Exhibit Prep & Install Lead (Museum)

Oakland Museum of California; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

The Associate Preparator at Oakland Museum of California prepares, handles, installs, de-installs, transports, and maintains art, artifacts, and museum environments for core galleries, temporary exhibitions, collections storage and institutional projects. The role collaborates with Production, Collections, Design staff, and other museum departments to ensure safe display and enhanced visitor experience.

The position requires intermediate knowledge of safe handling, fabrication methods, and the

Qualifications

• 2+ years related experience in historic, natural science, or art museums, archives, or parks.
• Ability to display and encourage visitor and internal customer service, take and share responsibility, and treat others with respect.
• Understanding of the principles of safe artifact and artwork handling.
• Intermediate knowledge of materials and techniques for fabrication of museum exhibitry, collection storage, and display solutions.
• Intermediate knowledge of preventative conservation standards for artifact handling, storage, packing, and display applied to museum collections, gallery operations, and maintenance requirements.
• Ability to meet museum standards ensuring visitors’, artists’, safety, and aesthetic needs.
• Ability to proficiently and safely use shop equipment, including portable and stationary power tools, vehicles, and the safe handling of fabrication materials/chemicals.
• Ability to read, understand, and utilize technical drawings, reference materials, office computer systems and collections management systems.
• Ability to work efficiently with regard to time and materials, balance multiple project timelines simultaneously, work independently and problem solve with minimum supervision, and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record acceptable to the Museum’s insurer.
• Strong communication skills; English language proficiency in both spoken and written form.

Responsibilities

• Handle, prepare, pack, transport, install and de-install art, artifacts, specimens for temporary exhibitions, gallery rotations, incoming and outgoing loans, and program spaces ensuring safe display and safe return to storage.
• Fabricate, assemble, finish and work from elevations and drawings to install exhibit casework, furniture, walls and gallery surfaces, props, scenic construction, guardrails, paneling, platforms, graphic boards, interactives, and dioramas to museum standards.
• Fabricate, finish, and install object mounts, brackets, and seismic restraints to museum standards ensuring object to museum standards.
• Mat, mount, and frame works on paper, photographs, and textiles; prepare works for installation.
• Install and de-install media, including construction of enclosures and mounts and routing and dressing of cabling; install exhibition wiring and lighting, focus and re-lamp gallery lighting to specification.
• Install exhibition and display elements for large scale campus events and garden related installations.
• Demonstrate museum techniques to the public and answer visitor questions while working in the galleries.
• Lead sub-teams during production, exhibition installation, and gallery rotations.

Skills

English proficiency

Strong communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

B.A. degree or related field

Job description

The Associate Preparator at Oakland Museum of California prepares, handles, installs, de-installs, transports, and maintains art, artifacts, and museum environments for core galleries, temporary exhibitions, collections storage and institutional projects. The role collaborates with Production, Collections, Design staff, and other museum departments to ensure safe display and enhanced visitor experience.

The position requires intermediate knowledge of safe handling, fabrication methods, and the