Research Associate, Costume Institute [End Dated]

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art • New York, NY

395d • $68,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Research Associate at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute will be responsible for conducting research and providing administrative support for the upcoming Spring 2027 catalog and exhibition. This role involves collaboration with curatorial staff, organizing research data, drafting exhibition materials, and assisting with various tasks related to exhibition preparation and educational programming.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in Costume, Art or Design History required.
• Knowledge of fashion history, basic textile science, and strong object-based knowledge required.
• 1-3 years of museum, fashion archives, or comparable research experience required.
• Strong research skills with proven follow-through.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills; strong attention to detail required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, and to exercise initiative.
• Fluency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.
• Good working knowledge of relevant languages/French preferred.
• Familiarity with TMS preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with TMS preferred.
• Good working knowledge of relevant languages/French preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist with thematic and object-based research, independently and collaboratively with curatorial staff.
• Organize research data in TMS and internal drives.
• Create and update research presentations and materials for internal and external collaborators.
• Draft captions and object tombstones for exhibitions and catalogues.
• Assist with submission, tracking, and authoring exhibition labels as needed.
• Track lender correspondence and coordinate research requests under a rapid timeline in collaboration with the loan coordinator.
• Support production of special exhibition catalogs, including organization of objects lists and planning for photography.
• Assist with fact checking, routing, and proofing of texts and other curatorial content.
• Assist with the procurement of rights for images, video, music, and other content for publications and exhibitions as necessary.
• Coordinate with CI Curatorial, Collections, Conservation, and Installation teams to track and communicate changes to exhibition curation and object needs.
• Coordinate with other museum departments and external partners to manage curatorial work.
• Provide exhibition tours and support wider educational programming.
• Assist with research and processing of relevant acquisitions as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 403(b) matching
• Commuter assistance
• Health savings account
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
• Education Level: Master's degree