Museum Curator History 2 (Ephrata Cloister)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania • Lancaster County, PA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is seeking a skilled, energetic, and experienced Curator to help manage, care for, and interpret the collections and 18th-century Germanic historic structures at Ephrata Cloister, a four-time American Alliance of Museums accredited historic site in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Ephrata Cloister, the site of Pennsylvania's most prominent 18th-century religious community, is a 28-acre National Historic Landmark featuring a visitor center, two cemeteries, and 11 historically significant buildings dating to the 18th and early 19th-centuries. As the Museum's Curator, you will be responsible for the oversight, documentation, and care of Ephrata Cloister's significant collection, including approximately 4,000 artifacts in the permanent collection (furniture, iron, ceramics, textiles, paper, architectural elements), more than 1,050 reproduction and study items, loan collections, library collections, and landscape features such as cemeteries, gravestones and monuments.

Requirements

• One year as Museum Curator, History l (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or One year of curatorial work in any one or more of the fields of History or Decorative Arts, History of Fine Arts, History, or History of Science, Industry, and Technology, and a master's degree in American History, including or supplemented by either a museum studies course at the graduate level recognized by the American Associate of Museums or a museum internship; or Any equivalent combination of experience and training which would afford the applicant the required knowledges, skills, and abilities.
• One or more years of full-time professional experience working with Argus, Past Perfect, TMS, Cataloglt or similar collections management software.
• One or more years of full-time professional experience evaluating, cataloging, and storing historic manuscripts, books and documents, and using these resources for scholarly research.
• A valid Pennsylvania Class C Driver's License which is not under suspension.
• Must be able to perform essential job functions.
• Conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Pennsylvania German Decorative Art and communal societies
• Ability to read German script

Responsibilities

• Handle acquisitions, deaccessions, loans, cataloging, and inventorying of artifacts and archival materials
• Store, clean, and protect items in the collection and give online access to materials
• Research site history, answer public questions, and establish the background of collection pieces
• Prepare and share information that helps visitors understand artifacts and the history of Ephrata Cloister
• Assist with planning and leading special tours focused on unique historical topics

Benefits

• Telework may be an option on an ad-hoc basis with approval, requiring a secure high-speed internet connection and an approved location within Pennsylvania.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level