Preparator at The Frick Collection
Job Title: Preparator
Job Status: Full-time, temporary
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $60,000
Temporary (2 years)
Nonexempt
At the Frick Collection, we pride ourselves on promoting an open and welcoming workplace culture that supports diversity and work-life balance. The Frick strives to provide our employees with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits in a beautiful and pleasant work setting, while offering an excellent opportunity to appreciate some of the world’s finest works of art.
The Frick requires all employees be fully vaccinated and to have received booster vaccines against COVID 19.
Benefits in Employment with the Frick Collection
Paid Holidays: All full-time employees are eligible for 14 paid holidays, all federal holidays plus: Lincoln’s birthday, Juneteenth, Election Day, and two floating holidays to be used in the last quarter of the year.
Sick and Vacation time: All eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick and 12 vacation days their first year of employment. In subsequent years, eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick days and 25 vacation days/year.
Family Leave: We also provide all employees with bereavement leave and paid parental leave and adhere to federal family leave laws.
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: All full-time employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in employer sponsored benefits plans. Employees contribute to the cost of health insurance based on income level and type of coverage selected.
Short- and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance: The Frick covers the entire costs of disability and life insurance benefits for all full-time employees. The life insurance benefit is up to three times the employee’s annual salary.
Retirement: The Frick supports all employees in planning for retirement. The Frick provides all eligible employees with a defined benefit pension plan, the value of this plan is equivalent to an additional 12% in compensation. Eligible employees may also choose to make additional contributions to The Frick’s Tax Deferred Savings Plan – 403(b) plan.
Wellness Programs: The Frick offers programs including an Employee Assistance Plan and discounts on Citi Bike memberships and bike helmets.
Additional Benefits: The Frick offers eligible employees benefits including discounted Metro Cards/Transit Checks and flexible spending accounts for medical expenses, dependent care, and commuting costs.
Background
Opened to the public in 1935, The Frick Collection is a world-renowned art museum consisting of more than 1,500 works of art from the ninth to the nineteenth centuries, displayed in the intimate surroundings of the former home of Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Clay Frick. It is considered one of the world’s premier museums, and the residence is one of New York City’s few remaining Gilded Age mansions. The Frick welcomes nearly 300,000 visitors a year to its tranquil mansion on the Upper East Side, encouraging visitors to closely observe, reflect, and engage with its esteemed collection.
The Frick Art Reference Library, founded by Mr. Frick’s daughter, Helen Clay Frick, in 1920, is an internationally recognized research library that serves as an essential resource for the study of Western art. Our entire staff ensures that the resources of The Frick Collection are made accessible and inviting to “all persons whomsoever,” in accordance with the wishes of the museum’s founder.
The Frick has moved into its temporary home in the former Whitney Museum Breuer building at 75th Street and Madison Avenue, Frick Madison, while renovations are undertaken to the newer parts of the building at 1 East 70th Street.
Position Summary
We are searching for a team player to participate in wide ranging responsibilities including the physical installation of exhibitions, packing and unpacking of artwork, preparing artwork for display, and maintenance of the galleries, art storage, and art preparatory workspaces. The person in this position will be a member of the Conservation department and work under the supervision of the Head of Art Preparation and Installation. Physical requirements for this role include standing, walking, and sitting; talking or hearing, both in person and by telephone; ability to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects or controls; reach with hands and arms. Regularly required to stoop, kneel, bend, crouch and lift up to 75 pounds.
Requirements
The education and/or experience requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to successfully perform the essential duties of this position.
The ideal candidate is expected to be accountable and committed to best practices; they will work calmly in a sometimes-fast-paced work environment, have excellent communication and organization skills and the professionalism to interact well with colleagues and service contractors at all levels.
Minimum qualifications for this position include at least three years of experience in art handling of high value artworks, and a commitment to completing necessary administrative duties. Familiarity with wood working tools is required. Some supervisory experience is preferred.
Experience with one or more of the following is desired: The ability to fabricate exhibition furniture from drawings, crate making, matting and framing of artworks, mount making, or re-housing of collections for long-term storage. The successful candidate will have knowledge of safety procedures when operating shop equipment and gallery lifts. Proper care and maintenance of tools is essential. Attention to detail and the ability to follow through with projects are crucial.
Work Hours and Compensation
The Frick’s regular workweek is 35 hours, Mondays-Fridays; hours worked in excess of 35 per work week are paid at time-and-one-half for nonexempt positions.
Conservation staff are generally scheduled to work 35 hours per week; shifts vary but are expected to be 7 hours/day 5 days/week. Museum hours are Thursdays through Sundays: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Federal Holidays; though our offices are open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Since the Preparator role, and others in the Conservation Department, are relied upon to support exhibition-related receiving and releasing of loans, work shifts may be scheduled before/after regular business hours and weekends.
The base annual salary for this position is $60,000.00; the hourly rate is $32.97.
Application Process
Apply here or send resume and cover letter to:
Chief Conservator
Frick Madison
30 East 75th Street
New York, NY 10021
No phone calls please.
Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at The Collection, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, military status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status or any other protected characteristic as established by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.