Museum Preparator - Museum - SFO (3520) - 900184

City and County of San Francisco; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Part time

Job summary

San Francisco Airport Commission's SFO Museum seeks a part-time, on-call Museum Preparator to assist with exhibitions, installation and care of objects. The role works within the Preparation department under supervision and collaborates with staff across departments to ensure quality displays and safety.

Minimum education includes an associate degree in art-related fields; substitution by museum experience is possible.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Art, Fine Arts, Museum Studies or related field.
• Qualifying full-time work experience in preparation, fabrication, installation and handling of art objects may substitute for the degree on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preparation, hanging, installation and deinstallation of exhibition and collection objects using proper handling and security techniques.
• Assist in packing, loading, and unloading art objects.
• Assist with lighting, audio/visual installation, mats for photographs and prints, and object mount-making.
• Construct and/or paint exhibition furniture such as walls, platforms, pedestals, risers, mounts and fixtures.
• Perform tasks including safe use of power tools, adhesives, and metals.
• Affix exhibition labels, didactics, graphics, photographs and other materials to walls within cases.
• Participate in general shop operations including cleaning and organizing shop spaces.

Job description

Appointment Type: Temporary-Exempt. This position is exempt from Civil Service Commission rules pursuant to the City and County of San Francisco, Charter Section 10.104 , and incumbents serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

The position is part-time, on-call, and not to exceed 1,040 hours (fiscal - year).

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
• Application Deadline: Please be advised that interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as this announcement may close at any time after 5:00 PM on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
• Compensation Range: $70,018- $85,202Annually
• Recruitment ID: 900184/ RTF0007815

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a world-class, award-winning airport that served more than 54 million guests in Fiscal Year 2025. SFO offers non-stop flights to 60+ international cities on over 40 international carriers. The Bay Area’s largest airport also connects non-stop with 80+ U.S. cities on 10 domestic airlines.

As an enterprise department of the City & County of San Francisco, SFO has a workforce of approximately 1,900 City employees. In Fiscal Year 2021, SFO generated more than 28,000 direct jobs and $6.1B in business activity.

SFO is more than an airport — we are a dynamic organization where employees collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to support global travel, economic development, and public service. We are recognized as a leader in safety, environmental sustainability, and forward-thinking infrastructure, and continue to be at the forefront of transforming the travel experience.

Our Vision, Mission, and Core Values shape our culture and operations as we continue to build a supportive, purpose-driven workplace where all employees can thrive. Our mission is to deliver an airport experience where people and our planet come first.

Established in 1980 by the Airport Commission, SFO Museum’s mission is to delight, engage, and inspire a global audience with programming on a broad range of subjects; to collect, preserve, interpret, and share the history of commercial aviation; and to enrich the public experience at San Francisco International Airport. The Museum has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1999 and retains the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport. The Museum operates more than twenty-five sites throughout the Airport terminals, including fourteen galleries that exhibit a rotating schedule of art, history, photography, science, and cultural exhibitions. Among the sites is the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which houses a permanent collection of more than 150,000 objects related to the history of commercial aviation. For additional information about SFO Museum, please visit www.sfomuseum.org .

The as-needed Museum Preparator engages the Airport’s audiences by creating exceptional exhibitions. Under general supervision and working as part of a team of preparators, this position provides a wide variety of semi-skilled and skilled duties in the preparation, production, installation and care of museum exhibits and works of art and performs related duties as required.

The essential functions of this classification include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assist in the preparation, hanging, installation and deinstallation of exhibition and collection objects utilizing proper handling and security techniques.
• Assist in the packing, loading, and unloading of art objects.
• Assist with lighting, A/V installation, cutting and assembling mats for photographs and prints, and object mount-making.
• Construct and/or paint exhibition furniture such as walls, platforms, pedestals, risers, mounts, and other fixtures.
• Perform various skilled and semi-skilled tasks including safely working with power tools, adhesives, and metals.
• Affix exhibition labels, didactics, graphics, photographs, and other materials to walls within exhibition cases.
• Participate in general shop operations including cleaning and organizing of shop spaces.
• Work with all levels of Museum staff and may communicate with colleagues in other Airport departments. The positions report to 3544 Curator III, Exhibition Production & Installation Supervisor, work as a team within the Preparation department, and have no direct reports.
• Perform other job-related duties consistent with the Museum Preparator (3520) classification.

How to qualify

Education:

• Possession of an associate degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Art, Fine Arts, Museum Studies or a related field.

Substitution:

Qualifying full time work experience (2000 hours equal one year) in the preparation, fabrication, installation and the care and handling of valuable art objects; making museum mounts for objects; building exhibition furniture and working closely with museum staff at a museum, gallery, or traveling exhibition program may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. One year of work experience equals to thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units.

Desirable Qualifications

• One (1) or more years of experience working at a museum, gallery, art studio, private art collection, or related institution as an art handler, preparator, fabricator, carpenter, or other craft- or trades-related job.
• Excellent manual dexterity and knowledge in the special care and handling of irreplaceable objects.
• Ability to solve problems and find attractive and safe solutions in the display of objects.
• Ability to perform complex fabrication using wood, metal, and/or plastic.
• Collaborate in a fast-paced team environment.

Selection Procedures:

The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited for an interview.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance:

Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history record check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be a basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

Medical Examination:

Prior to appointment, candidates must successfully pass a medical examination to determine his/her ability to perform the essential functions of the job and/or ability to meet the physical minimum requirements.

Verification of Education and Experience:

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/ .

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

What else should I know?

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.