Full-time position: Collections Manager and Curator
 
The Pratt Museum seeks an experienced and energetic Collections Manager and Curator who excels in a highly creative, collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment. The Pratt is a dynamic community-based museum of art, science and culture. In 2005, the Pratt Museum was awarded the IMLS National Award for Museum Service and the Museum has received numerous other state and regional awards for its innovative programming. Areas of institutional emphasis are natural science and cultural collections in anthropology, history, contemporary art, earth sciences and biology of the Kachemak Bay region. The museum's research collections include approximately 30,000 objects plus library, media collection and archives.

Position will play a vital team role in planning and development of a museum expansion, renovation of permanent exhibits, and expansion of outdoor exhibits. Priorities will include designing new collections storage space, upgrading the collections database system, and increasing public access through new media. Applicant will preferably have at least three years of experience as a collections manager or curator and an advanced degree in one of the museum's subject areas or museum studies. Applicants with expertise in natural history or art are encouraged to apply.

Visit www.prattmuseum.org for more information about the Pratt Museum and its programs

Visit www.homeralaska.org for more information about Homer, Alaska -- a vibrant arts town perched on beautiful Kachemak Bay

 

Salary $40,000-45,000, DOE

Deadline: 5 p.m. July 1, 2009

Send resume, three professional references and cover letter to: Museum Director, Pratt Museum, 3779 Bartlett St. Homer, AK 99603 or [log in to unmask]

Target start date: Fall 2009

Contact number: 907-235-8635

Email: [log in to unmask]

 

 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

1.     Administers departmental budget, volunteers, planning, policies and procedures, and communications.

 

2.     Incorporates collections information into database and stays abreast of evolving disciplinary standards. Develops protocols for data retrieval systems, including online access to collections, to ensure use by peer curators, community collaborators, volunteers, and the public.

 

3.     Directs management and conservation of departmental collections of anthropology, history, art, natural sciences, archives and library, including accessioning, cataloguing, research and identification, specimen preparation, storage, inventory, maintenance, and preservation.

 

4.     Calls upon peer curator(s) on staff, community curators and subject experts for collaborative planning and implementation of best practices with specific collections, including research, conservation and policy. Works towards thematically integrating collections, exhibits and education departments. Works with other core staff to accomplish the mission of the Museum.

 

5.     Administers collections transactions such as loans, acquisitions, and exchanges. 

 

6.     Observes all state, federal, and international law relevant to collections and ensures Museum compliance. Responsible for permit application and administration.

 

7.     Provides information services to the general public and staff, including access to collections, correspondence, identification services, and general queries.

 

8.     Assists educators and researchers in use of departmental resources.

 

9.     Enhances credibility of the Museum through presentations of research papers and attendance at professional meetings, development of professional contacts, and publication of research findings in collections-based disciplines and museology.

 

10.  Assists in planning and provides educational programming through lectures, classes, workshops, and field trips in cooperation with Education Department.

 

11.  Conducts field/lab research in collections-based disciplines and museology.

 

12.  Assists in planning and developing of temporary and benchmark exhibits, refurbishing existing exhibits.

 

13.   Develops and administers grants for collections management, conservation, and museum-wide projects in cooperation with the development staff and Museum Director.

 

14.   Other duties as assigned.

 

 

REQUIREMENTS:

 

Education:                  Bachelor's degree in a field related to the mission of the museum or related to collections management, advanced degree preferred

 

Work Experience:      Minimum 2 years experience in collections management, experience developing online access to collections desirable

 

Skills/Abilities:          Basic knowledge of the techniques and procedures relating to the management and conservation of objects in the collections; exceptional organizational ability; ability to work collaboratively with peer curators and staff team; supervisory and management skills; advanced computer skills, including database management; excellent oral and written communications skills; diplomacy and enthusiasm to work with public; photographic skills desirable; grant writing skills desirable

========================================================= Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).