Curator #00016

Virginia Information Technologies Agency • Fairfax County, Virginia, VA

5d • $45,000 - $60,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Gunston Hall is a small museum with a highly collaborative, energetic staff dedicated to the power of place, historical objects, and storytelling to create meaningful experiences for visitors of all ages. The Curator is an important part of this team, playing a significant role working with the archives and collections team. Gunston Hall’s curatorial team cares for the objects, archival materials, and rare books in the collection; uses the collection to help advance Gunston Hall’s educational charge; ensures the preservation of the historic mansion, conducts and disseminates historical research; leads the acquisitions process for additional items appropriate to the collection; and serves as one of the public faces of the institution. The incumbent in this role will have an enthusiastic passion for leveraging collections to engage, educate and connect people with history in a meaningful and inspiring way. The Curator reports to the Executive Director.

Requirements

• Considerable knowledge in American history, historic preservation, objects conservation, art history, material culture studies, or related field is required.
• Substantial knowledge of American social, political, and material culture history of the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Experience working with a mixed media museum collection of 18th and 19th century objects.
• Experience managing an Integrated Pest Management Plan for preserving collections.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Familiarity with standard software and cataloging systems for objects collections and conservation.
• Experience handling archival records and artifacts within objects collections.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience working with researchers and other community stakeholders while maintaining security and preservation standards in a research library and collections environment.
• Knowledge of agents of deterioration and experience mitigating their impact on collections.
• Knowledge of emergency management protocols.

Nice To Haves

• Considerable knowledge in American history, historic preservation, objects conservation, art history, material culture studies, or related field.
• Familiarity with the conservation of archaeological materials.
• Staff management experience.
• Experience developing a budget.
• Knowledge of archival practices.
• Familiarity with rare book conservation.

Responsibilities

• Supervising part-time collections management technician, interns, and volunteers as appropriate.
• Identifying and outlining priorities for the collections department in support of Gunston Hall’s broader strategic goals.
• Researching objects in the collection as well as potential acquisitions. Performs archival and other primary source research.
• Helping to develop concrete plans for implementing collections priorities, including operational planning associated with the new archeology center and East Yard interpretive landscape.
• Helping to development and execute the budget for the curatorial department.
• Identifying avenues for earning revenue to support collections department activities.
• Identifying grants appropriate for completing collections projects and work with development to create successful grant applications.
• Serving as a staff liaison to community stakeholders, including the Descendants Advisory Board.
• Helping to create and manage policies to grow the collection in ways that support Gunston Hall’s institutional mission, research into its collections, the interpretation of its historic structures, and engage visitors in its exhibit spaces.
• Proposing, researching, and participating in implementing both temporary and long-term exhibits.
• Setting and reviewing necessary internal standards and policies to support the safety and preservation of the collection.
• Ensuring alignments of campus master plan development and other capital projects with collections care and preservation standards.

Benefits

• Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed