Associate Preparator

Oakland Museum of California; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

The Associate Preparator at Oakland Museum of California prepares, handles, installs, de-installs, transports, and maintains art, artifacts, and museum environments for core galleries, temporary exhibitions, collections storage and institutional projects. The role collaborates with Production, Collections, Design staff, and other museum departments to ensure safe display and enhanced visitor experience.

The position requires intermediate knowledge of safe handling, fabrication methods, and the

Qualifications

• 2+ years related experience in historic, natural science, or art museums, archives, or parks.
• Ability to display and encourage visitor and internal customer service, take and share responsibility, and treat others with respect.
• Understanding of the principles of safe artifact and artwork handling.
• Intermediate knowledge of materials and techniques for fabrication of museum exhibitry, collection storage, and display solutions.
• Intermediate knowledge of preventative conservation standards for artifact handling, storage, packing, and display applied to museum collections, gallery operations, and maintenance requirements.
• Ability to meet museum standards ensuring visitors’, artists’, safety, and aesthetic needs.
• Ability to proficiently and safely use shop equipment, including portable and stationary power tools, vehicles, and the safe handling of fabrication materials/chemicals.
• Ability to read, understand, and utilize technical drawings, reference materials, office computer systems and collections management systems.
• Ability to work efficiently with regard to time and materials, balance multiple project timelines simultaneously, work independently and problem solve with minimum supervision, and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record acceptable to the Museum’s insurer.
• Strong communication skills; English language proficiency in both spoken and written form.

Responsibilities

• Handle, prepare, pack, transport, install and de-install art, artifacts, specimens for temporary exhibitions, gallery rotations, incoming and outgoing loans, and program spaces ensuring safe display and safe return to storage.
• Fabricate, assemble, finish and work from elevations and drawings to install exhibit casework, furniture, walls and gallery surfaces, props, scenic construction, guardrails, paneling, platforms, graphic boards, interactives, and dioramas to museum standards.
• Fabricate, finish, and install object mounts, brackets, and seismic restraints to museum standards ensuring object to museum standards.
• Mat, mount, and frame works on paper, photographs, and textiles; prepare works for installation.
• Install and de-install media, including construction of enclosures and mounts and routing and dressing of cabling; install exhibition wiring and lighting, focus and re-lamp gallery lighting to specification.
• Install exhibition and display elements for large scale campus events and garden related installations.
• Demonstrate museum techniques to the public and answer visitor questions while working in the galleries.
• Lead sub-teams during production, exhibition installation, and gallery rotations.

Skills

English proficiency

Strong communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

B.A. degree or related field

Job description

Associate Preparator

US-CA-Oakland

Job ID: 2026-1516

Type: Regular Full-Time

# of Openings: 1

Category: Preparation

Oakland Museum of CA

Overview

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) VALUES

• Equity: We acknowledge injustices in our society and take responsibility for challenging them.
• We hold ourselves accountable and strive to repair harm and invite healing with openness and humility.
• Courage: We take risks, experiment, and explore with curiosity and a commitment to growth.
• Collaboration: We partner in reciprocity with community to catalyze dialogue and elevate stories, movements and creative expressions that shape our world.
• Belonging: We aspire to be a gathering place where everyone feels welcome. We foster connection with family, community, and the natural world to which we all belong.
• Inspiration: We celebrate art and culture that broaden the imagination. Our museum and garden spark contemplation, wonder and joy.

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) MISSION

We inspire understanding and empathy with stories and experiences of California’s art, history, and natural environment to build more equitable and connected communities.

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) VISION

We envision a just and vibrant future where our communities value and honor one another and the world around us.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Associate Preparator prepares, handles, installs, de-installs, transports, monitors and maintains art, artifacts, specimens, museum furniture, museum exhibitry, and the museum environment for the Core Galleries, temporary exhibitions, collections storage and institutional projects. The position collaborates extensively with Production, Collections, Design staff, and other museum departments, on logistics related to the care, access, handling, storage, and presentation of art, artifacts, and specimens to enhance visitor experience and increase collections access. The Associate Preparator has an intermediate knowledge of safe handling, transportation, display, storage, and fabrication methods. Leads sub-teams.

This position is exclusively represented and is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between OMCA and the OMCA Workers United, AFSCME Local 4510 (AFL-CIO).

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following reflects OMCA’s definition of essential functions for this position, but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. OMCA may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the Museum’s mission, values, vision, and core commitment to the visitor experience, community engagement, and institutional relevancy for the future
• Contribute to and support the OMCA strategic plan, annual priorities, and institutional initiatives such as diversity advancement
• Contribute to a positive organizational culture based on mutual respect, a spirit of collegiality, cooperation, and openness to many perspectives
• Participate in a culture of ongoing learning, collaboration, innovation, creativity, and community engagement
• All positions will have core functional responsibilities, cross functional team activation and learning and development as a core function of each role.

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Exhibitions/Programs

• Handle, prepare, pack, transport, install and de-install art, artifacts, specimens for temporary exhibitions, gallery rotations, incoming and outgoing loans, and program spaces ensuring safe display and safe return to storage.
• Fabricate, assemble, finish and work from elevations and drawings to install exhibit casework, furniture, walls and gallery surfaces, props, scenic construction, guardrails, paneling, platforms, graphic boards, interactives, and dioramas to museum standards.
• Fabricate, finish, and install object mounts, brackets, and seismic restraints to museum standards ensuring object to museum standards.
• Mat, mount, and frame works on paper, photographs, and textiles; prepare works for installation.
• Install and de-install media, including construction of enclosures and mounts and routing and dressing of cabling; install exhibition wiring and lighting, focus and re-lamp gallery lighting to specification.
• Install exhibition and display elements for large scale campus events and garden related installations.
• Demonstrate museum techniques to the public and answer visitor questions while working in the galleries.
• Lead sub-teams during production, exhibition installation, and gallery rotations.

Collections Care

• Conduct ongoing condition monitoring and maintenance rounds of galleries and collections storage inspecting for physical damage, deterioration, instability, insect activity, dust accumulation, mount or media failure; maintain, clean, treat, repair, and document art, artifact, specimens, cases, and exhibit elements; replace buffering materials, verify case seals, inspect pest traps, mitigate water intrusion; place, read, download, and maintain data loggers, light meters, and UV meters; report changes in object condition, environmental exceedances, incidents, and readings.
• Monitor, feed, and provide enrichment for living collections animals; fabricate and monitor animal enclosures and other animal support systems.
• Monitor equipment activities such as anoxic chamber (insect fumigation), ovens, and freezers.
• Handle, prepare, pack, present, and transport art, artifacts, and specimens for storage, study, loan, condition surveys, conservation treatment, digitization, collections inventories, and installation; construct storage housings, supports, crates, travel frames, and custom packing; handle materials in accordance with museum policy, including NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA.
• Engage in the development, organization, and maintenance of storage facilities.
• Install and maintain earthquake museum standards mitigation systems and security barriers for objects on display and in storage.

Administration

• Coordinate with collections, curatorial, design, evaluation and visitor insights, facilities, and learning experience and programs staff on cross-departmental planning and projects.
• Collaborate with project and production teams, provide and receive status updates, and communicate widely and effectively.
• Create and maintain museum records, including monitoring logs, condition documentation, and maintenance records.
• Participate in museum infrastructure and management of back-of-house locations; monitor and maintain exhibition supply inventory; source and order exhibit supplies within the budget and timeline, provide materials research and budget estimates.
• Adhere to personal and workplace safety procedures, including required PPE; maintain and share knowledge of safe practices; report incidents and near misses.
• Participate in and lead skills training, workshops, and seminars.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE

• 2+ years related experience in historic, natural science, or art museums, archives, or parks. High School Diploma or G.E.D. certificate. B.A. degree or equivalent experience in related field preferred.
• Ability to display and encourage visitor and internal customer service, take and share responsibility, and treat others with respect.
• Understanding of the principles of safe artifact and artwork handling.
• Intermediate knowledge of materials and techniques for fabrication of museum exhibitry, collection storage, and display solutions.
• Intermediate knowledge of preventative conservation standards for artifact handling, storage, packing, and display applied to museum collections, gallery operations, and maintenance requirements.
• Ability to meet museum standards ensuring visitors’, artists’, safety, and aesthetic needs.
• Ability to proficiently and safely use shop equipment, including portable and stationary power tools, vehicles, and the safe handling of fabrication materials/chemicals.
• Ability to read, understand, and utilize technical drawings, reference materials, office computer systems and collections management systems.
• Ability to work efficiently with regard to time and materials, balance multiple project timelines simultaneously, work independently and problem solve with minimum supervision, and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record acceptable to the Museum’s insurer.
• Strong communication skills; English language proficiency in both spoken and written form.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The environment may include:

• Museum environment involves both indoor and outdoor working conditions.
• Ability to travel between OMCA locations, and other travel as required by position responsibilities.
• Engagement with diverse visitor populations in the galleries and throughout the campus.
• Work occasional nights and weekends during installation and de-installation periods and campus events.
• Tasks that require recognizing and accurately describing visible conditions.
• Strenuous physical work including lifting up to 50 lbs., pushing, pulling, reaching, standing and walking for long periods, working at height on ladders, scissor lifts, and scaffolding.
• Operate scissor lift, forklift, gantry, pallet jack, rigging equipment, and museum vehicles.
• Tasks that require the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, safety shoes, protective clothing, hearing protection, respiratory protection, and gloves.
• Work near hazardous materials, moving mechanical parts, moderate to loud noise; exposure to dirt, dust, and fumes.

EEO STATEMENT

The Oakland Museum of California is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ability/disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We highly encourage our diverse community to apply for available employment, internship, fellowship and volunteer positions at the Museum, as we aim to ensure our staff reflects the diversity of our visitors and surrounding community. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, OMCA will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

COMPENSATION: $32.95/hr.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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