Photography Assistant Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Graduate or undergraduate degree in conservation, or equivalent training model.
• For Assistant Conservator level, preferably two years of postgraduate experience conserving photographs in a museum setting or equivalent.
• For Associate Conservator level, at least seven years of postgraduate experience conserving photographs, including museum experience.
• Knowledge and experience with current documentation procedures, including digital photography (U.V., IR, and photomicrography).
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills for the Assistant level.
• Ability to communicate effectively in a highly collaborative and variable environment, including with museum staff and the public, for the Associate level.
• On-site presence five days per week during the initial 90-day employment period; thereafter four days per week onsite, with some weeks requiring five days onsite.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with living artists, their studio assistants, and artists’ estates.
• Experience conserving contemporary photographs.
• Experience working with conservation scientists and understanding the application of analytical instruments, including X-ray fluorescence, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.
• For the Associate Conservator level, experience with complex exhibitions and preventive display strategies.
• For the Associate Conservator level, experience serving as a courier and ability to travel; courier experience is not required at the Assistant level.

Responsibilities

• Examine, document, and treat photographs in the collection.
• Support departmental activities related to acquisitions, exhibition preparation, collection care, loans, and research.
• Monitor collection works in storage and advise on environmental conditions, packing, and other preventive conservation measures.
• Collaborate across Conservation, curatorial, Collection Management and Exhibition Registration, Exhibition Planning and Administration, Exhibition Design and Production, and Imaging and Visual Resources.
• Research historic and contemporary artist materials and practices.
• Explore new conservation methods, tools, and techniques.
• Communicate with artists and related stakeholders about in-depth conservation issues.
• Stay current with modern and contemporary art conservation approaches through participation in professional meetings.
• Assist in training and mentoring Fellows and Interns.
• Prepare works for outgoing loans, including overseeing safe transport and installation.
• Perform other duties reasonably related to the described functions.