Collections Care Technician (PT, 5 hrs/wk)

The Barnes Foundation • Philadelphia, PA

6h • Onsite

About The Position

Primary Function: The Collections Care Technician is responsible for collections housekeeping, and weekend/holiday gallery checks. This position works closely with the conservation, collections management, exhibition, guest and protection services, and facilities teams. 

The Collections Care Technician reports to the Senior Director of Conservation and additionally works under the guidance of the Senior Conservation Coordinator at both the Barnes Foundation and at Calder Gardens.

Requirements

• BS, BA, or BFA in art history, studio art, art conservation, or similar field is desired
• Experience at an intern or technician level working in a collections care role
• Excellent hand skills and detail oriented
• Basic knowledge of preservation best practices
• Good understanding and judgment in the handling of art objects
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work well with others as well as to work independently

Responsibilities

• Perform collections housekeeping tasks on a weekly basis between 8–10:30 am on Saturday and Sunday mornings prior to the opening of the Barnes and Calder Garden galleries to the public.
• Inspect and adjust Barnes collection objects that may require repositioning resulting from visitor collection contacts.
• Prepare daily reports to an internal gallery distribution list that summarizes collections and facilities housekeeping work completed, adjustment to objects as reported by guest and protection services and as observed by the technician in the Barnes permanent collection and special exhibition galleries and Calder Garden galleries, and any additional observations for temperature, relative humidity, and lighting.
• Perform limited data entry in the collections database, Gallery Systems, The Museum System (TMS) and assist in preparing other conservation records, as requested.
• Assists with emergency and disaster preparedness and response for collections, if needed.
• Maintain an inventory of housekeeping supplies and equipment in a clean, safe, and professional manner.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees