UAB Libraries–Curator of Collection Stewardship-Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Portal•Birmingham, AL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of stewardship on both a macro and micro level of the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences collection and the collections stewardship of the Dennis G. Pappas Historical Collections gallery. This position is also responsible at a macro level for the planning and implementation of collections stewardship practices that impact collaboratively the Historical Collections department in both storage and exhibition spaces. This position coordinates and liaises with key departments across campus for the health and safety of the collection and all human interaction with the collection, as well as for its ethical stewardship. About the Museum The Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is dedicated to the preservation and display of equipment, instruments, and objects that represent the history and development of the health sciences in the areas of education, research, and practice in the United States, with a special emphasis on the state of Alabama and its contributors to the practice of medicine. The scope of the 16,000+ object collection includes, but is not limited to, the fields of medicine, nursing, ophthalmology, dentistry, public health, and allied health.

Requirements

A master’s degree in Museum Studies
Minimum three years’ experience in museum collections stewardship
Knowledge and experience in museum collections with hand-on object handling and collections management experience
Experience with standard museum procedures and ethical stewardship in managing museum collections and exhibition spaces
1-2 years managing a large pharmaceutical collection with controlled substances
1-2 years managing a collection containing human remains
Experience with Collector Systems or other similar cloud-based museum collections management software
Strong organizational skills with proven success in independently prioritizing a variety of projects and managing deadlines.
Strong attention to detail, creative problem solver who is adaptable
Ability and drive to take part in the larger collections management and museum community
Ability to work collaboratively and foster a positive and cooperative work environment
Must be able to lift and move instruments and objects in the museum collections.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with historical, medical, health-related, or natural history collections.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate and work effectively and flexibly within and across boundaries in a diverse organization.
Experience supervising employees or students.

Responsibilities

Strategic development and implementation of collections stewardship practices for the AMHS Collection, as well as for exhibition and other collaborative spaces with other Historical Collections departments
Maintains and implements museum standards and ethics with regards to Collection Stewardship for the AMHS collection and acquisitions including but not limited to registrarial processes, safe and ethical storage, research of proper storage methods and materials, all collection associated paperwork, and processing gifts and purchases for the collection.
Maintains a safe, clean, and organized work and collection storage space as required.
Remains current on best practices and ethics regarding museum collections stewardship including guidelines on best practices developed by the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries.
In conjunction with the AMHS Curator, coordination and implementation of the AMHS Collections Management Committee, as well as any sub-committees or Collections related committees.
Develops, maintains, and implements collections stewardship policies and practices for the AMHS collection and works with the Historical Collections department to write and maintain policies that impact collaborative collections stewardship, such as environmental control and pest control of all shared spaces.
Create and/or liaise in teaching on and off-campus with regards to collections stewardship and museum studies presentations as applicable.
Coordinates, in conjunction with the AMHS curator, research requests as well as manages off-site loans of the AMHS Collections.
Collaborative review and/or creation of social media and other PR projects with regards to the collection.
Foster and maintain connections with other collections and museum collections on campus for collaboration.
Plan, implement, and oversee collection moves, organization, and inventory.
Perform condition reports on collection objects and monitor the condition of objects while on display for AMHS and other Historical Collections objects.
Assist and support exhibition development and installation for all Historical Collections exhibition spaces.
Assist AMHS Curator with management of all exhibition spaces including supervision of student workers and interns as needed in the Dennis G. Pappas Historical Collections Gallery.
Management of AMHS collections interns.
Participate in professional service and scholarship activities