Curatorial Assistant

Obama Foundation•Chicago, IL

2d•$51,965 - $64,980•Hybrid

About The Position

At The Obama Foundation, our mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We seek to build an active democratic culture where people are equipped and motivated to make change in the communities where they live, work, and play. Right here on the South Side of Chicago, we’re building a home for this vision, a global center for change with a range of opportunities - coordinated programming, community outreach events, educational moments, and more - that invite visitors from down the block or across the globe to turn hope into action. Achieving our ambitious goals starts with an exceptional team built on our Hope to Action Values - Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope. A Framework that anyone, anywhere, can use to build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in their community. We are deeply committed to creating an actively anti-racist organization, leveraging our global reach to combat systemic racism and inequity wherever it exists.Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here. Purpose of the Role The Curatorial Assistant is a key member of the Obama Presidential Center Museum’s Curatorial Team. Reporting to the Curatorial Senior Associate, you will support research and administrative needs for the Curatorial Team, focused primarily on the Museum’s core exhibits, special exhibits, activations, and related projects. You will perform historical, artifact, and image research to support high-priority curatorial activities, ensuring that the Curatorial Team is provided with substantive and reliable information to meet project deadlines and to inform interpretive activities and products. You will be responsible for providing exceptional support to curatorial projects and collaborations with other teams, ensuring members have access to complete, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their work and meet project objectives, and you will serve as the initial point of contact for the Curatorial Team. This role is hybrid, located at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago. The Curatorial Assistant is expected to be on-site at the Museum a minimum of 3 days a week.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in museum studies or a related field
Minimum 2 years of demonstrated experience working in a museum or cultural organization.
Experience conducting historical research, knowledge of sourcing standards, and strong critical thinking skills.
Scrupulous attention to detail.
High quality oral, and written communication and interpersonal skills; comfort interfacing with a public audience.
Highly organized, with a demonstrated ability to self-direct and efficiently multitask.
Experience with scheduling and project management; Google Suite and Microsoft Suite experience required; experience with Adobe Suite, Salesforce, and Asana or other project management tools helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

Conduct research related to potential artifact donations, acquisitions, and archival materials, ensuring the Curatorial Team has the information needed to make key decisions within specified timeframes.
Assist in the development, copyediting, design, and production of exhibition didactic materials, such as wall text, labels, and other exhibition content as needed.
Support the Curatorial Team’s review and oversight of object installation.
Assist with the preparation and coordination of acquisitions proposals, presentation materials, and catalog records.
Research and edit artifact records in the Museum’s database.
Work with other Curatorial Team members to maintain accurate exhibition object lists.
Assist in the categorization, routing, and tracking of donation offers, purchases, and loans to ensure all are placed in the assessment queue for consideration.
Manage administrative and project coordination needs for the Curatorial Team, including scheduling meetings, taking meeting notes, tracking team tasks, preparing reports and presentation materials, managing and organizing files in Google Drive, and supporting other logistical needs.
Serve as the initial point of contact for the Curatorial Team, managing contacts and handling inquiries (mail, telephone, email) about the collection, exhibitions, and donating objects to the Museum.
Coordinate and assist in facilitating object donor visits at the Museum.
Perform other duties as assigned.