Associate Research Scientist, Scientific Research Partnerships [End-Dated]

The Metropolitan Museum of Art•New York, NY

3d•$110,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world. At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always. Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued. Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission. Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity. Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES: As the Associate Scientist, you will carry out analyses of works of art and conduct research in support of art historical and conservation studies. You will use the full scope of equipment available at the DSR, either directly or in collaboration with other DSR scientists to identify component materials of works of art and their alteration and degradation products. You will contribute to provenance, authenticity, conservation, and preventive conservation studies working in collaboration with conservators, curators, and other members of the DSR and the SRP partners. This is a position with an established end-date or time frame. Time frames will begin upon hire: 1 Year Please include a CV and Cover letter in your application to be considered.

Requirements

Ph.D. in chemistry or related field, or equivalent experience and training (required).
2-4 years’ experience working in museum environments conducting research on art objects (required).
Expertise in liquid and pyrolysis gas chromatography for the analysis of organic materials (required) along with experience in a range of mass spectrometry techniques and mass analyzers, including: LC-MS, DIP-MS (required), DTD and headspace GCMS (preferred)
Proficiency in Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, XRF, XRD (required); experience with Raman spectroscopy and MFT (preferred)
Strong command of both written and spoken English (required)
Excellent manual dexterity and analytical skills for working around art and handling microscopic samples.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in experimental planning, data acquisition, interpretation, and reporting.

Nice To Haves

Experience in photochemistry, spectroscopy, environmental chemistry, air quality monitoring, corrosion science, or preventive conservation science (preferred).
Familiarity with advanced statistical analysis methods applied to scientific data (preferred).
Extensive publication record (preferred)

Responsibilities

Analyze works of art in collaboration with conservators, curators, and colleagues in the Department of Scientific Research.
Conduct research on organic materials found in artworks—including their composition, historical context, provenance, degradation mechanisms, and preservation issues—in collaboration with SRP partners.
Supports partners on preventive conservation research projects including material testing and indoor air quality measurements.
Prepare analysis reports and standard operating procedures; file documentation and data records; maintain scientific instruments and operating logs.
Disseminate significant findings through peer-reviewed scientific literature.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
Long-term disability coverage
Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
Free financial-planning services
Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
25% discount for staff in Museum shops
A subsidized staff cafeteria
Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions