Collections Manager | Computer History Museum

Calmuseums; Milpitas (CA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully sponsored medical, dental, and 


Vision benefits

403(b) retirement plan with employer 


Generous PTO

Life and Disability Insurance

Employee discounts in museum store and

Job summary

Computer History Museum seeks a dedicated Collections Manager to safeguard CHM’s 41,000 physical objects, manage storage and exhibit preparation, and support loan processing. The role focuses on documentation, stewardship, access, and expedition logistics from Milpitas and Mountain View facilities.

Responsibilities include cataloging in CMS, coordinating with facilities, moving collections, and ensuring security and safety during handling and transport.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in museum studies with 2+ years progressive hands-on experience working with physical museum objects.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with artifact collections management, record-keeping, artifact storage systems, handling, and packing.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with IPM, security, and mitigating risks to collections in general.
• Highly organized, creative, & curious, with excellent attention to detail & time management skills.
• Photography and photo editing skills.
• Strong interpersonal communications skills, working both independently and collaboratively with a diverse group of people, and possessing a sense of humor.
• Experience working with large artifacts, ability to efficiently and safely use a pallet jack, cataloging, artifact handling, collections moves, and working in storage facilities.
• Experience as a frequent user of a CMS, with a passion for maintaining accurate locations.
• Preferred: strapping large artifacts to pallets; PEM2 dataloggers and eClimate Notebook; familiarity with computer/electronics artifact collections and preservation requirements; mount making; safe operation of scissor lift and tools.

Responsibilities

• Maintain CHM-enhanced Nomenclature hierarchy.
• Coordinate forklift access and storage in the warehouse.
• Operate scissor lift to access objects and replace earthquake straps.
• Manage warehouse portion of annual collections move and update locations.
• Support loan object handling, condition reporting, and transportation.
• Provide access to CHM’s Restoration Team and Special Collections in warehouse.
• Catalog large artifacts and prepare items for transport and exhibit installation/deinstallation.
• Ensure security walkthroughs and pest control records are up to date.
• Travel between CHM locations for object handling and exhibit work.

Skills

Museum operations

Record-keeping

Artifact handling

CMS proficiency

Security awareness

Interpersonal communications

Organizational skills

Education

Master’s degree in museum studies

Tools

Pallet jack

Scissor lift

PEM2 dataloggers

eClimate Notebook

CMS (collections management system)

Job description

Collections Manager | Computer History Museum

Collections Manager | Computer History Museum

By Computer History Museum

10/21/2026

Details

Classification: Full-time, Regular

Location: Milpitas, CA

Position Summary

The position maintains and advocates for the integrity, safety, and order of CHM’s physical object collection, whether in storage or on exhibit. They assist the Director of Collections with the custodial responsibilities for the approximate 41,000 physical objects in storage, and provide documentation, stewardship, and access to this collection. The incumbent is also responsible for supporting additional activities including physical object-based grant projects, cataloging physical objects at the warehouse, condition reporting incoming and outgoing loan objects, and assisting with installing and deinstalling exhibition artifacts. This position is primarily based at the Museum’s collection storage warehouse in Milpitas, and the museum in Mountain View.

Responsibilities

• Master and maintain CHM-enhanced Nomenclature hierarchy
• Coordinate with Facilities to schedule warehouse forklifting to access and store artifacts
• Operate warehouse scissor lift to access objects & to replace earthquake straps after forklifting
• Manage warehouse portion of annual collections move, and accurately update locations
• Manage physical object research requests, both internal & external, in-person & remote researchers
• Provide access & supervision to CHM’s 1401 Restoration Team when pulling spare parts at the warehouse
• Catalog large artifacts received at warehouse
• Provide access to Special Collections stored at warehouse
• Physically un-pack/crate & re-pack/crate incoming loan objects
• Assist with installing & deinstalling loaned objects from exhibits
• Assist with transportation of loaned objects between warehouse & museum
• Physically meet/work with art handlers/shippers at warehouse & museum
• Confirm availability/condition of outgoing CHM loan objects at warehouse
• Assist with pulling outgoing CHM loan objects from display at the museum, as needed
• Condition report and photograph outgoing CHM loan objects
• Prepare and pack CHM loan objects for transport
• Physically meet/work with art handlers/shippers at warehouse & museum
• Replace & record monthly pest traps and dataloggers at the warehouse
• Perform opening & closing security walkthroughs at warehouse - address issues/submit tickets
• Assist with quarterly exhibit cleanings
• Pull CHM artifacts being considered for exhibition from storage at warehouse for review
• Assist with installing & deinstalling exhibit objects
• Transport CHM exhibit objects between museum, archive, & warehouse
• Return CHM exhibit objects to home locations at warehouse, update locations in CMS

Qualifications and Skills

The professional background, experience, and technical skills required for success in this role.

Required

• Master’s degree in museum studies from an accredited university with 2+ years progressive hands-on experience working with physical museum objects
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with artifact collections management, record-keeping, artifact storage systems, handling, and packing
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with IPM, security, and mitigating risks to collections in general
• Highly organized, creative, & curious, with excellent attention to detail & time management skills
• Photography and photo editing skills
• Strong interpersonal communications skills, working both independently and collaboratively with a diverse group of people, and possessing a sense of humor
• Experience working with large artifacts, ability to efficiently and safely use a pallet jack, cataloging, artifact handling, collections moves, and working in storage facilities
• Experience as a frequent user of a CMS, with a passion for maintaining accurate locations

Preferred

• Experience strapping large artifacts to pallets
• Experience using PEM2 dataloggers and eClimate Notebook for environmental analysis
• Familiarity with computer, technology or electronics artifact collections and preservation requirements
• Mount making – brass and acrylic
• Safe and efficient operation of a scissor lift & hand tools – power & manual

Work Arrangement

Location, Schedule, Travel, and Working Conditions
Hours: This is a full-time position - 40 hours per week
Work Location: This is a hybrid position requiring the candidate to be onsite 4 days a week (80%).
Schedule: Standard 8 hours per day.
Flexibility: Duties may include occasional weekend work.
Other Requirements: Staff in this position must travel occasionally between the Museum’s three locations in Mountain View, Fremont, and Milpitas. A valid CA driver’s license and reliable transportation are required

Fully sponsored Medical, dental, and vision benefits
Partially sponsored Health dependent costs
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) with employer contributions
403(b) retirement plan with 1:1 employer matching
Generous PTO (Paid Time Off) benefits
Fully sponsored Life and Disability Insurance
Employee Discounts in museum store and onsite café

Compensation
Commensurate with experience.
Salary Range: $70,000–$85,000 annually

About CHM

At the Computer History Museum our mission is to decode technology—its computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity. From the heart of Silicon Valley, we share insights from our research, our events, and our incomparable collection of computing artifacts and oral histories to convene, inform, and empower people to shape a better future.

At CHM, we believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success. We provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Our Values

At CHM, we strive to create a culture that is collaborative, caring, and fun, where we hold ourselves accountable, look for the best in each other, and learn together. These are our values: integrity, inclusiveness, innovation, communication, curiosity.