Conservator (Preventive) (Fellow)

Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute; Suitland (MD); Presencial; USD 70 000 - 90 000; Tempo integral

Resumo da oferta

The Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute is seeking a Conservator (Preventive) Fellow for a temporary appointment in Washington, DC. The role centers on conservation research and using data-driven methods to set environmental parameters for museum collections.

Responsibilities include mapping current practices, piloting projects, collaborating with conservators, scientists, and facilities staff, and organizing stakeholder convenings.

Qualificações

• Master's degree in conservation from an accredited program, plus 1–2 years of research or field experience in preventive conservation.
• Knowledge of preventive conservation principles, chemistry, material technology, deterioration, and documenting findings.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences.

Responsabilidades

• Maps and assesses historic and current preventive conservation practices and develops pilot projects.
• Collaborates with conservators, scientists, and facilities professionals to support data-driven environmental decisions.
• Organizes stakeholder convenings and disseminates results via lectures and presentations.

Conhecimentos

Preventive conservation

Research experience

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Written communication

Verbal communication

Formação académica

Master's degree in conservation

Descrição da oferta de emprego

Appointment Type: Temporary Trust, NTE 2 years

Conservator (Preventive) (Fellow) IS-1001-11 - Washington, DC | Smithsonian Institution Careers

Responsibilities

Conservation Research:

• Maps and assesses historic and current research and practices in the maintenance of museum collections environments across the SI and within the broader conservation sector. Gathers and analyzes current best practices in preventive conservation regarding environmental controls and identifies opportunities or gaps in current environmental standards for museum collections. Develops and carries out 2 pilot projects that can be tested within SI to provide new or additional evidence that would assist in data-driven decision-making for setting collections environment parameters.
• Collaborates closely with an interdisciplinary range of professionals including conservators, scientists, and cultural heritage practitioners at MCI as well as researchers, conservators, collection managers and curators throughout the Smithsonian and the conservation community. Additionally, works closely with Facilities Management and Design and Construction engineers and professionals to understand how their expertise and professional responsibilities work in relation to conservators’ expertise and professional responsibilities. Identifies a small multi-disciplinary advisory team to whom to report findings and receive feedback.

Conservation Education:

• Organizes a convening of key stakeholders and researchers on the topic of data-driven decision-making for setting collections environment parameters. Develops presentation tools for communicating results to conservators, collections staff and facilities staff as well as high-level decision-makers, for ex, unit directors and SI senior leadership. Shares project results through lectures and presentations both internally at SI as well as at professional conferences and academic audiences. Travels for research visits or deliver presentations, as appropriate. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a master's degree (M.A. or M.Sc.) in conservation from an accredited conservation program, and one to two years of research experience or related museum or fieldwork experience in preventive conservation.

• Knowledge of principles, concepts, and methodologies requisite to preventive conservation, e.g., chemistry, material technology and deterioration, and art historical and technological understanding: and of the practical or craft skills to comprehend considerations in the examination and conservation treatment of museum collections, sufficient to assess museum collections environments, identify preservation risks, and evaluate preventive conservation approaches and research priorities.
• Knowledge of the chemical and physical properties of museum collections, specimens, and objects, and of the techniques used to preserve and conserve them in order to evaluate the effects of environmental conditions on collections and interpret conservation and research findings.
• Skill in documenting and interpreting conservation treatments and research findings and compiling, presenting, and disseminating results in written form, sufficient to communicate technical information to staff from different disciplines.
• Knowledge of a range of conservation technologies (e.g., cleaning, mending, consolidation, wet cleaning, replacement, coating, supporting, mounting, and rehousing) and of the technical and scientific research procedures, sufficient to evaluate conservation practices, develop and assess pilot projects, and determine the applicability of research findings to museum collection environments.
• Skill in collaborating with interdisciplinary teams of both conservation and allied professionals.
• Skill in written and verbal communication of information accurately and with attention to detail to audiences that include art historians, curators, conservation scientists, as well as administrators and to the general public.