Job Category- Administrative
Position Title- Curatorial Assistant
Full Time/Part Time- Full Time
Division- Dean of the Faculty
Department- Longyear Museum of Anthropology
Department Statement
The Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University’s anthropology museum, is seeking a curatorial assistant committed to social justice, and dedicated to creating opportunities for people to share perspectives with one another.
Situated on the traditional lands of the Oneida Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Colgate is a vibrant liberal arts university of 3200 students located in central New York state.
The Longyear Museum of Anthropology (LMA) forms one-half of the University Museums at Colgate, along with Picker Art Gallery (PAG). While this position reports to the curator and co-director of the LMA, he/she/they will work alongside colleagues whose roles span the two museums and their collections. As a key component of Colgate’s ambitious Middle Campus Plan for Arts, Creativity, and Innovation, our team is currently re-envisioning and redefining how an academic anthropology museum fits into the contemporary liberal arts experience and into the cultural fabric of the regional communities into which the campus is embedded. Our strategic plan prioritizes implementing decolonizing practices across museum operations, creating a more inclusive and accessible program, increasing student and faculty engagement, and enhancing collaborations on and off campus.
We’d love to hear from you – even if you do not meet 100% of the preferred/desired qualifications.
The starting salary for this position is $51,480 / year.
Accountabilities
The Longyear Museum of Anthropology curatorial assistant provides key support in advancing the museum’s research agenda, exhibition program, community engagement, and other strategic initiatives. The person filling the position will be accountable for the following:
Enhancing knowledge about the museum’s collections through research, including conversations with living artists, makers, and community members. Research and relationship-building will support exhibitions, class visits, as well as rematriation, repatriation, and restitution projects.
Supervising student employees and interns.
Providing key support for the museum’s exhibition program and maintaining steady progress on exhibition projects, including managing production schedules, writing and editing exhibition texts and promotional material, managing purchasing, assisting with installation, and giving curatorial tours.
Conceptualizing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating academic and community programs in collaboration with museum staff and other collaborators. This work may involve occasional evenings and weekends (e.g. student involvement fair, commencement and alumni reunion weekends).
Coordinating access to approved collections for communities on and off campus, including leading tours, preparing for class visits, and liaising with student and community groups on special projects.
Developing and implementing effective communications strategies to various audiences, including communications to students, faculty, staff, and the general public. This work may include coordination with Colgate’s Communications department and other units around campus.
Performing other duties as assigned.
Technical Competencies
Academic
- Demonstrated ability to conduct research on museum collections.
- Demonstrated knowledge of search techniques and sources sufficient to independently conduct research as assigned.
- Demonstrated strength in writing and editing for multiple audiences and in a variety of formats (e.g. label text, catalogue essays, news releases).
- Demonstrated familiarity with current museological and curatorial theory.
- Demonstrated ability to give talks, train students, and give presentations to various constituencies.
Collaboration
- Demonstrated ability to work collegially within a team.
- Demonstrated willingness to consult widely with diverse stakeholders in the development of exhibitions and programs, as well as collections policies.
Administrative
- Demonstrated ability to complete routine administrative tasks independently with attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and coordinate tasks for multiple projects.
Technology
- Demonstrated ability to efficiently use office productivity software.
- Demonstrated ability to use key museum collection software systems to query and enter data.
- Demonstrated ability to identify and develop opportunities for digital engagement.
Museum Security
- Demonstrated ability to follow safety procedures and security protocols.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to follow specific security and safety guidelines, including the safe handling of museum collections.
Behavioral Competencies
Personal Accountability for Results
Takes responsibility for decisions, performance, and outcomes; behaves in a responsible manner with a positive attitude; shows self-awareness and openness to feedback.
Effective Communication
Demonstrates effective written and oral communication skills; shares information and seeks input from others; adapts communication to diverse audiences; protects private and confidential information.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Analyzes and prioritizes situations to identify and solve problems; generates solutions to improve efficiency and quality; involves others in solving problems and making decisions; factors organizational goals into decisions; makes clear, transparent, and timely decisions.
Change Management
Responds positively to changing university initiatives and readily adapts behavior to maintain effective performance; understands the long-term direction of the university and can relate this to departmental area; adapts to new methodologies; identifies and acts on areas where change is appropriate.
Leadership and Teamwork
Applies skills and knowledge to provide a climate to achieve departmental and organizational success; balances individual and department goals; helps others perform at their best; builds productive relationships to enhance individual and organizational effectiveness; treats others with respect; resolves conflicts among team members.
Creativity and Innovation
Generates, explores, encourages, and implements innovative ways of creating strategic value for the university, division, department, and individual level; critically assesses the effectiveness of new initiatives.
Diversity and Inclusion
Demonstrates respect for people and their differences; understands the benefits of a diverse workforce; earns the trust and respect of others; includes and welcomes others; works to understand the perspective of others; promotes opportunities to experience diversity within our community.
Sustainability
Understands the impact of decision making and personal behavior in achieving the university’s commitment to a sustainable and carbon-neutral campus; supports and advances the university’s sustainability initiatives; influences others to use sustainable practices.
Requirements
Professional Experience/Qualifications
- Minimum one (1) year experience in a museum or other cultural institution, or demonstrable equivalent experience.
- Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students on a daily basis.
- Strong writing and editing skills.
- Experience conducting collections-based research.
- Flexibility and the ability to think creatively.
- Knowledge of relevant computer programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google applications).
- Familiarity working with databases and/or demonstration of understanding of database concepts.
- Solid understanding of and commitment to decolonizing, equity, and inclusion practices, preferably in a museum context.
Preferred Qualifications
- Additional experience (more than 1 year) in a curatorial role in a museum or other cultural institution, or demonstrable equivalent experience preferred.
- Firsthand Traditional Knowledge or previous experience collaborating with Indigenous communities.
- Knowledge of contemporary debates and policy changes in anthropology and the museum world.
- Previous experience working on exhibitions.
- Previous experience working with museum collections, including knowledge of safe handling and movement practices.
- Previous supervisory experience, such as overseeing undergraduate student employees or interns.
- Experience working on digital and multimedia projects such as online exhibitions, websites, videos, or social media.
- Previous experience with The Museum System (TMS) or TMS Collections databases.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in related field (anthropology; archaeology; museum studies; humanities) is required.
- Master’s degree in related field (anthropology; archaeology; museum studies; humanities) preferred.
Other Information
Colgate recognizes a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near reservations.
Posting Detail Information
Requisition Number- 2022S062Posting
Temporary- No
Work Schedule- Weekdays and special events
Job open date- 05/04/2022
Open until Filled- Yes
Special Instructions Summary
Colgate has a diverse student, faculty, staff, and alumni population representing a variety of races, gender identities, social economic status, sexual orientations, languages, national origins, etc. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan presents a framework for continuing the creation of an inclusive campus and engaging the Colgate community in this effort in the years ahead.
Please describe how you would connect and work with a diverse community. The statement can be any length (e.g. paragraph or page). You can upload the statement under the Diversity Statement document heading. For information on how to write a diversity statement, see our Guidance on Crafting Diversity Statements.
EEO Statement
It is the policy of Colgate University not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of their race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, marital status, disability, protected Veterans status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, being or having been victims of domestic violence or stalking, familial status, or any other categories covered by law. Colgate is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups, women, persons with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.
Clery Act
CAMPUS CRIME REPORTING AND STATISTICS
The Campus Safety Department will provide upon request a copy of Colgate’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report includes statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education for the previous three years concerning reported: 1. crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Colgate University; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus and 2. fires that occurred in student housing facilities. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security and fire safety, such as policies concerning sexual assault, life safety systems, and other related matters. To obtain a copy, contact the Campus Safety Compliance Manager via e-mail at cusafety@colgate.edu. You may also access the report from the Campus Safety web page at: www.colgate.edu/offices/support/campussafety.
Applicant Documents- Required Documents
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Diversity Statement
To apply to this posting please visit: https://careers.colgate.edu/postings/4183
Categories: Job Postings