Conservator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture

Job Description

Job Description

We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and / or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

How You Will Contribute

The Conservator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture will perform conservation examinations and treatments on the museum’s collection of sculpture, decorative arts, installation art, outdoor sculpture, architecture, and other collections in a wide range of materials including ceramics, glass, metal, stone, wood, polychrome wood, plastics, leather, lacquer, other organic materials, and composites. The museum has major holdings of American, European, South Asian, and East Asian works of art, including Contemporary Art, Design, time-based media, and outdoor sculpture, and with expanding collections of African and African Diasporic Art.

The Conservator will work independently and collaboratively to conduct research to further understanding of materials and techniques used by artists, manufacturers, and fabricators. They will serve as an integral member of the museum’s conservation staff and assume leadership in activities relating to exhibitions, installations, loans, preventive care of the permanent collections and building, and professional and public engagement.

The Conservator establishes long-term goals and strategic planning for the conservation gallery maintenance program, overseeing the Supervisor of Conservation Gallery Maintenance and a team of part-time gallery maintenance technicians who carry out routine collection maintenance in galleries on weekly or established periods as required.

Specifically, you will :

• Examine, conduct research, and perform conservation treatment on a range of artworks that fall into the broad category of objects conservation, which includes ceramics, glass, metal, stone, wood, polychrome wood, plastics, lacquer, leather, other organic materials, composite objects, architectural materials, and installation art.
• Evaluate and document the condition of works requested for loan, exhibition, or acquisition consideration.
• Advise on housing, installation, storage, mount-making, handling, packing, and transport of works of art.
• Collaborate with conservation scientists in chemical and instrumental analysis and characterization of materials of works of art.
• Carry out analysis and evaluation of artworks using techniques such as x-radiography and visible, fluorescence, and polarized light microscopies.
• Work collaboratively across departments for exhibition planning, emergency planning, building care and maintenance, and capital projects.
• Mentor and train conservation junior staff, post-graduate fellows, interns, and technicians.
• Lead and participate in ongoing preservation activities to contribute to the preventive care of museum collections, including environmental monitoring, pest mitigation, storage planning, and materials testing.
• Establishes long-term goals and strategic planning for Conservation Gallery Maintenance.  Supervise and provide guidance for Supervisor of Conservation Gallery Maintenance and associated team of Conservation Gallery Maintenance technicians.  Establish priorities, advocate for and help coordinate resources and budget development.  Lead hiring and personnel considerations for team.
• Participate as a member of the Conservation Division in a range of institutional initiatives and functions, as well as in professional and public engagement.  These may include museum committees, staff presentations, and teaching and conferences.
• Assist in the administration of the Decorative Arts and Sculpture Conservation Department including development of budget, annual report of highlights, fund-raising, grant-writing, record keeping, and maintenance of chemical inventory and safety protocols.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Your background and experience include :

Position and Compensation Details

Ability to utilize instruments and computers required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical laboratory environment, gallery, or exhibit space, and to access all public and staff areas of the museum campus, with or without accommodation.

Institutional Requirements

Application Timeline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.

What We Offer

Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to :

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including :

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