Collections Manager (Art)/Museum Specialist (Art) (IS-1016-11)

Collections Manager (Art)/Museum Specialist (Art) (IS-1016-11)

Application Deadline: 3 November 2024

Department: Smithsonian American Art Museum

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Head Registrar

Compensation: $82,764 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: 10/21/2024

CLOSING DATE: 11/03/2024 (This job will close once 300 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date.)

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not to Exceed Five (5) Years

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants, and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) seeks experienced and highly motivated candidates to fill the position of Collections Manager for its collections in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture (DWRC) and the Renwick Gallery. The position is in the Registration and Collections Management Office and is responsible for collections management and registration services for the permanent collection of SAAM. The individual will work with a dedicated team of collections managers and registrars as well as staff across many departments to help manage and maintain museum collection objects (handling; storage; movement; location tracking; re-housing; packing/shipping; installation/deinstallation; identifying; labeling), collection exhibition facilities and related collection storage rooms (monitoring security, environmental controls, collection use and visitors), and collection documentation/information (cataloguing; inventory; condition reporting).

SAAM is the home to one of the largest and most inclusive collections of American art in the world. Its artworks reveal America’s rich artistic and cultural history from the colonial period to today. SAAM is devoted to the research, acquisition, exhibition, care, and management of American art. The collection of over 46,000 works of art includes paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, crafts, decorative arts, and media arts. This role translates directly into SAAM meeting its priorities and obligations and achieving its mission.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinating and tracking the movement of SAAM collection objects located in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture (DWRC) and Renwick Gallery, for acquisition, exhibit, conservation assessment/treatment, photography, and study. Handling works of art (loading and unloading trucks, crating and uncrating objects, moving objects through the museum buildings and storage spaces) and overseeing private vendors handling works of art to assure that objects are handled safely.
• Maintaining accurate location records in collections management database (TMS) and providing related documentation for collection items within, entering, or exiting SAAM premises in an organized and easily retrievable manner. Organizing and completing periodic inventories of the collections in SAAM museum buildings as prescribed in the museum’s and the Smithsonian Institution’s collection management policies.
• Inspecting the collections for signs of deterioration or damage and determining whether a registrar or conservator should be consulted. Documenting any damage to objects in the collection and initiating appropriate corrective action when required. Assessing the safety of objects on view and recommending protective measures.
• Processing objects coming into SAAM’s collection by creating technically accurate and professionally valid receiving reports and evaluations of an object’s condition, creating written and photographic documentation of the condition or damage to objects, maintaining up-to-date location and computer files, and assuring that objects are marked with their appropriate identification numbers by accepted methods.
• Providing registration/collections management oversight of permanent collection galleries. Coordinating permanent collection temporary exhibitions and gallery installations/deinstallations at the DWRC and the Renwick Gallery, working closely with the Exhibitions, Curatorial, Renwick, and Conservation departments.
• Supporting museum priorities by cataloguing collection artworks, coordinating photography of artworks, and tracking digitization status in conjunction with registrar staff and photographers, assisting with object handling as necessary.
• Analysis of immediate and long-term collection storage requirements and methods, providing input on planning, configuration and implementation of appropriate storage systems and equipment, taking into consideration collections safety, retrieval, and environmental requirements, and then preparing objects for storage by applying appropriate preservation and rehousing methods.
• Will be required to leave the primary duty site to go to other buildings and locations. Travel may be necessary.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university. Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s or equivalent degree related to the position or 3-5 years of related experience is also required. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Experience required for this position is as follows:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices governing museum registration and collections management practices; accuracy and attention to detail required.
• Skill in the methods and techniques that apply to the physical management of works of art, including those related to the care, handling, and movement of fragile and valuable objects.
• Knowledge of methods for organizing and storing art objects, including an understanding of the environmental and conservation considerations that affect the movement, storage, display, and physical integrity of works of art.
• Ability to use a computer, software applications, and computerized collection information databases for correspondence, budgeting, scheduling, and data management; skill in using TMS database is preferred.
• Knowledge of standard exhibition practice related to organizing and transporting objects.
• Skill in organizing and managing multiple complex tasks, establishing priorities, and responding to an array of requests from staff, museum partners and the public.
• Ability to manage large and/or complex projects involving multiple museum departments. Must communicate effectively with a variety of audiences to provide information and to answer questions.
• Ability to stand, reach, bend, and occasionally lift objects or materials (up to 25 pounds). On a daily basis, work may require some physical exertion, possibly including long periods of walking, standing, stooping, reaching, and lifting moderately heavy objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Knowledge of art practices, art history, and American art history is desirable.

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer . We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: .