Museum Preparator at Princeton University
Job Title: Museum Preparator
Job Status: Full-time
Overview
The Princeton University Art Museum seeks an experienced, engaged, and innovative Museum Preparator who thrives in a collaborative and goal-oriented environment. Reporting to the Head of Installations, the Museum Preparator will help install and preserve our collections, in alignment with the Museum’s priorities.
The Museum Preparator will join the Art Museum at a dynamic time as we construct a new building designed by Sir David Adjaye, scheduled to open in 2024. Located at the center of campus, this bold and welcoming design will roughly double the space for exhibition, conservation, study, and interpretation of the Museum’s globe-spanning collections.
About the Museum:
With a collecting history that extends back to 1755, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the leading university art museums in the country, with collections that have grown to include more than 112,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary art and spanning the globe. Committed to advancing Princeton’s teaching and research missions, the Art Museum also serves as a gateway to the University for visitors from around the world. The Museum’s main building is currently closed for the construction of a bold and welcoming new building, designed in partnership with Sir David Adjaye and slated to open in late 2024.
To learn more about the Princeton University Art Museum, visit artmuseum.princeton.edu.
Responsibilities
Priorities for the Museum Preparator will be to assist with the preparation for the eventual return of the collections to the new building and to prepare objects for the future galleries. Primary duties include installation of exhibitions, preparation of outgoing loans, general art handling and location tracking in the inventory system, and maintenance of our campus art collections. Further duties include handling, mounting, matting, and framing of works on paper for the purposes of study, imaging, collections storage, and gallery display. The Museum Preparator will work with conservators, registrars, project leads, curators, designers, and fellow preparators to fulfill these duties.
Requirements
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- At least 5 years handling a wide range of fine art media, with particular attention to works on paper preparation.
- Knowledge of fine art packing methods, materials, and related transit operations.
- Gallery installations and carpentry skills, having familiarity with a variety of hand tools, hardware, shop equipment, ladders, lifts, and safety protocols.
- Fine motor skills, keen eyesight, and an ability to stand for long periods.
- Lift up to 75 lbs. to waist height and up to 30 lbs. in a range of motions overhead; work on loading docks and outdoors in a variety of environmental conditions; possess the ability to work at heights and maintain balance.
- Strong orientation towards collaborative and often complex work assignments
- General knowledge of preventive conservation standards for storage and exhibitions.
- Detail-oriented and self-motivated with excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience employed in an academic setting.
- In-depth knowledge of artists’ methods, materials, and techniques, as well as a general knowledge of art history
- Willingness to work early mornings, evenings, or weekends when projects call for it.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW