The Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College (https://www.amherst.edu/museums/naturalhistory) seeks a Head of Collections and Operations who will conduct day-to-day operations in the museum and be responsible for stewardship of the collections.  This can best be described as a “soup-to-nuts” position, involving responsibilities and activities that in larger institutions are the purview of a Collections Manager, Curator, Preparator, Archivist, and Administrator.

 

 AMHERST COLLEGE

Beneski Museum of Natural History

Amherst College, P. O. Box 5000, Amherst, MA 01002-5000 Tel: (413)542-2233 Fax: (413)542-2713

 

HEAD OF COLLECTIONS AND OPERATIONS

Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College

 

Amherst College seeks a Head of Collections and Operations for the Beneski Museum of Natural History

who will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the museum. Working at all levels of museum operations

and with a wide range of College personnel, with the expertise, ability and willingness to do so, the Head of

Collections and Operations fulfills the functions of a curator, collections manager, preparator, archivist, business &

facility manager, and program coordinator and carries out the policies and initiatives set by the Geology

Department and the Museum Director. A masters degree in museum science, paleontology, geology, physical

anthropology, anatomy, or other related field and 3-5 years of natural history museum experience are required.

Some working knowledge of appropriate practices and methods for: specimen care and use in research and

teaching, repair and stabilization, and mounting and storage, and the materials used in doing so; collections and

specimen documentation such as cataloging, loan and deaccession, and provenience research; digital database

development; environmental conditions for collections stability; and standards of museum security is necessary.

Strong communication, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills, and the ability to take initiative,

to multitask, to work independently and collaboratively, and to be detail-oriented are important. Database and

spreadsheet management, webpage management, and word processing computer skills will be necessary.

 

The Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College

(https://www.amherst.edu/museums/naturalhistory) is home to over 200,000 specimens with collections in

mineralogy, geology, paleontology, osteology, archeology and ethnology, and renowned strengths in vertebrate

paleontology and ichnology, including the large, charismatic Hitchcock Collection of dinosaur footprints. These

collections reach back to the founding of the College and result from the work of faculty, students and alumni over

nearly two centuries. The Museum has over 8500 ft2 of exhibit space on three floors with more than 1,700 rock,

mineral, and fossil specimens on display, with an additional 1500 ft2 of support space on site, as well as a portion of

the College’s offsite storage facility. The Museum provides for the curation, research, display and interpretation of

its collections - for the benefit of Amherst College and Five College students and faculty, researchers from around

the world, and visitors of all ages, hosting over 20,000 visitors each year. The Beneski Museum shares a building

with and is administered by the Department of Geology; the Museum Director is a Geology faculty member who

serves on a rotating basis. The Museum is staffed by a full-time Head of Collections and Operations, a full-time

Education Coordinator, and a part-time technician, and shares an administrative assistant and technician with the

Department of Geology.

 

Amherst College is a premier private undergraduate liberal arts college with a diverse student body of

1,800 students and an outstanding faculty of two hundred scholar-teachers. Its rigorous academics, active cocurricular

life, dedicated faculty, and robust resources attract students who bring an extraordinary range of talents,

interests, and accomplishments to the campus community. Amherst College has taken a leadership role among

highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socioeconomic, and

geographic profile of its student body. The college is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience

and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration, and staff.

 

Situated in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts, Amherst College is less than two hours

from Boston and New Haven, and three hours from New York City. Amherst College is a member of the Five

College Consortium, a collaboration of four Massachusetts colleges (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and

Smith) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Beneski Museum participates in Museums10, a

cooperative association of local museums that exemplifies the rich cultural resources of the region. The Mead Art

Museum, the Emily Dickinson Museum, the Amherst Center for Russian Culture, and the Folger Shakespeare

Library are also part of Amherst College.

 

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume or C.V., and the names and contact information

(e-mail and/or telephone number) for three professional references at

https://apply.interfolio.com/35392. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

Amherst College is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, persons of color, and persons

with disabilities to apply. The College is committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through

the diversity of its faculty, administration, and staff.