Curatorial Assistant, Painting and Sculpture (Temporary)

Museum of Modern Art; New York (NY); On-site; USD 64,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unionized position

Job summary

The Museum of Modern Art invites applications for a temporary Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Painting and Sculpture. You will support senior curators in research for exhibitions, publications, loans, and collections records, with an emphasis on rigorous scholarship and clear documentation.

Responsibilities include preparing wall texts, catalog entries, and public materials; assisting in daily operations of the department; and coordinating with other museum departments to ensure smooth

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in art history or equivalent work experience.
• Two years or more in a museum or with loan exhibitions/publications.
• Superior research, writing, and editing skills are essential.
• Professional proficiency in a second language.
• Strong organizational and detail orientation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work well in a team.
• Familiarity with Google Suite and MS Office; knowledge of TMS is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Assist senior curators with research, planning, organization, and exhibition realization.
• Contribute to publications and wall texts, including labels and captions.
• Research and catalog the collection and archives related to exhibitions.
• Support loans, publications, and website/public program planning.

Skills

Research

Writing

Editing

Organizational skills

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Master’s or PhD in art history

Equivalent work experience

Tools

TMS

Google Suite

MS Office

Job description

The Museum
Founded in 1929 as an educational institution, The Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern and contemporary art in the world. Through the leadership of its trustees and staff, the Museum manifests this commitment by establishing, preserving, and documenting a collection of the highest order that reflects the vitality, complexity, and unfolding patterns of modern and contemporary art; by presenting exhibitions and educational programs of unparalleled significance; by sustaining a library, archives, and conservation laboratory that are recognized as international centers of research; and by supporting scholarship and publications of preeminent intellectual merit.

The Museum
Founded in 1929 as an educational institution, The Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern and contemporary art in the world. Through the leadership of its trustees and staff, the Museum manifests this commitment by establishing, preserving, and documenting a collection of the highest order that reflects the vitality, complexity, and unfolding patterns of modern and contemporary art; by presenting exhibitions and educational programs of unparalleled significance; by sustaining a library, archives, and conservation laboratory that are recognized as international centers of research; and by supporting scholarship and publications of preeminent intellectual merit.
Central to the Museum’s mission is the encouragement of an ever-deepening understanding and enjoyment of modern and contemporary art by the diverse local, national, and international audiences that it serves.

The Opportunity

The Museum of Modern Art is currently accepting applications for a temporary Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Painting and Sculpture. The Museum of Modern Art is the repository of the world’s largest and most inclusive collection of modern painting and sculpture, comprising some 4,000 works dating from the late nineteenth century to the present day. The Painting and Sculpture Department produces a rigorous and innovative program of acquisitions, exhibitions and scholarship. The Curatorial Assistant supports senior curators in all areas of responsibilities, including administrative work in the context of curatorial functions such as research for exhibitions and publications, loans, acquisitions, collections records, bibliographic and biographical records and files, and general curatorial inquiries.

Responsibilities

• Assists senior curators with all aspects of research, planning, organization, and realization of upcoming exhibitions.
• Writes, edits, and assists in the production of Museum publications and exhibition-related materials, including wall texts and extended object labels.
• Researches and catalogs the Museum collection and archives as they relate to the exhibition project. Answers related inquiries.
• Performs exhibition support functions, including bibliographic and checklist research, loan correspondence, publication research and production, website development, and public program planning.
• Assists in the maintenance of the collection and loans, and expedites arrangements for custodial, registration, conservation, and preparation work as required in the gallery, study and storage areas.
• Functions as a liaison with outside persons and organizations, and with other departments within the Museum.
• May assist in research and preparation for potential acquisitions for the collection, including biographical and bibliographical research, maintaining files, and communicating with dealers, galleries, collectors, and artists, as necessary.
• Keeps informed of current activity in the area of departmental interest through gallery and museum visits, publications, etc. and makes recommendations to senior staff.
• Conducts daily collection gallery inspections and daily inspection of works on view in temporary exhibitions and assists with follow-up arrangements in the event of damage, deterioration, etc.
• Answers inquiries and conducts gallery tours as necessary for visitors, etc.
• Performs any other duties reasonably related to the functions described above.

Requirements

• Master’s or PhD degree in art history, or equivalent work experience. Expertise in 21st century American and European art history.
• One to two years’ experience working in a museum or supporting loan exhibitions and accompanying publications.
• Superior research, writing, and editing skills are essential.
• Professional proficiency of a second language.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to successfully work as part of a team.
• Working knowledge of Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite include MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Familiarity with The Museum System (TMS) is helpful.
• Proficiency in at least one language, in addition to English, is required.
• On-site presence is required five days a week during the 90-day initial employment period. Thereafter the schedule is four days per week onsite, subject to change at management’s discretion, with the understanding that some weeks on-site presence five days a week will be required.

Reports to:

The Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture

Salary:

The salary for this position is $74,858 (gross) per annum

Application deadline:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a deadline of September 18, 2026, after which the job posting will be closed.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement:

Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at the Museum, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, or any other protected category as established by applicable law, including the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”).

This is a unionized position at MoMA with covered employees represented by Local 2110, UAW, AFL-CIO.