Exhibition Designer — Create Inspiring Museum Experiences

Hard Problems; Cambridge, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental leave

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

Harvard Art Museums in Cambridge, MA seeks an Exhibition Designer to lead installation concepts from concept to production for gallery and temporary exhibitions. You will translate curators' ideas into practical, sustainable display solutions.

The role requires three+ years in exhibition design, proficiency with Vectorworks and Rhino, and experience with Adobe Creative Suite and CAD tooling. This is an on‑site, Massachusetts-based position with collaboration across curators, production,

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field of design, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of three years of total professional experience in exhibition design or a comparable field such as architecture, interior design, or industrial and furniture design.
• Proficiency with Vectorworks and Rhino; other CAD applications are preferred.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop and InDesign, and MS Office software, particularly Excel.
• Strong hand sketching, model-making, and light-duty prototyping skills.
• Familiarity with museum best practices covering conservation, art handling, security, and lighting.

Responsibilities

• Produce installation designs for temporary exhibitions and collection galleries translating curators' concepts into tangible designs meeting museum standards of sustainability and fiscal responsibility.
• Propose creative solutions for presenting artworks, narratives, and ideas aligned with Conservation, Registration, Facilities, and Security guidelines.
• Integrate gallery text, wall graphics, audio/video content, and related print materials into the exhibition design.
• Prepare floorplans and elevation drawings, gallery models, and related documentation; coordinate with Exhibition Production for feasibility and execution.
• Lead design reviews with stakeholders, presenting plans and reconciling proofs with gallery elevations.
• Maintain and develop design office resources and support on-site installations; collaborate across departments.

Skills

Three-dimensional design

Spatial design

Project coordination

CAD proficiency

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in design

Equivalent professional experience

Tools

Vectorworks

Rhino

Adobe Creative Suite

Photoshop

InDesign

MS Excel

Basecamp

Job description

Harvard Art Museums in Cambridge, MA seeks an Exhibition Designer to lead installation concepts from concept to production for gallery and temporary exhibitions. You will translate curators' ideas into practical, sustainable display solutions.

The role requires three+ years in exhibition design, proficiency with Vectorworks and Rhino, and experience with Adobe Creative Suite and CAD tooling. This is an on‑site, Massachusetts-based position with collaboration across curators, production,