Curatorial Assistant at the National 9/11 Memorial Museum

JOB TITLE:       Curatorial Assistant

DEPARTMENT:    Museum/Collections

REPORTS TO:   EVP of Collections/Chief Curator

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

DATE:  January 2022

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Curatorial Assistant (CA) undertakes research, writing, acquisition and collection documentation as well as other duties reflecting and supporting the activities and projects of the Museum’s curatorial team. She/he will work under the supervision of the Executive Vice President of Collections/Chief Curator, with some functions to be supervised by the Senior Curator of Oral History/VP of Collections.

The CA’s primary functions will be conducting research and fact-checking on the permanent collection and pending acquisitions; maintaining accurate records of meetings and communications central to the Museum’s collection-building activities; and preparing Acquisition Rationales for incoming material, all informed by the Museum’s Collections Management Policy. The CA will be comfortable meeting with prospective donors to the collection and keeping accurate detailed notes of those interactions. She/he will also collaborate with the EVP of Collections/Chief Curator, Senior Curator of Oral History/VP of Collections and Head Cataloguer in proposing and preparing new entries for “Inside the Collection,” the Museum’s curated online catalogue.

The position includes administrative responsibilities specific to the Department’s curatorial activities.

The CA will perform his / her duties at the corporate offices of the Museum, in the Museum’s back-of-house workspace, online via TEAMS and other remote platforms, and in the Museum’s off-site storage facility in Jersey City, New Jersey.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Undertake research on artifacts, photographs and archives offered to or in the collection which may require investigation of print and scholarly references; online and print media; primary and online resources; the Museum’s collections management database (Collective Access); oral history transcripts and recordings; and discussion with curators, collection donors and Museum stakeholders.
  • Draft acquisition rationales for presentation to the Museum’s Acquisitions and Loans Committee, using current rationale templates. The rationale writing process is preceded by scheduling and attending meetings with prospective donors, keeping accurate notes about the donor and donation; and uploading notes to digital donor files and other tracking devices.
  • Prepare and assemble, under the direction of the EVP of Collections/Chief Curator, reports and presentation materials required for the Museum’s board- level Acquisitions Committee, which meets approximately three times a year, in person or remotely. Create PowerPoint presentations and manage remote presentations.
  • Conduct outreach and research to contextualize previously donated items, focusing on items personalizing the victims of 9/11 and 2/26/93.
  • Coordinate with the Head Cataloguer on new and revised content additions to the Museum’s online Collections Catalogue (http://collection.911memorial.org/).
  • Monitor and respond in a timely manner to donation and other inquiries received via telephone, email, and dedicated Collections Department telephone number and email inbox.
  • Monitor and administer the Museum’s online Artists Registry, including reviewing incoming submissions, prospecting new artist registrants, and referring issues to IT.
  • Furnish information and generate object lists from the Museum’s collections catalogue (Collective Access) requested by the EVP of Collections/Chief Curator, senior Memorial and Museum staff, and outside researchers, often on short notice. Contribute to the Memorial and Museum blog and social media outlets.
  • Undertake artifact and visual resources research that can inform periodic rotations of collection material in the Museum’s core exhibitions.
  • Facilitate research into Collections resources as requested by Communications staff. Contribute ideas and content for the Memorial and Museum blog and social media channels.
  • Coordinate weekly and monthly Collections and Curatorial staff meetings.
  • Administrative duties may include supporting the EVP of Collections/Chief Curator with preparing and managing the departmental budget, tracking spending, preparing expense reports, and timekeeping.

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENT

  • Participates in the Annual 5K Fundraiser and September 11th Commemoration, as assigned.
  • Assists with other special projects and events in support of all 9/11 Memorial and Museum, as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS REQUIREMENT

  • M.A. degree or current enrollment in graduate study with demonstrated commitment to history, public history, American studies, museum studies, journalism, anthropology, or material culture.
  • Interest in furthering a career in museum work or pursuing further academic work related to the curatorial discipline.
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent research and writing skills, particularly the ability to describe, synthesize and summarize accurately, with mastery of English grammar. A writing sample will be requested from all competitive candidates.
  • General familiarity with issues related to museum stewardship, collections management, and discourse within the museum field.
  • Strong computer skills, including TEAMS and PowerPoint, including creating and editing PowerPoint presentations and managing digital presentations for and with the Chief Curator. Willingness to learn new computer skills and programs, including collections management databases.
  • Ability to work with difficult content, often of an emotional or graphic nature.
  • Willingness to engage with material relating to September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. Demonstrated academic interest or practical experience in working with that content is preferred.
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
  • Ability to work efficiently and under deadline.
  • Commitment to accuracy and research sourcing.

HOW TO APPLY

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands and work environment described in this job description are representative of those that the employee will encounter and are expected to meet to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, talk, listen, use hands to type data, touch, feel, reach with hands and arms, and dial the telephone. The employee is also required to stand and walk. Vision requirements include close, distance, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment is an indoor, climate-controlled office environment comprised of cubicles, walled-offices, and group conference rooms. The noise level in the office environment is usually low. There are no hazards and no protective devices worn or used in the office work environment. Occasional travel to the Museum’s off-site storage facility in New Jersey is required.

  • This job description is a descriptive list of the responsibilities and qualifications associated with this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

 Employees are expected to also perform other business-related duties as assigned by the supervisor or other management.

  • The organization reserves the right to change, modify, or reassign job responsibilities, duties, and scheduled work hours as per business needs.
  • This document is a communication tool and not intended as a written or implied contract of employment