Endowed Arachnology Curator & BEACON Leader

California Academy of Sciences; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 111,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Academy of Sciences seeks an endowed Assistant Curator in the Entomology Department (Schlinger Chair of Arachnology) to lead a collections-based research program at the intersection of traditional morphology, genomics, imaging, and informatics.

We are building a globally recognized arachnid program, contributing to Project BEACON, mentoring trainees, and securing external funding while engaging diverse audiences through outreach and exhibitions.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Entomology, Arachnology, Systematics, Evolutionary Biology, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience with natural history collections and integrating collections-based research with genomics, imaging, informatics.
• Proven record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
• Demonstrated ability to secure external funding.
• Ability to communicate science to scientific and lay audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute original collections-based systematic research with publications.
• Direct expeditions and collaboration to advance arthropod biodiversity and specimen collection.
• Seek extramural funding aligned with BEACON initiatives.
• Lead growth and mobilization of the arachnid collections; ensure standards and accessibility.
• Contribute to BEACON digitization, sequencing, and digital integration of specimens.
• Mentor students and postdocs; train scientists including from underrepresented groups.
• Engage public audiences through exhibitions, outreach, and media to showcase discoveries.

Education

Ph.D. in Entomology, Arachnology, Systematics, Evolutionary Biology, or related discipline

Job description

The California Academy of Sciences seeks an endowed Assistant Curator in the Entomology Department (Schlinger Chair of Arachnology) to lead a collections-based research program at the intersection of traditional morphology, genomics, imaging, and informatics.

We are building a globally recognized arachnid program, contributing to Project BEACON, mentoring trainees, and securing external funding while engaging diverse audiences through outreach and exhibitions.