Painting Conservation Fellow

The Phillips Collection•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Conservation Fellow will report to the Head of Conservation at The Phillips Collection. The position is designed to provide advanced training in paintings conservation to a recent graduate of a master’s degree conservation program at a recognized university. The emphasis will be on the examination, documentation, treatment, and research on works from The Phillips Collection’s rich holdings of 19th to 21st century paintings. The fellow will work with painting conservators on all aspects of care of the collection to promote its preservation. This is a limited-term, grant funded position. The position will remain full-time, exempt. Initial duration of the fellowship is one year, with a possibility to extend for another one to two years. The start date for this position will be September 8th, 2026. $3000 annual travel stipend will be issued for conferences, workshops and research. Medical, dental, retirement, life and long-term illness insurance, voluntary programs, commuter benefits and paid leave will be provided. The Phillips Collection is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that encourages and values diversity in its staff, Board of Trustees, supporters, volunteers, audience, collections, exhibitions, and programming. Diversity enhances the institution’s engagement with an increasingly broad spectrum of participants and strengthens relationships within our community and beyond. Diversity promotes creativity and innovation, thereby increasing the institution’s resilience and ability to embrace our ever-changing world.

Requirements

A recent graduate from a master’s degree program in art conservation, with a major in paintings conservation.
Demonstrated hand skills to provide high standard for conservation treatment of paintings.
Ability to write thorough examination and treatment reports and complete full photographic documentation.
Experience with microscopy and infrared and x-radiographic imaging.
Strong computer skills to assist in transfer of conservation documentation to new collections management database.
Interest in research on American Modernist paintings.
Must be able to work in The United States (status of a citizen, permanent resident, U.S. work permit holder, or pre-approved work visa holder) and present the museum the sufficient I-9 document(s).
Must be able to relocate to Washington, DC, or the commutable surrounding area, for the duration of the fellowship.

Responsibilities

Examination, documentation and treatment of paintings from the permanent collection.
Conduct analysis of materials used in paintings as necessary for treatment and research into artists’ techniques, using microscopy, and infrared and x-radiographic imaging.
Assist conservation staff in an updated condition and treatment survey of the paintings collection.
Prepare completed survey for transfer to new collections management database.
Assist conservation staff in ongoing maintenance for the preservation of the permanent collection, such as rehousing, affixing backing boards, dusting works on view and reviewing environmental conditions in galleries.
Prepare paintings for loan and exhibition.
Create condition report exhibition notebooks.