Samuel H Kress Fellow in Painting Conservation

Worcester Art Museum•Worcester, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Worcester Art Museum seeks recent master’s-level graduates in art conservation for the Samuel H. Kress Fellow in Paintings Conservation. This immersive, year-long fellowship is designed for a conservator at an early professional stage who is ready to transition from graduate training into sustained, hands-on museum practice. Working closely with a project team of paintings conservators and curators, the Fellow will play a central role in the technical study, documentation, and conservation treatment of early European gold-ground paintings for an upcoming exhibition. This position emphasizes meaningful responsibility within a focused project. The Fellow will be expected to work both collaboratively and independently on a day-to-day basis while benefiting from regular mentorship, consultation, and ethical oversight. The fellowship offers the opportunity to build professional judgment, deepen technical skills, and contribute directly to an exhibition in which conservation research meaningfully informs curatorial interpretation and public engagement. Under the direction of the George F. and Sibyl H. Fuller Conservator in Charge, the Samuel H. Kress Fellow will assist with all aspects of the exhibition project. Responsibilities include examining and documenting paintings, conducting technical imaging and research, and carrying out conservation treatments in accordance with professional standards and the AIC Code of Ethics. The Fellow will collaborate closely with conservation and curatorial colleagues and contribute to project coordination, documentation workflows, and the synthesis of research findings across multiple artworks. The position involves sustained, detailed engagement with the paintings in the project, including condition assessment, treatment planning and execution, imaging, and archival and technical research. The Fellow will also contribute to broader departmental activities as appropriate, including advising on handling, storage, installation, and transit, and may serve as a courier for works on loan. Research and technical findings generated through the fellowship will support exhibition interpretation and outreach activities. In addition, this position provides opportunities for research travel, professional development, and support toward professional memberships. These resources are intended to enhance the Fellow's growth, facilitate networking within the conservation community, and expand access to specialized training and conferences.

Requirements

Master’s degree in paintings conservation or a closely related conservation specialty from a recognized training program
Demonstrated ability to carry out conservation documentation, technical study, and treatment with care, precision, and ethical awareness
Strong observational skills, sound professional judgment, and the ability to maintain clear and accurate written and visual records
Ability to engage with scholarly research, synthesize information across multiple objects, and contribute meaningfully to collaborative project work within a team-based environment
Comfort working independently within a clearly structured project framework, with the ability to manage time across overlapping phases of research, documentation, and treatment
Recent graduate of a master’s-level conservation training program in the United States or Canada, OR a U.S. citizen who has completed a comparable master’s-level conservation training program outside North America.

Responsibilities

Examine and document paintings
Conduct technical imaging and research
Carry out conservation treatments in accordance with professional standards and the AIC Code of Ethics
Collaborate closely with conservation and curatorial colleagues
Contribute to project coordination, documentation workflows, and the synthesis of research findings across multiple artworks
Advise on handling, storage, installation, and transit
Serve as a courier for works on loan