Museum Technician Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• An Associate or Bachelor's degree in Illustrative Design, Commercial Art, Fine Arts, Industrial Design, Architecture, Drafting, Interior Design, or a related technical field. Relevant vocational or art-institute training may be credited as experience.
• Two to five years of experience in exhibit preparation, museum installation, specimen or artifact handling and mounting, or use of standard carpentry, electrical, and mechanical hand and power tools.
• Proficiency with hand and power tools, shop safety practices, and reading blueprints or computer-aided design drawings.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, climb ladders, and work safely in tight spaces or at heights.
• Knowledge of archival-safe materials and material interactions, including the risks of off-gassing near sensitive artifacts.
• Experience with track and LED gallery lighting, including focus adjustment and mitigation of UV and excessive light exposure.

Nice To Haves

• Basic troubleshooting experience with gallery displays, projectors, or other exhibit audiovisual equipment.
• Experience with patching, sanding, touch-up painting, custom mount making, or other fine-finishing work.
• Knowledge of Integrated Pest Management practices for identifying and preventing biological threats to museum collections.

Responsibilities

• Conduct daily pre-opening gallery rounds to confirm that exhibit lighting, interactive components, displays, and visitor-facing elements are functional and presentable.
• Clean exhibit cases, vitrines, pedestals, scenic elements, and approved exhibit surfaces using Government-approved, archival-safe materials.
• Perform approved preventive maintenance and minor repairs on interactive stations, exhibit components, casework, and gallery walls to preserve a “Day One” appearance.
• Assist with moving furniture, equipment, and scenic pieces for special events, exhibit servicing, and authorized building repairs.
• Handle, move, mount, or unmount artifacts only under a government-approved handling plan, within assigned qualifications, and in coordination with authorized museum collections personnel.
• Assist with back-of-house cataloging and processing of artifacts for online exhibits and digital collections.
• Securely install and remove approved display materials and adjust gallery lighting to meet established lux and conservation requirements.
• Inspect exhibit pathways and visitor areas for trip hazards and other safety concerns, supporting compliance with public-safety and ADA requirements.
• Organize and maintain storage areas for reusable pedestals, hardware, casework, tools, and exhibit-support materials.
• Coordinate with museum personnel and technical staff when exhibit issues involve AV equipment, projectors, lighting controls, or other specialized systems.