Museum Technician II

State of North Carolina•A,h State Library Wake, NC

3d•$31,084 - $42,740•Onsite

About The Position

The Conservation Technician works under the general supervision of the Archives Conservator. The Conservation Technician is responsible for performing a variety of basic treatments on archival material and participates in a wide range of preservation activities to optimize the long-term care of the State Archives of North Carolina collections. Treatments may include surface cleaning, remediation, humidification, flattening, de-acidification, mending, and stabilizing materials to be digitized. The Conservation Technician also assists in creating custom housings for archival materials and assists in preparing and stabilizing materials for exhibitions and loans. This includes constructing protective enclosures, creating proper exhibit supports, and assisting with installation/ de-installation of exhibits. The Conservation Technician will also participate in preservation projects, inventories, and collection surveys to determine conservation or preservation needs for collections, as well as engage in environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, and disaster response initiatives as needed.

Requirements

High school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma and one year of museum related work experience in area of assignment or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated manual dexterity and experience handling fragile or deteriorating library or archival materials.
Familiarity with general conservation laboratory procedures and ability to safely use standard conservation laboratory equipment.
Must be able to work in an environment in which exposure to chemicals, dust, and mold is possible.
Ability to work independently, communicate effectively, and maintain effective working relationships with other agency staff, government officials, and the public.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience working with rare or valuable book and paper artifacts or museum objects and knowledge of current conservation and preservation standards, practices, and ethics.

Responsibilities

Perform basic treatments on collection material under the supervision of the Archives’ Conservator.
Create custom housing for collection material.
Assist in exhibit preparation as instructed, building custom displays, supports, etc., and assist in installation/deinstallation of exhibitions as needed.
Participate in collections surveys and condition assessments as needed.
Assist the Lead Conservation Technician with the collection of environmental data, integrated pest management, and other preservation-centric initiatives.