Senior Art Handling & Installations Lead

Museum of Fine Arts Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

403b retirement plan

Flexible spending plans

Free family museum membership

Staff discounts

Job summary

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is seeking a Senior Preparator to lead installations and manage packing, crating and safe transit of the museum’s collection. Under the Chief Preparator, you will supervise project work, collaborate across departments and support storage, movement, and on-site/off-site handling.

Qualifications include six years in Preparations and four years of art handling experience; strong leadership, communication, and physical endurance to lift up to 75 pounds are required.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in a related field strongly desired OR an equivalent combination of experience and education from which comparable and demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
• Minimum of six years’ service in the Preparations Department and/or dependent on job performance
• Minimum of four (4) years of verifiable experience in the preparation, fabrication, installation, packing, storing and care and handling of valuable art objects; and working closely with museum staff at a museum, gallery, or traveling exhibition program

Responsibilities

• Works closely with Chief Preparator with the planning of large-scale installations and leads installations as assigned
• Handles artwork at all museum (on and off-campus) locations for exhibit and storage
• Packs and unpacks artwork for exhibitions, permanent collection storage, transportation around museum campus and for local pickups/deliveries
• Records location changes when artwork is moved
• Oversees and composes material/supply lists for the Preparations department; Once a supply list is created, Senior Preparator then gives the list to the Associate Preparator for ordering (must obtain permission from Manager before ordering)
• Assists Photography, Conservation, Registration, and Matting & Frame departments with art movement
• When necessary, represents MFAH at other institutions as a courier for installations and transport
• Maintains cleanliness, neatness and organization of artwork in museum storage areas
• Assists at Rienzi and Bayou Bend house museums, as needed
• Assists visiting scholars and curatorial as requested for collection viewing/examination
• Assumes a leading role for special projects and assignments
• Mentors newer staff as necessary

Skills

Art handling

Packing

Installation

Box truck

Forklift operation

Rigging

Tool use

Communication

Project management

Education

Associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in a related field

Six years’ service in the Preparations Department

Four years of verifiable art prep experience

Tools

Box truck operation

Shop equipment

Power tools

Forklift operation

Art handling materials

Job description

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is seeking a Senior Preparator to lead installations and manage packing, crating and safe transit of the museum’s collection. Under the Chief Preparator, you will supervise project work, collaborate across departments and support storage, movement, and on-site/off-site handling.

Qualifications include six years in Preparations and four years of art handling experience; strong leadership, communication, and physical endurance to lift up to 75 pounds are required.