Collections Manager, Oceanic & Asian Arts

University of Washington; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

The Burke Museum at the University of Washington seeks a Collections Manager to oversee long-term care, access, and preservation of Oceanic, Asian, and Near Eastern collections. You will work with descendants, students, and researchers to ensure ethical stewardship and active community engagement.

You will supervise collections staff, coordinate with registrars on NAGPRA, and lead digitization and data integrity efforts while fostering cross-department collaboration and public programming.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree required with 2–3 years in collections management or related experience.
• Applicants must meet minimum qualifications; substitutions allowed where applicable.
• Knowledge of Indigenous and diasporic Oceanic/Asian communities; commitment to ethics and training.

Responsibilities

• Oversee accessions, cataloging and storage for Oceanic/Asian/NE regions.
• Track use of the collections and coordinate loans.
• Coordinate with Registrar on NAGPRA requests and inventories.
• Design protocols for curation and equipment use; manage equipment and trainings.
• Support digitization programs and data integrity; oversee data entry.
• Engage with communities through tours and outreach; collaborate across departments.
• Supervise staff, students and volunteers; assist with budgets and training.

Skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Mentoring college students

Ethics & decolonization commitment

Education

Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Anthropology, Ethnic Studies or related field

Tools

Collection database management systems

Job description

The Burke Museum at the University of Washington seeks a Collections Manager to oversee long-term care, access, and preservation of Oceanic, Asian, and Near Eastern collections. You will work with descendants, students, and researchers to ensure ethical stewardship and active community engagement.

You will supervise collections staff, coordinate with registrars on NAGPRA, and lead digitization and data integrity efforts while fostering cross-department collaboration and public programming.