On-Call Senior Image Researcher

Exploratorium•San Francisco, CA

13d•$42•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Image Researcher is responsible for sourcing, curating, and licensing compelling imagery. This position plays a critical role in ensuring our visual content is not only high-quality and on-brand, but also culturally representative, and appropriately licensed. The Senior Image Researcher is responsible for managing the image research with minimal supervision, and is accountable to the Media Studio leadership and project leadership with regards to the needs of projects. The Senior Image Researcher brings strong organizational skills and visual storytelling skills with the cultural fluency to collaborate with local photographers, videographers, artists, and image banks and stock footage libraries, including in international settings. The Senior Image Researcher works with project leadership and team members, photography, multimedia and archival team members, external clients, contractors, and advisors in support of project outcomes. This position reports to the Senior Administrative Director in the Integrated Media and Communication Division.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in photography, visual arts, journalism, media, or related field; or equivalent experience
Five years of professional experience in curation, photo sourcing, and image research
Advanced experience in image research, editorial photography, photo editing, or related field
Experience working with global image libraries, stock platforms, and artist networks
Demonstrates talent in visual storytelling, cultural representation, and inclusive media practices
Proven ability to successfully manage custom photo shoots remotely
Advanced negotiation and communication skills, particularly with creative contributors and agencies
Strong understanding of image licensing, copyright, and intellectual property
High attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to coordinate multiple deadlines simultaneously with minimal supervision
Ability to collaborate effectively with internal creative teams, project teams, leadership, external clients, and other stakeholders
Proficiency in digital asset management systems and research tools
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, especially Bridge, Photoshop, and Lightroom

Nice To Haves

Experience working in nonprofit, education, media, or cultural sectors
Experience working on international or cross-cultural projects and specifically sourcing imagery from international photographers, videographers, artists, and culturally-specific image banks
Experience working with Google suite, Basecamp, Smartsheet, Jira, Slack, and InDesign

Responsibilities

Image Sourcing and Curation
Conduct extensive photo and video research to support projects, some with an emphasis on international and cross-cultural storytelling
Lead the curation and sourcing of imagery that is visually impactful, culturally accurate, and aligned with project goals and audience
Identify and recommend regional relevant artists, photographers, videographers, and image archives
Organize and oversee custom and on-location shoots remotely, as needed
Research cultural contexts to ensure accurate, ethical, and respectful use of imagery
Collaborate with internal teams and external clients to ensure imagery reflects local norms, values, and aesthetics
Maintain awareness of global representation trends and visual language standards, and advise project teams, as needed
Contributor Outreach and Partnerships
Establish and nurture relationships with photographers, videographers, artists, and image banks across different regions, including international as needed
Coordinate with photographers and videographers to request image submissions or commission new work when appropriate
Manage contributor onboarding and data tracking in line with organizational protocols and standards
Contracting and Licensing
Serve as the primary decision-maker for negotiating licensing fees and agreements with photographers, videographers, agencies, and image providers
Review and manage contracts to ensure compliance with usage rights, licensing terms, and budget parameters
Maintain clear documentation of usage rights and ensure proper crediting, and provide updates to project teams on licensing considerations as needed
Project & Workflow Management
Create and maintain organized databases of image sources, contracts, and rights management information
Set, track and manage multiple deadlines across concurrent projects
Collaborate with project directors, project leads, creative and legal teams to ensure timely and accurate image delivery
Manage and forecast the image acquisition budget and ensure all imagery needs are met within project budget guidance
Perform additional duties as assigned