Assistant Conservator (Plastics Survey)

9/11 Memorial & Museum•New York, NY

5d•$72,000•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Head of Conservation, the Assistant Conservator is a key contributor to the project team implementing a comprehensive survey of the synthetic materials collection at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Over 9,000 plastic or plastic-containing artifacts have been identified within the Museum’s collection, many of which are exhibiting typical indicators of plastic degradation. The artifacts include a variety of materials with personal connections to victims, survivors, and the countless other individuals affected by the events of 9/11 and its aftermath. Many of the objects have been recovered from Ground Zero and exhibit important contextual damage associated with their provenance which complicates their condition assessment and preservation needs. This project is part of an initiative to examine the Memorial & Museum’s plastics collection, survey the condition and identify plastic compositions for each object, identify the most at-risk artifacts for rehousing and photogrammetry, and implement an institution-wide policy for collecting, handling, housing, and documentation. Work will take place primarily at the Museum’s off-site storage facility in Jersey City, New Jersey and the Museum in Lower Manhattan. This is a full-time, two-year position. This project has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Note: This is a grant-funded position with a fixed term ending approximately April 2028.

Requirements

Master’s degree from an accredited institution with a concentration in conservation, museum studies, studio art, art history, humanities, or similar area. Any combination of acceptable training, on-the-job experience and/or education will be considered.
Up to 5 years’ professional experience with and knowledge of conservation, collections management and registration best practices, principles and techniques, location tracking, registration and accession records, cataloging and collections storage principles and practices.
Fundamental understanding of preventive conservation as it relates to collections housing, storage, packing and moving; knowledge of museum-approved housing materials and suppliers.
Conversant with analytical methods and recent technologies in the conservation field; knowledge of or interest in digital preservation a plus.
Proficient computer skills, including but not limited to Microsoft Office; familiarity with museum collections management systems.
Proficient understanding of digital photography and digital image storage and management; previous experience or familiarity with photogrammetry a plus.
Experience managing multiple concurrent tasks while maintaining flexibility with shifting priorities and deadlines; ability to coordinate several tasks with many people simultaneously.
Proactive, detail-oriented, flexible, and resourceful; a team player who embraces the collaborative benefits of museum work while also completing independent tasks in a timely manner.
Demonstrated initiative, resourcefulness and a creative approach to problem-solving.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and to follow oral and written instructions.
Displays a high level of respect and support for colleagues, builds professional and respectful relationships across departments; committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
Commitment to advancing the organization’s mission.
Flexibility to regularly travel between the Museum and off-site storage in Jersey City, NJ, as well as infrequently to the Museum’s off-site storage facility in Rotterdam, NY, as project needs dictate. Travel and per-diem costs will be covered.

Nice To Haves

Experience taking part in or managing a collections survey preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage the day-to-day project activities and generate deliverables specific to surveying, assessing condition, and documenting the 9,000 plastic and plastic containing artifacts in the collection using a custom designed survey form.
Work with the Head of Conservation, Preventive Conservator, Collections Manager, and contracted industrial hygiene company to prioritize sampling of artifacts that were recovered from the attack sites to test for hazardous materials according to the Museum Operations & Maintenance Plan. Appropriate hazardous materials training will be provided by the museum.
Work with conservation staff to organize an on-site plastics identification workshop; conduct plastic identification for objects as needed using visual identification.
Establish a photogrammetry workplan which will be coordinated with the Museum’s conservation staff for a selection of the most at-risk artifacts.
Conduct photogrammetry on select plastic objects with appropriate training provided by the museum.
Manage the resulting digital images by renaming and storing files according to 9/11 Memorial Museum standards prior to their ingest into the digital collections management database, Collective Access.
Update catalog records in the Museum’s collections management system, as needed.
Research, select, and purchase upgraded storage and rehousing materials for high-priority artifacts.
Manage and participate in the rehousing and return of the artifacts to storage.
Participate in the Annual 5K Fundraiser and 9/11 Commemoration, as assigned.
Assist with other special projects and events in support of 9/11 Memorial & Museum, as assigned.