Assistant Curator

City-of-Ontario,-C; Ontario (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Ontario's Museum, Arts & Culture Department seeks an Assistant Curator assigned to Education. The role focuses on developing school tour programs, public programming, and outreach materials to communicate the Museum’s exhibits and community activities effectively.

Ideal candidates will have strong communication, organization, and teamwork skills, with a passion for creativity and collaboration. A background in history or museum studies and two years of related experience are

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university in U.S. or California History, Museum Studies, Art, History, Anthropology or closely related field.
• Two years of museum experience, including either collections management, exhibition development, public education programs, volunteer programs, and/or museum education.
• Desirable bilingual proficiency in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Assists in collection management, exhibit and educational program development.
• Coordinates development of K-12 educator materials, including outreach brochures, lesson plans, and sample activities.
• Teaches and coordinates tours and workshops for K-12 students and adults in history, gardens, visual, performing, and/or media arts.
• Maintains and updates object records in collection management database.

Skills

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Spanish (desirable)

Education

Bachelor's degree in History, Museum Studies, Art, History, Anthropology or closely related field

Job description

Assistant Curator

Are you passionate about working and contributing to a creative environment to advance the mission and goals of a Museum? Looking for a career where you utilize your passion for museum education and be a part of a collaborative and diverse team? If so, the City of Ontario has the perfect opportunity for you! The Ontario Museum of History & Art is searching for an organized and self-motivated individual to join the team as an Assistant Curator assigned to Education. The Assistant Curator assigned to Education is responsible for development and coordination of school tour programs including assisting in the development of public programming and outreach materials, resulting in effective communication of the Museum’s exhibits and community programs and activities.

There is one (1) current vacancy in the Education Division within the Department of Museum, Arts & Culture.

Note: The Assistant Curator classification is used throughout the Department of Museum, Arts & Culture in a variety of assignments This recruitment will result in an eligibility list to meet the current and future staffing needs of the department with openings in this classification.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Possess strong communication and presentation skills.
• Exemplary organizational and time management skills.
• A passion for creativity, collaboration, and teamwork
• Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to take initiative, remain open-minded, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to multitask effectively, including managing scheduling, calendaring, and competing priorities with accuracy and efficiency.

Additionally, the successful candidate will embody the qualities of a "Five Tool Player"- Leader, Thinker, Communicator, Operator and Public Servant - and the principles of the City's Customer Service Philosophy – Empathy, Respect, and Problem Solving.

The following procedures will apply:

• The Eligibility List will consist of both internal and external applicants who meet the qualifications and successfully complete any required selection processes.
• The hiring department has the discretion to consider internal applicants on the Eligibility List prior to considering external candidates on the Eligibility List.
• The City of Ontario reserves the right, if necessary, to accept only the first one hundred (100) applications from applicants that meet the qualification guidelines below.
• Completed applications will be reviewed and only qualified applicants whose qualifications best meet or exceed the requirements of the position and needs of the City will be invited to participate further in the selection process.

Community Life and Culture Agency

The City of Ontario's Community Life & Culture Agency endeavors to meet the Ontario City Council goal to "encourage, provide or support enhanced recreational, educational, cultural and healthy city programs, policies and activities." Community Life & Culture does this through a comprehensive array of programs, activities, services and events available through the Housing Services, Library, Museum, Arts & Culture, and Recreation & Community Services Departments.

The City of Ontario’s Department of Museum, Arts & Culture enhances knowledge and appreciation of our Inland Empire community through dynamic, inspiring, and creative exhibits, collections stewardship, family-friendly educational programs, cultural events, and public art. MAC reflects pride in our legacy, who we are, where we live, and who we aspire to be, as well as supports artists of all backgrounds who create experiences that are inclusive, innovative, and relevant. To learn more about the Ontario Museum of History & Art, please view the Department's Strategic Plan here.

The City of Ontario is a dynamic leading community in the Inland Empire with a variety of full-time and part‑time employment and volunteer opportunities. Ontario enjoys the reputation of being a progressive City which provides solid leadership to its citizens and to the business community. The City provides a full range of services to the community including, but not limited to: Police, Fire, Management Services, Community Life & Culture, Community Development, Economic Development, Public Works and the Ontario Municipal Utilities Company. The City’s team is staffed with approximately 1,517 full‑time equivalent diverse and talented employees who work to support a common goal of providing excellent service to the community.

The City’s vision for the future is very exciting, and we foresee tremendous growth within the years to come. We welcome you to view the City of Ontario’s 2026 State of the City video by clicking on the link below as well as the other links to learn more about the City.

State of the City, The Ontario Plan, Smart Ontario, Downtown Ontario

The essential functions typically performed by the Assistant Curator include the following:

• Assists curatorial staff on collection management, exhibit and educational program development.
• Assists in the development of graphic materials to market collections work, exhibits and public programs.
• Coordinates in-house exhibition research for upcoming exhibits and permanent collections.
• Assists with researching and developing grant applications and other funding opportunities.
• Assists with division budgets and expense tracking, correspondence, reports, arranges studio visits, and general office responsibilities.
• Represents the Museum at events, meetings, and gatherings of the City and general public.
• Coordinates the activities of volunteers, staff, contract artists, and program participants.
• Collaborates with other City departments and assists in communication efforts between the Museum and artists, volunteers, participants, and other community organizations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

When assigned to Education, functions performed include:

• Coordinates development of K-12 educator materials, including outreach brochures, lesson plans, and sample activities.
• Assists in managing the activities and planning of education programs in history, gardens, visual, and/or media arts, including research, design, staffing, and assessment.
• Teaches and/or coordinates tours and workshops for K-12 students and adults in history, gardens, visual, performing, and/or media arts.
• Manages logistics for tour scheduling, tracks and communicates incoming tours requests, and develops quarterly tour request forms.
• Assists with development of a strategic community engagement plan to increase visitorship to the Museum, especially school and community groups.
• Manages, orders, and tracks inventory for art supplies.

When assigned to Exhibits, functions performed include:

• Coordinates installation of temporary permanent, and traveling exhibits, including care of all works, exhibit design, and security.
• Assists curatorial staff with research and writing related to developing temporary exhibits and collections based programs.
• Assists exhibits staff in curating annual exhibits.
• Supports exhibition research, development, and planning: completes and tracks exhibition paperwork including checklists and interdepartmental coordination.
• Supports in copy‑editing and proofreading all exhibition materials.
• Coordinates transportation and insurance requirements for traveling exhibitions.
• Coordinates distribution of exhibition marketing materials, such as press releases, local news listings and university outreach.

When assigned to Collections, functions performed include:

• Supports research on collection materials and/or artifacts in coordination with collections and curatorial staff.
• Maintains and improves collection storages across Museum sites.
• Maintains and updates object records in collection management database.

Education

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in U.S. or California History, Museum Studies, Art, History, Anthropology or closely related field.

Experience

Two years of museum experience, including either collections management, exhibition development, public education programs, volunteer programs, and/or museum education.

Desirable

• Prior teaching or facilitation experience in a K-12, college, special education, and/or adult classroom setting.
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish.