Digital Experience Specialist – International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA)

Responsibilities:

Works with the Director and Associate Director of the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA) at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to develop, apply, and maintain cutting-edge, interactive applications for the ICAA’s digital platforms and digital archival documents. These include a new ICAA website, the Documents of Latin American and Latino Art: A Digital Archive and Publications Project, its parallel book series, Critical Documents of 20th Century Latin American and Latino Art, the ICAA Working Papers series, and other ICAA publications. Oversees the digitization of documents, ensuring that ICAA quality standards are met during each stage. Collaborates with museum staff and other stakeholders to ensure a high-quality digital experience. This position is key in maintaining effective web-based communications with current and past users while creating a media experience that will continually attract new users.

Web Content and Digital Outreach

  • Maintains all digital content for use on the ICAA website. Manages and ensures a regular rotation of dynamic and interactive content.
  • Supports day-to-day functions across a range of social media channels. Generates clear, user-focused content ranging in length from a tweet to a blog post.
  • Develops and generates new content such as ICAA e-blasts, newsletters, and social media content.
  • Assists in the identification, execution, and management of digital humanities initiatives.
  • Advises the Associate Director on digital content trends, related platforms, and delivery strategies for interactive content; identifies creative means for repurposing existing content.
  • Monitors the ICAA website and social media traffic and implements content changes based on these analytics.
  • Troubleshoots minor site errors.
  • Assists with changes and improvements to the ICAA website as needed.
  • Manages user accounts and monitors any fraudulent account activity. Responds to user queries and permissions requests from the ICAA email account.
  • Internally responsible for maintaining the ICAA’s back-end database and web platforms for content, applications, development, and integration. Liaises with MFAH IT and contract programmer to report and resolve incidents involving either platform.
  • Interacts with the ICAA’s external database and website designer and manager to ensure seamless user experience. 

Documents of 20th Century Latin American and Latino Art Project

  • Defines standards and oversees the digitization process for ICAA documents.
  • Follows ICAA policies to obtain copyright permissions for all documents as needed.
  • Assists the Associate Director and Research Specialist in the production of the Working Papers series and other digital publications.

Other

  • Assists the ICAA Director, Associate Director, and Research Specialist with administrative tasks when needed.
  • Performs any other related duties as required by the ICAA Director and or Associate Director.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

  • Proficiency in both Spanish and English is a requirement. Reading and verbal knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.
  • Experience working on projects that support data-intensive research and ensure high functionality, discoverability, and preservability of digital research.
  • Knowledge of best practices for creating, formatting, and presenting textual, graphic, and A/V content for use on web and digital media platforms.
  • Understanding of cross-browser issues and mobile app platforms is required.
  • Web programming experience is helpful.
  • Digital imaging experience and working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite required.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required.
  • Familiarity with current copyright laws and “fair use” practice for images and documents.
  • Demonstrated understanding of data sharing and reuse including computational methods of analysis such as text mining, social network analysis, and mapping and visualization.
  • Working knowledge of HTML is desirable. Familiarity with tools, such as Python, R, Jupyter, NVivo, or OpenRefine is a plus.
  • Experience with WordPress or similar Content Management Systems is desirable.
  • Ability and aptitude for collaborative and team-based work. Flexibility and willingness to navigate changing workflows within the department and partner institutions abroad.
  • Capable of setting priorities, organizing large loads of work, multi-tasking, and working with minimal supervision.
  • Ability to attend occasional after-hour events both at the museum and elsewhere.

Education and Experience:

  • A Digital Specialist with a background in any field of 20th and 21st-century humanities, including art history, literature, languages or library sciences.
  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field required, M.A. preferred.
  • Previous work experience managing websites, online humanities projects, or archival initiatives.
  • Experience with digital art history projects and familiarity with digital tools that may enrich and expand existing ICAA projects.

How to Apply:

Send resume to Human Resources, Job 20-023CUI, P.O. Box 6826, Houston TX 77265-6826; Fax 713-639-7508 or email: jobs@mfah.org.

The Museum is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information, visit our website at http://mfah.org/about/careers/.