Deaccession Specialist (Preservation & Museum Specialist 2) / PROJECT

State of Washington • Spokane, WA

371d

About The Position

This is a full-time, project position expecting to last 3-5 years. Application review will begin immediately. The hiring manager may make a decision at any time. It will be your best interest to apply as soon as possible. Schedule: Core business hours are 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday with occasional travel required for transportation of objects to and from the museum. Who we are: The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC) seeks to engage our audiences in the appreciation of art, history, and culture of the Inland Northwest and beyond, through collection stewardship, exhibitions and programs that enrich and inspire. Established in 1916, the MAC is the oldest cultural organization in Spokane, Washington, and serves over 100,000 visitors each year from around the region. The museum collections contain over 63,000 objects, including the largest known collection of Plateau tribes art and artifacts.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in history, anthropology, archaeology, museum studies, fine arts, education or closely related field.
• Two years of experience in a museum environment or equivalent.
• Demonstrated knowledge of object/artifact handling and care standards.
• Demonstrated capacity for organization and managing details.
• Demonstrated communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience working as part of a team to accomplish shared goals.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree with a museum studies emphasis or other related fields and two years of experience in the Museum field.
• Experience with a collection management database.
• Knowledge of Deaccession best practices.
• Knowledge of Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

Responsibilities

• Create and deliver systematic presentations and reports about materials under evaluation to museum staff.
• Collaborate to organize collection evaluations, research and document, catalogue, and photograph collections.
• Manage associated computer files based on biennial work plans and assignments.
• Record deaccession decisions and file permanent records and archives records about deaccessions.
• Arrange for Deaccession disposal, including with third party sources such as Waste Management, Auction Houses, and other Museums, Tribes, and Heritage Organizations.
• Review collections, acquisitions, and deaccession records.
• Coordinate review and decisions with Curatorial staff for efficient decision making.
• Prepare reports and forms for potential and Board-approved deaccessions.
• Manage grant deliverables, including drafting grant reports and supporting budget tracking.
• Create and update computer catalogs, research and gather information about objects and artists.
• Organize records for art and artifacts targeted for evaluation while maintaining a safe and secure handling and storage environment for objects.
• Photograph deaccession candidates and museum collections, manage the resulting files for archiving using MAC standards.
• Attach the image files to the collection management software.
• Catalog and describe objects after deaccession review.
• Support electronic record maintenance projects, providing data entry and data clean-up.
• Assist with department projects as needed.

Benefits

• Equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Industry: Administration of Economic Programs
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree