Senior Research Cataloguer, Frederic Edwin Church (Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design), Contract Position at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Job Title: Senior Research Cataloguer, Frederic Edwin Church (Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design)
Job Status: Full-time, Contract Position
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $35-$50/hr
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is seeking a contract Senior Research Cataloguer to conduct research and create robust catalogue entries for approx. 2,035 drawings by American artist Frederic Edwin Church (1826–1900) in the museum’s collection.
The Senior Research Cataloguer creates robust catalogue entries for approx. 2,035 drawings by Frederic Edwin Church in The Museum System (TMS), the museum’s collections database. The Cataloguer verifies object information such as title, medium, paper support, dimensions, date, geography, inscriptions, exhibition history, publication and bibliography information through research and museum documentation, including cataloguing cards, annotated object mats, registrar and department files, archival files, and images. The Cataloguer also consults with scholars in the field, including colleagues at the Smithsonian Institution. The resulting object records will be accessible online through the museum’s website and the Smithsonian collections database.
Additional responsibilities will include coordinating photography sessions and handling objects by Church for photography; developing data standards appropriate to the Church drawings collection for populating relevant fields in TMS; drafting alternative text (alt text) for drawings by Church for accessibility; conducting pertinent research on the history of the museum’s drawings by Church, including through travel to research sites in upstate New York and Washington, D.C.; maintaining records of progress and preparing final summary reports.
The Senior Research Cataloguer reports to the Associate Curator and Head of the Drawings, Prints and Graphic Design department. The work site is Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum at 2 E. 91st Street and, as necessary, at the museum’s offsite storage in New Jersey. The Senior Research Cataloguer will also report to the TMS Administrator, Accessibility Manager and Paper Conservator as appropriate on relevant tasks.
Degree Requirements: An advanced degree in art history (MA or PhD) and at least two years of full-time relevant museum experience with a specialization in 19th century American art.
This is a Contract Position.
Work Hours will be: Up to 40 hours a week
Duration: Eighteen months (not to exceed 2,240 hours)
Salary $35.00 to $50.00 (Hourly)
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The Smithsonian Institution ensures its employees (federal and trust), applicants, and affiliated persons (interns, research associates, fellows, and volunteers) are protected from discrimination and unfair treatment in the workplace regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, gender stereotyping, pregnancy, and sexual orientation), age, disability, genetic information, marital status, parental status, or political affiliation and are free from reprisal against protected activities. In addition, other Smithsonian policy prohibits discrimination based on membership in an employee organization or other non-merit factors, and political affiliation.
ABOUT COOPER HEWITT:
Cooper Hewitt is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historical and contemporary design and is the steward of one of the most diverse and comprehensive design collections in existence—more than 215,000 design objects spanning 30 centuries. From ancient textiles and works on paper to icons of modern design and cutting-edge technologies, Cooper Hewitt’s collection serves as inspiration for creative work of all kinds and tells the story of design’s paramount importance in improving our world.
To Apply
Applicants will need to submit a quote. Please email Caitlin Condell at HRcuratorDPGD@si.edu for submission details.