Exhibition Coordinator/Museum Specialist, IS-1016-09

Smithsonian Institution•Washington, DC

3d•$70,623 - $111,087•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located organizationally in the Office of Project Management, National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL), Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). SI is a diverse museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. NMAL honors the dreams, challenges and triumphs of U.S. Latinos, elevating those stories within the nation’s narrative. The museum creates transformative experiences, fosters a deeper understanding of American history and culture and connects communities nationwide. This position reports to the Assistant Director, Project Management and works closely with internal exhibition teams and outside vendors to coordinate exhibition components.

Requirements

Experience working on an exhibition team from concept through fabrication. Well-versed in the requirements and products for each phase of design.
Ability to read and understand exhibition design drawings and understand basic exhibition techniques.
Skill and experience in the use of Adobe Creative Suite products including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
Hands-on experience with exhibition installations, graphic applications, and exhibit maintenance.
Experience working with several collaborators/contractors and monitoring their progress against an overall project schedule.
Fluency in both English and Spanish.
Ability to stand for long periods of time.
Ability to climb ladders.
Must be able to bend, stoop and stretch for extended periods of time.
Ability to lift objects up to 30 pounds, unassisted.
Requires work around dust, solvents, adhesives, inks and paints. Must be able to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as directed.

Nice To Haves

College degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

Reviews design and shop drawings for conformity to content and collections needs as well as design intent.
Reviews exhibition label text in both Spanish and English for conformity with graphic hierarchy, word counts and location in exhibitions. Reviews exhibit furniture, collection objects, and case layouts for conformity with object schedule, graphic schedules and conservation-related production restrictions. Tracks image assets in relation to graphics schedules.
Assists in generating production schedules for exhibitions. Monitors progress against established timelines, tracks task completion and supports day-to-day production activities to ensure projects remain on schedule.
Reviews exhibition prototypes, graphic proofs, production samples and fabrication products to ensure that fabricated products and installations adhere aesthetically and technically to designer and curator intent.
Monitors condition of exhibition interactives, labels and other physical elements of exhibitions; provides basic repairs as appropriate and coordinates with fabricators and designers for revisions to exhibit components not functioning to SI standards.
Writes requests for quote (RFQ) and requests for proposal (RFP) in collaboration with stakeholders. Serves as the contracting officer’s technical representative (COTR) for supplies and services as requested by supervisor.