and efficient multitasker.

Responsibilities

The Curatorial Assistant will:

Assist with the preparation, installation and deinstallation of the exhibition.
Work with curators, conservators, mount-makers, designers, editors, registrars, public programmers, lenders and catalogue contributors.
Coordinate with the Head of Exhibitions to manage curatorial workflows, track project timelines and support communication across teams.
Prepare and track loan requests and maintain communication with lenders.
Prepare, line-edit and proofread catalogue texts and bibliographies.
Liaise with external authors contributing to the exhibition catalogue.
Prepare, edit and proofread gallery interpretation, digital interactives and online resources.
Create and update photographic logs.
Prepare and track image requests and permissions.
Assist with the creation of the exhibition website and presentations.
Support public programming.
Lead exhibition tours.

Qualifications

Applicants must have:

A bachelor’s degree in art, art history or a related field; a master’s degree is preferred.
Up to two years of art-historical or museum experience.
The ability to undertake core curatorial functions.
Reading fluency in at least one modern or ancient foreign language.

An MA or PhD in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Classics, Classical Archaeology or a related field is preferred.

Skills and Experience

The successful candidate will be:

Highly organised and efficient.
Able to work independently, manage multiple tasks and meet fixed deadlines.
An excellent writer, editor and communicator.
Highly attentive to detail.

The ability to read French, German, Italian or Arabic would be particularly valuable.

Applicants must already be legally authorised to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship.

Benefits

Getty offers full-time employees a benefits package that includes:

Medical, dental and vision insurance from the date of employment.
A 403(b) retirement plan with up to a 5% employer match.
A 6% employer contribution to a 401(a) retirement account.
Educational assistance and professional development.
Paid holiday, sick and personal leave.
Twelve paid public holidays.
Biweekly Fridays off for many positions.
Access to the on-site fitness centre at the Getty Center.
Community service opportunities.

About the J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to inspire curiosity about and deepen understanding of the visual arts by collecting, conserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of outstanding quality and historical importance.

The Museum operates two sites. The Getty Villa in Malibu presents its collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, while the Getty Center in Brentwood houses collections of European manuscripts, paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, drawings and photography.

Across both sites, the Museum presents temporary exhibitions, develops its permanent galleries and offers an extensive programme for visitors.