Preparator/Fabricator (Full-Time, Onsite)

Berkshirejobs; North Adams (MA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

The Preparator/Fabricator position at MASS MoCA is a full-time hourly role, 40 hours per week, working alongside installation and fabrication staff. The candidate will be a team player, collaborating to meet deadlines and ensure safe, high-quality installations of large-scale artworks.

The role involves art handling, construction, and custom fabrication—from woodworking to metalworking—within a museum setting, with emphasis on safety, teamwork, and clear communication with colleagues and artists.

Qualifications

• Art handling, including unloading and loading trucks.
• Ability to work as part of a team to achieve deadlines.
• Experience with fabrication skills such as woodworking or metalworking.

Responsibilities

• Art handling, including unloading and loading trucks, packing and unpacking fine art works, and working with registrars to safely install art.
• Construction and manual labor, including light demolition, moving large objects with material handling equipment (excluding forklifts), painting, sanding, cleaning and other tasks related to exhibition installation in a museum environment.
• Working with a team to assemble large and complex artworks.
• Custom fabrication based on skill and experience, ranging from woodworking to metalworking, sculptural processes, etc.
• Maintaining a positive rapport with colleagues and artists through challenging and complex installations.
• Maintaining safe working spaces through clear communication and tidiness.

Skills

Art handling

Teamwork

Manual labor

Woodworking

Metalworking

Sculptural processes

Tools

Woodworking tools

Metalworking tools

Job description

Description

The Preparator/Fabricator is a full-time hourly position, 40 hours per week that will work alongside the installation/fabrication staff. The ideal candidate will be a team player, who will work to achieve deadlines collaboratively.

About the Museum

MASS MoCA is a vibrant non-collecting art museum with approximately 300,000 square feet of exhibition space. Half of that space is dedicated to rotating 10-month exhibitions of which we present 4 to 6 large-scale exhibitions per year, along with smaller projects. The additional space is dedicated to long‑term exhibitions in conjunction with artists, estates, and collections that run from 10 months to 25 years. MASS MoCA frequently works directly with artists on the fabrication of new commissions and large scale site specific installations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Art handling, including unloading and loading trucks, packing and unpacking fine art works, and working with registrars to safely install art.
• Construction and manual labor, including light demolition, moving large objects with material handling equipment (excluding forklifts), painting, sanding, cleaning and other tasks related to exhibition installation in a museum environment.
• Working with a team to assemble large and complex artworks.
• Custom fabrication based on skill and experience, ranging from woodworking to metalworking, sculptural processes, etc.
• Maintaining a positive rapport with colleagues and artists through challenging and complex installations.
• Maintaining safe working spaces through clear communication and tidiness.