Conservation Technician

University of Pennsylvania

2d•$18 - $22•Onsite

About The Position

The Conservation Technician, working part-time, will be responsible for assisting departmental Conservators in conservation work on artifacts in the Museum’s collection. This work will be carried out at the Museum or the Museum’s off-site Conservation Lab Annex (CLA). Primary duties include assisting the Conservators with handling artifacts, help with treatments; keeping written, photographic, and electronic records of work; writing up condition assessments, carrying out basic treatments; and keeping current with developments in the field through readings, conferences, online discussions, and personal contacts; and assisting with lab maintenance. The technician will also be responsible for the movement of artifacts within the Museum. The technician will be responsible for positive and helpful interactions with Museum visitors, acting as the Museum’s host, answering questions, and providing assistance as needed to ensure our guests encounter a welcoming atmosphere. Occasional research work and stewardship; administrative tasks, and additional tasks as assigned. Continuation of this position after one year is contingent upon funding.

Requirements

BA/BS degree and 0-1 years experience required, or equivalent combination of both.
Sound work habits, personal initiative, organizational skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with the ability to undertake moderate to heavy lifting are essential.
Requires extensive safety training.
Object-handling experience is preferable; manual dexterity is required.
Candidate will uphold collegial and collaborative working relationships with conservation staff and other departments.
A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position.
Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.
Please note that this position is a bargaining unit position represented by a labor union.
Job related responsibilities, duties, qualifications, and compensation associated with this position are determined by a collective bargaining agreement.
Please note that this is a term position with a target end date of 2/22/2029

Nice To Haves

An undergraduate degree in a related field is desirable but not required.
This position is most suitable for a preprogram candidate; someone planning to take a graduate degree in conservation with experience working in a museum conservation lab, particularly experience with documentation and basic treatments.
Knowledge of Axiell Emu or a similar collections management database is preferred.
Knowledge of digital photography, digital photography processing, specialized digital photography methods such as Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) and multimodal imaging (MMI) will be an asset.
Must be able to work in the offsite CLA, located in central New Jersey.

Responsibilities

Assisting Conservator(s) with the movement of artifacts, sometimes using rigging equipment.
Under the directions of the Conservator(s), carrying out artifact condition assessments and conservation treatments.
Responsible for carrying out documentation including written, digital, and photographic modes.
Gallery and lab space maintenance, including cleaning equipment and spaces, assisting conservators as needed.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

Health and Life: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
The University of Pennsylvania’s special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community and help create an educational and working environment that best supports the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship.
The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.