MUSEUM REGISTRAR

State of Arizona; Tempe (AZ); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid parental leave

Retirement plan

Sick leave

Vacation with holidays

Job summary

The Arizona Historical Society in Tempe is seeking a Museum Registrar to manage and preserve its collections. The role involves cataloging artifacts, ensuring their legal protection, and supervising interns and volunteers in their duties.

Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in History or a related field, with strong skills in cataloging and data management. Benefits include vacation, sick leave, and health insurance.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of museum registration procedures and legal issues concerning museum collections.
• Knowledge of Arizona and Southwest history.
• Must be able to obtain a valid state driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Accession, research, inventory, catalog and manage museum artifacts.
• Correspond with potential donors and evaluate historical relevance of donated objects.
• Supervise and train volunteer workers and interns.
• Respond to inquiries from scholars and the public.
• Assist in research and monitoring policy trends in museum collection management.
• Present museum objects to the public through tours and outreach events.

Skills

Cataloging

Research

Data entry

Oral communication

Written communication

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in History or related field

MA in History, Public History, Museum studies or related field

Tools

Collections management systems

Job description

ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Arizona Historical Society is a nonprofit organization and state agency established in 1864. AHS connects people through the power of Arizona's history. AHS collects, preserves, and tells the story of Arizona's past through museum exhibitions, libraries and archives, historic sites, educational programs, and the Journal of Arizona History. AHS seeks to be the driving force strengthening Arizona's communities by promoting history through leadership, partnership, and scholarship.

MUSEUM REGISTRAR

Address: 1300 North College Avenue
Tempe, Arizona 85288

Salary: $20.0000 per Hour

Grade: 18

Closing Date: November 3, 2026

Job Summary:

This position performs a complex combination of tasks involved with acquisition, accession, deaccession, record keeping, management and disposition of the museum's collections. This includes the creation and maintenance of records of artifacts and objects to provide for their legal protection, safety and insurance coverage, and reflects their handling, transportation, control and storage of objects and artifacts. This includes the responsibility for the agency's maintenance and computerized record systems and hard copy files of the museums collections and loans, and attends and participates in meetings, committees and teams that support the Strategic plan and Agency's Mission. Supervise interns and volunteers, to include performance, mentoring and training.

Job Duties:

• Accession, research, inventory, catalog and manage museum artifacts and collections objects in accordance with agency policy and procedures. Performing re-cataloging as part of continual inventory including photographing artifacts for identification, insurance, conservation and management purposes.
• Corresponds with potential donors and evaluates historical relevance of donated objects, records collections through a manual and computer system of forms, legal documents, files and retrieval systems associated with the collections accession, de-accession, cataloging, loans, packing, shipping, inventory, insurance and storage, processes and tracks objects throughout the deaccessioning process.
• Supervises and trains volunteer workers, interns or work-study aides in registration, cataloging, and storage tasks. Managers performance, training and mentoring of volunteers, interns or work-study aides.
• Responds to inquiries from scholars and the general public, and participates in team meetings offering support and advice.
• Aids in the research and monitoring of policy trends within the museum collection management field, contributes to discussions on changes to collections policies and plans.
• Presents museum objects to the public through educational tours, social media posts, and community outreach events, and aids in the installation of objects for exhibits.
• With other staff, make arrangements for packing, unpacking, communications, transfer and transport of incoming and outgoing loans with various institutions and private lenders.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge of:

• Museum registration procedures and legal issues concerning museum collections;
• Collections management and database filing systems;
• Arizona and Southwest history;
• Packing and shipping methods;
• Museum preservation and storage practices.

Skills in:

• Cataloging, research, data entry, and marking artifacts;
• Oral and written communication, packing artifacts for transport, examining objects and noting their conditions;
• Attention to detail.

Ability to:

• Learn Agency's collections policy and procedures;
• Organize data;
• Compare and analyze data and to recognize and remember patterns;
• Work well with staff and the public;
• Follow rules, laws, policies and ethics.

Selective Preference(s):

• Bachelor's degree in History or related field, MA in History, Public History, Museum studies or related field or 3 years experience.

Pre-Employment Requirements:

• Must be able to obtain a valid state driver's license.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver's License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Benefits:

The State of Arizona offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:

• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program)
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page.

Retirement:

• Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS)
• Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment

Contact Us:

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Rose Ibe at [e-mail].