Specialist - Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium & Arts of Africa
About The Position
The Specialist plays a key role in caring for, installing, and moving artworks within two dynamic curatorial departments: Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium (AGRB) and Arts of Africa (AA). This position works closely with curators, the collection manager, installation crews, registrars, conservators, facilities, and security teams to ensure artworks are handled safely and thoughtfully. The role supports gallery rotations, reinstallations, exhibitions, and storage care, maintaining high standards of art handling, environmental monitoring, and object documentation. This is a hands-on, collaborative role essential to the smooth operation of galleries and storage spaces.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Minimum 3 years of experience handling works of art or equivalent experience working with objects required.
- Knowledge of safe, current art-handling best practices.
- Experience with rigging, AV, and/or mount-making fabrication and installation.
- Skilled in preparing casework, support structures, and housing for artworks.
- Ability to interpret design drawings.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Comfort using Google Suite and learning museum-specific database systems.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with 3D drawing software is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Plans and schedules art movement and installations in consultation with curators and the collection manager.
- Directs departmental art handling, including moving objects to/from galleries, storage, meetings, imaging studios, and conservation.
- Coordinates installation and packing crews; provides functional supervision to art handlers and packers.
- Installs, deinstalls, packs, and unpacks artworks; may serve as a courier when needed.
- Creates mounts or mannequins for object display when required.
- Updates object locations in the museum database within 24 hours of movement.
- Conducts regular location checks in storage areas.
- Creates handling maps and measurements after each gallery reinstallation.
- Organizes and maintains storage areas.
- Assists with conservation, installation, and storage of departmental collections.
- Performs routine maintenance such as dusting, condition checks, labeling, and measuring objects.
- Places mount-making requests and prepares objects for display.
- Monitors and reports pest activity.
- Supports scholars, students, and visitors during object viewings in storage and study areas.
- Dusts platforms and casework; monitors temperature and humidity in galleries and storage.
- Submits and schedules facilities work requests (painting, lighting, cleaning, casework, stanchions).
- Facilitates contractor work in galleries and storage.
- Installs and updates object labels.
- May create digital gallery mockups for departmental planning.
- Ensures all gallery and storage security procedures are followed.
- Confirms objects are properly secured to walls, mounts, and casework.
- Responds appropriately to art, gallery, or storage emergencies.
- Follows museum art-handling training and participates in ongoing professional development.
- Stays current with best practices in art handling, materials, and installation; offers recommendations when appropriate.
Benefits
- Competitive, comprehensive benefits package
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
