YCBA Senior Curatorial Assistant in Prints & Drawings

Yale Cancer Center; New Haven, Northern (CT, KY); On-site; USD 39,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, CT is seeking a Senior Curatorial Assistant to provide high-level support to curatorial and administrative functions for exhibitions, loans, and collection care.

The role involves coordinating meetings, managing filing and documentation, and assisting with budgets, travel, and correspondence under the curator's guidance.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational and administrative skills, attention to detail, accuracy, and ability to collaborate.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and meet demanding deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills (advanced proficiency in Microsoft suite); ability to efficiently learn new digital platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent historical, art historical, and bibliographic research.

Responsibilities

• Develops and modifies operational systems, educational programs and related teaching aids.
• Serves as a principal source of information to the public, visiting scholars and students.
• Explains and describes the collection and available reference material through workshops, lectures and in response to inquiries.
• Prepares and monitors budgets, grants and financial material related to particular collection and exhibits. Maintains the order of and ensures the special care, security and proper user handling of collection or educational programs.
• Identifies and implements conservation programs for collections. Reconstructs, repairs, and restores art/specimens using preservation and conservation techniques. Catalogues and makes specialized identifications of new acquisitions.
• Selects art/specimens for display. Prepares collection for exhibition. May assist with installing and dissembling exhibits. Conducts research related to the collections and exhibits.
• Coordinates and assigns teaching schedules. Composes correspondence related to the collections and exhibits.
• Oversees and instructs other support staff.
• May collect specimens for use in exhibits.
• Performs clerical functions incidental to museum activities.

Skills

Excellent written communication

Interpersonal communication

Organizational skills

Administrative skills

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

MA in history of art / museum studies

Two years art museum experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Working at Yale means contributing to a better tomorrow. Whether you are a current resident of our New Haven-based community, eligible for opportunities through the New Haven Hiring Initiative, or a newcomer, interested in exploring all that Yale has to offer, your talents and contributions are welcome. Discover your opportunities at Yale!

Salary Range

$31.83

Job Requisition ID

136750WD

Overview

Working independently under the guidance of the Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Yale Center for British Art (YCBA), the Senior Curatorial Assistant provides a high level of support and oversight to the administrative and curatorial functions of the department, including exhibitions, acquisitions, and loans; collection care and documentation; coordination of meetings and schedules; and supporting the department’s clerical, budgetary, and administrative functions.

Administrative Duties

• Acts as the departmental liaison and point of contact; coordinates collections care, administrative and office activities.

• Schedules meetings and creates agendas, attends relevant meetings, takes notes and compiles minutes; provides follow-up for relevant tasks discussed at meetings.

• Answers departmental emails and enquiries; answers and screens telephone calls; writes, edits, and tracks correspondence; assists with visitors of all kinds.

• Organizes, tracks, and maintains departmental administrative documentation and files.

• Maintains lists, keeps track of status updates, and assists in preparation of paperwork and documentation for ongoing departmental business, including for outgoing loans and acquisitions in progress.

• Manages a range of clerical activities, including: orders and maintains an inventory of supplies; tracks budgets, processes payments and expenses; completes forms; composes and proofreads correspondence; occasionally makes travel arrangements.

• Performs clerical functions incidental to museum activities.

Collection Care

• Oversees and manages Prints and Drawings collection storage, ensuring secure, organized, and appropriate conditions.

• Retrieves, refiles, and tracks movement of Prints and Drawings objects for the purpose of loans, exhibitions, conservation, imaging, and departmental needs.

• Maintains Prints and Drawings collection storage: rehouses and reorganizes collection objects as needed; identifies and applies appropriate storage conditions, housing, and locations for new acquisitions; reports potential conservation concerns to curators and conservators; participates in periodic inventories of the collection.

• Assists in preparation of loans from the collection: retrieves objects requested for loan; moves where needed; tracks their movement; schedules review of works with curators and conservators; coordinates and tracks movement of objects for review, treatment, matting, and framing.

• Coordinates imaging requests and prepares works for imaging.

• Liaises with Conservation about collections care needs.

Collection and Exhibition Support

• Undertakes cataloguing and research of objects in the collection.

• Prepares and maintains object files and other documentation for the Prints and Drawings collection.

• In consultation with the curators, researches and responds to public requests for information about the Prints and Drawings collection.

• Assists curators in planning and organization of exhibitions and gallery displays, including conducting bibliographic, thematic, and object research; creating and updating illustrated checklists; retrieving, refiling, and tracking movement of objects; handling database entry; assisting with updates of gallery plans and layouts; writes object labels and social media posts as assigned.

Study Room and Other

• Liaises with staff in the Study Room to coordinate, schedule, organize, and undertake the movement of collections items to and from relevant locations at YCBA.

• Assists in the Study Room, including the retrieval and reshelving of objects for researchers, invigilation, and preparation for classes, as needed.

• May participate in the routine training of regular, student, and casual workers in their duties as needed.

• May represent the Prints and Drawings department on YCBA committees and working groups.

• Performs other related duties as needed.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.

• Demonstrated organizational and administrative skills, attention to detail, accuracy, and ability to collaborate.

• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and meet demanding deadlines.

• Excellent computer skills (advanced proficiency in Microsoft suite); ability to efficiently learn new digital platforms.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent historical, art historical, and bibliographic research.

Preferred Skills, Abilities, and Education

• MA in history of art, museum studies, or related field, and in a relevant area of study.

• Two years of experience working in an art museum or similar organization.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently in administrative and curatorial capacity.

• Concentration in British art and demonstrated experience working with a prints and drawings collection referred.

Principal Responsibilities

• Develops and modifies operational systems, educational programs and related teaching aids.

• Serves as a principal source of information to the public, visiting scholars and students.

• Explains and describes the collection and available reference material through workshops, lectures and in response to inquiries.

• Prepares and monitors budgets, grants and financial material related to particular collection and exhibits. Maintains the order of and ensures the special care, security and proper user handling of collection or educational programs.

• Identifies and implements conservation programs for collections. Reconstructs, repairs, and restores art/specimens using preservation and conservation techniques. Catalogues and makes specialized identifications of new acquisitions.

• Selects art/specimens for display. Prepares collection for exhibition. May assist with installing and dissembling exhibits. Conducts research related to the collections and exhibits.

• Coordinates and assigns teaching schedules. Composes correspondence related to the collections and exhibits.

• Oversees and instructs other support staff.

• May collect specimens for use in exhibits.

• Performs clerical functions incidental to museum activities.

Required Education and Experience

Two years of related work experience in the same job family and a Bachelor's degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.

Original Job Posting Date

07/21/2026

Job Category

Technician

Bargaining Unit

L34

Compensation Grade

Labor Grade D

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff

Work Model

On-site

Location

1080 Chapel Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks basedon the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific dutiesand responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties throughtheir hiring department. University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. Additionally, in accordance with Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment, and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran. Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.