Curatorial Assistant, Prints & Drawings

Position Summary:

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is seeking a full-time Curatorial Assistant in the Prints and Drawings department. The Curatorial Assistant plays a central and fundamental supportive role in the daily activities of the department and works closely with the Curator and varied departments in the Museum. Being a collaborative thinker and worker is vital to this role and the person engages with the public including scholars, colleagues, dealers, donors, and collectors.

Essential Functions: 

• Assists Curator in all of the department’s varied activities including, but not limited to, the care of the collection, exhibitions, acquisitions, publications, patron group, and any other projects related to the department
• Primary duties include on-going research of works in the collection (ranging from art historical to conservation issues); maintaining collection files [digital and paper]; liaising with and disseminating information to other departments; writing catalogue, didactic, and label copy; tracking interdepartmental needs and responsibilities for collection rotations and collection installations with particular focus on the new Kinder Building for Modern and Contemporary art (at least twice a year), in-focus exhibitions, and special exhibitions; creates layouts of installations and exhibitions for review
• Prepares gift/purchase lists, agendas and researches/writes acquisition reports for subcommittee meetings (approximately five times a year).
• Assists with maintaining relevant information concerning auctions, art dealers, and art galleries from a range of time
• Engages with the Collections Manager for prints, drawings, and photographs by assisting with scholars and school groups during appointments (when necessary).
• Oversees, in tandem with the curator, the department’s interns and volunteers
• General duties also include proofreading, distributing, and updating collection and/or lists for exhibitions, preparing loan letters, requesting rights & reproduction, coordinating with the Collections Manager on photography and instructions for framing permanent collection
• Digital content manager for department’s webpage
• Assists with cataloguing department’s collection in tandem with the Collections Manager and the Registrars office and maintains data standards in TMS

Other Responsibilities: 

• Acts in ways that reflect favorably on the MFAH and maintains professional standards in the quality of performance and demonstration of concern for the MFAH’s collection, programs, facilities and reputation
• Adheres to the MFAH’s Code of Ethics, Employee Handbook and other organizational policies

Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of printmaking and drawing techniques
• Broad knowledge of art history, with an interest in modern and contemporary art
• Experience with cataloging objects and data entry in collection management database
• Able to work with a wide variety of individuals
• Advanced research skills, clear, lucid writing style, and excellent oral communication
• Works well independently with the ability to quickly switch to collaborative mode
• Strong focus on attention to details
• Ability to follow protocols in handling delicate works of art with care
• Knowledge of or ability and interest to learn collection storage system
• Strong organizational and computer skills
• Able to prioritize workload
• Balances team and individual responsibilities while contributing to a positive team spirit

Strongly Preferred: 

• Experience with collection management database TMS or similar program
• Reading knowledge of 1 or more foreign languages

Education and Experience: 

• MA. in Art History required
• Previous museum experience, minimum 2 years

Working Conditions and Physical Demands 

Work will be performed in varied and wide-ranging indoor environments and conditions. Physical demands are minimal but may vary. Should be able to lift up to 25 pounds in tandem with colleagues. Work may involve extended sitting and computer use. Evening and weekend work may be required based upon exhibition schedule. Some local, regional, national travel may be required.

Regular attendance on campus required with intermittent telework options available.

The MFAH has extensive COVID mitigation protocols in place to provide for a safe working environment, including:

• Face coverings required at all times in public settings;
• Plexiglas partitions for staff members who do not work in offices;
• Temperature checks for staff at entrances;
• Onsite COVID testing for staff who work in close contact with colleagues or visitors;
• Sanitizing stations;