Preparator (Temp/PT)

Missouri Historical Society; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 34,000 - 37,000; Part time

Job summary

The Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, MO is seeking Temporary Exhibits Preparators to assist full-time staff with exhibit turnarounds and fabrication for both the Missouri History Museum and Soldiers Memorial Military Museum.

This seasonal, part-time role involves woodworking, metalworking, acrylic fabrication, and careful handling of artifacts. You will help install and deinstall exhibits, fabricate display elements, and support packing and transport of materials.

Qualifications

• A high school diploma or equivalent is required; Associate degree preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of exhibit installation or carpentry experience, preferably in a nonprofit museum and/or equivalent public sector
• Must be able to routinely handle objects of up to 50 pounds or more

Responsibilities

• Assist with the installation and deinstallation of exhibits.
• Assist with the fabrication of temporary walls, risers, platforms, rail structures, etc.
• Woodworking, light metalworking, and acrylic fabrication tasks.
• Assist with packing and transport of exhibit elements.
• Maintenance needs of current exhibits such as repairs, touch-ups, and graphic installation.
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Exhibit installation

Artifact handling

Woodworking

Metalworking

Acrylic fabrication

Detail oriented

Communication

Problem solving

Education

High school diploma

Associate degree in visual or studio art

Tools

Shop tools

Woodworking tools

Metalworking tools

Acrylic fabrication tools

Job description

Preparator (Temp/PT)# Preparator (Temp/PT)Missouri History Museum - St. Louis, MO 63112## OverviewSalary Range$25.00 - $27.00 HourlyPosition TypePart Time## Description**Position Summary:**The Missouri Historical Society seeks Temporary Exhibits Preparators. This position is a seasonal position whose responsibilities are to assist the full-time preparatory staff with exhibit turnarounds and fabrication for both the Missouri History Museum and Soldiers Memorial Military Museum. These projects include both in-house and traveling exhibitions, can vary in size and scope, and can include the transport of exhibit materials as necessary.This position reports to the Exhibitions Preparator but is closely supervised by all members of the full-time preparatory team.**Essential Functions:*** Assisting with the installation and deinstallation of MHS exhibits. This work can include: + Artifact casework, vitrines, platforms, pedestals, or risers + Temporary walls, rail structures, and other surfaces + Graphic elements such as labels, banners, cut vinyl, 3D lettering or 3D structures + Artifacts and artifact mounts as necessary* Assisting with the fabrication of custom exhibit elements such as temporary walls, risers, platforms, rail structures, etc. This work can include: + Woodworking, light metalworking, and acrylic fabrication + Finishing work such as fabric wrapping, marvel sealing, wood staining, and painting* Assisting with the fabrication of artifact mounts as necessary - this work can include light metalworking, painting, and finishing* Assisting with the packing and transport of exhibit elements as necessary* Assisting with maintenance needs of current exhibits such as repairs, paint touch-ups, and graphic installation.* Other duties as assigned## Qualifications**Qualifications:*** A high school diploma or equivalent is required; Associate degree in visual or studio art or a related field is preferred* Minimum 2 years of exhibit installation or carpentry experience, preferably in a nonprofit museum and/or equivalent public sector* Must be able to routinely handle objects of up to 50 pounds or more**Skills:*** Basic to moderate art or artifact handling and installation experience* Basic to moderate general fabrication experience, especially in woodworking, metalworking, or acrylic fabrication* Basic to moderate experience using shop tools and equipment + Experience with lifting tools or machinery preferred* A motivated self-starter who is: + Detail oriented, attention driven, and a fast learner + Adaptable to new situations and new skill sets + Able to utilize creative problem solving to accomplish complex physical projects + Able to take clear direction to complete projects and reach goals + A solid and consistent communicator