The Studio Museum in Harlem is seeking a Curatorial Assistant to join the growing Curatorial Department responsible for the Museum’s collections and exhibition program. This position, reporting to the Associate Curator, Permanent Collection, will support research and administrative needs for the Department, focused primarily on preparation for reinstallation in the Museum’s new building. The Curatorial Assistant will work closely with colleagues on archives- and collections-related research, exhibition planning and administration, and collection maintenance and stewardship. The position requires a candidate equipped to think broadly and innovatively about the Museum’s artist-centered mission, while also independently managing a wide range of administrative responsibilities.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Work closely with Curatorial team on:
- Exhibition research and administration, including preparing loan requests, assisting in the preparation of checklists and didactic materials, and liaising with other departments on installation, catalogue production, etc.
- Reviewing, cataloguing, and conditioning works of art
- Administration around acquisitions to the collections
- Maintenance of the collections and their related files
- Coordinate scheduling, communications, and logistics around the preparations for the exhibitions in the Museum’s new building
- Research and write about artists, works of art, and archival materials and assets
- Catalogue exhibitions and aspects of the collections’ inventory in TMS Collections and NetX, including objects, constituents, loans, appraisals, and exhibition history, working closely with the Collections Database Manager
- Answer queries from both the general public and scholars
- Manage communications across departments
- Provide support for general departmental administration, including scheduling, invoicing, and co-managing interns
- Assist with other projects as assigned
Key Stakeholders (who this position will interact with regularly):
- Internal (excluding direct chain of command): Curatorial, Registrar, Communications, Education, Public Programs and Community Engagement
- External: Artists, estates, galleries, visitors, scholars, other institutions, donors
Travel Requirements: ☐ Yes ☒ No 0 - 10%
Physical Demands: ☒ Yes ☐ No
- 80% time spent sitting at the computer.
- Some carrying and lifting up to twenty-five pounds
Qualifications:
Required
- Strong background in mid-twentieth century and contemporary art by artists of African descent
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in art history or a related field
- Familiarity with The Museum System (TMS/TMS Collections), NetX, and Raiser’s Edge
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud
- Experience working in a museum or cultural organization
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Desirable
- Knowledge of museum standards and practices of registration, art handling, conservation, and collections storage requirements and procedures
Competencies (Key Behaviors & Abilities Essential to Perform the Job):
Required (items listed as “required” MUST be met for a candidate to qualify for this role):
- Commitment (Core Value) to the mission and values of The Studio Museum in Harlem
- Collaborative (Core Value) with others at all levels of the organization as well as with key external stakeholders
- Initiative (Core Value) demonstrated by taking self-directed, appropriate action to influence outcomes and / or drive progress and positive change
Application:
Please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@studiomuseum.org. Be sure to include "Curatorial Assistant" in the subject line. No phone calls or faxes.
Please note that while careful consideration will be given to each submission, the Museum will only be able to contact those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and work experience best fit the requirements of the position.