Curatorial Assistant | USA

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Curatorial Assistant

Deadline: June 14, 2018

Job Title: Curatorial Assistant
Department: Photography
Status: Full Time

Overview

Support the Department of Photography (DOP) staff in the development, management, and execution of curatorial projects. The Department of Photography undertakes diverse activities, so projects may address a number of areas, including exhibitions, acquisitions, special rights and reproduction requests, traveling exhibitions, educational programs (PPCM), grant writing, special events, publications, and docent training.

Responsibilities

Assist DOP curatorial staff with the exhibition process, including managing and creating checklists, preparing exhibition labels and texts, managing budgets, corresponding with artists, donors, galleries and estates to notify them of their inclusion in exhibitions and record keeping. Organize occasional rotations from the collection for the History of Photography Gallery.
Work closely with DOP staff to facilitate the acquisition process. Duties include communicating with donors and vendors; working with registrar to coordinate the shipment of proposed acquisitions; coordinating the condition reporting of proposed acquisitions; working with the DOP collection managers to catalog, image, create housings for, and track the locations of proposed acquisitions; occasionally providing access to this material for interested parties, including staff, board members, students, and appraisers; writing acquisition justifications for proposed acquisitions; preparing acquisition reports for Collection Committee; participating in Collection Committee meetings; and recording and distributing minutes of Collection Committee meetings.
Organize, present and respond to submissions from artists, galleries, prospective donors, and estates.
Provide administrative and clerical support for the DOP, including management of department and acquisition budgets, correspondence, filing, record keeping, taking minutes, and proofreading. Serve as DOP liaison with IT and other departments.
Propose and track insurance values for collection objects and other duties related to the exhibition and loan of collection objects.
Catalog, update and maintain object, constituent and exhibition records using the collection management system (TMS).
Assist DOP staff with internal and external requests for information about the collection and past exhibitions and projects. Facilitate access to information about the collection for staff, students, interns, volunteers and researchers.
Support DOP curatorial staff with academic research and writing for exhibitions, publications, and social media initiatives.
Assist DOP curators with the department’s traveling exhibitions, including drafting cover letters to prospective venues, organizing and mailing exhibition packets, and tracking responses.
Assist DOP staff in providing instruction to classes and groups. Provide collection security when needed for groups visiting the Gannett Foundation Photographic Study Center. Provide docent and guided tours as needed. Assist with visiting researchers, lecturers and artists, as needed.
Assist Digital Asset Coordinator with special rights and reproduction requests.
Provide occasional support for internship, volunteer, and academic (PPCM) programs, including supervising students, interns and volunteers.

Physical Activity and Work Environment

The duties of this position may require standing, walking, sitting, lifting/carrying (40lbs), pushing/pulling (40lbs), balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, speaking, hearing, seeing, depth perception, color vision, and repetitive motion. Work takes place in an office environment with moderate to light noise, but duties within collection storage may require work in high, precarious places with exposure to extreme temperature conditions due to climate requirements for the collection.

Minimum Qualifications

BA is required; MA in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management or related degree with equivalent experience preferred.
2+ years of related experience
Knowledge of the history of photography and preservation protocols.
Experience in proper handling of collection items
Knowledge of standard Museum practices, protocols and ethics
Museum experience is a plus
Reading and speaking knowledge of a foreign language is a plus

To apply

To be considered for this position, you must be authorized to work in the United States.

Please e-mail a cover letter, current resume, and a 5-10 page writing sample to photographs@eastman.org. E-mail subject line should contain position title and your name.

No phone calls please.

George Eastman Museum
900 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607
www.eastman.org