Curatorial Assistant / Fellow

Institution: Richard & Carole Cocks Art Museum, Miami University
Location: Oxford, Ohio, United States
Contract: Temporary (Fixed Term), Full-time
Duration: 2 years (24 months)

The Richard & Carole Cocks Art Museum (RCCAM) at Miami University is seeking a Curatorial Assistant / Fellow to support the Curator of Exhibitions and the museum team in the preparation of an exhibition and an accompanying highlights catalogue publication. The role also contributes to the development of related digital content, including social media, video, blogs, and website materials.

This full-time, two-year position is designed for an early career curator, arts researcher, or art historian who is a recent postgraduate in art history, curatorial studies, or a related field.

The Curatorial Assistant / Fellow will support exhibition research, object selection, and interpretation, while contributing to catalog production and exhibition-related communications. Working under the supervision of the Curator of Exhibitions, the Fellow will work both independently and collaboratively across curatorial, collections, and digital initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Researching physical and digital collections, including museum archives, donor files, collection and exhibition histories

• Writing didactic materials for exhibitions

• Assisting with object selection, support images, and image research

• Coordinating new photography

• Writing and editing wall texts, object labels, and catalogue content

• Entering and managing data in The Museum System (TMS) collections database

• Creating online collection catalogues

• Assisting with exhibition planning, installation flow, and documentation

• Supporting educational programme planning and facilitation

• Contributing content for social media, newsletters, blogs, video, and web platforms

• Assisting with registration activities and potential lending of collections

• Supporting research visits, classes, and collection access sessions

• Potentially supervising student interns or employees

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum requirements:

• Master’s degree in Art History, Anthropology, Museum Studies, Library Science, Arts Management, or a related field

• At least 1 year of experience in exhibition development at a museum, arts, education, or non-profit institution

Preferred qualifications:

• Two or more years of exhibition experience

• Experience with grant writing

• Experience in archives and digitisation best practices

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong independent research and writing skills

• Knowledge of art history, art materials, and exhibition planning processes

• Experience with collections management systems (TMS or similar)

• Familiarity with museum standards and best practices, including AAM core standards

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and collaborate with diverse teams

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Knowledge of museum ethics, collections care, and relevant legal regulations

• Experience with Google and Adobe applications