GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWS – The Hispanic Society Museum & Library
JOB POSTING: GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWS
Curatorial and Conservation Research Fellows
The Hispanic Society Museum & Library is pleased to announce four (4) paid Research Fellows in the areas of Curatorial and Conservation. The Fellowship is from the Fall of 2021 to Summer of 2022 (approximately 9 months long).
Positions:
1. Research Fellow: Latin American Art in the Hispanic Society’s Collections
2. Research Fellow: Spanish Art in the Hispanic Society’s Collections
3. Research Fellow: Conservation Treatments in Spanish and/or Latin American Artworks
4. Research Fellow: Spanish and/or Latin American Manuscripts/Rare Books/Documents of the 16th and 19th centuries
Type:
Part-Time Paid Intern: (mid-September 2021 to mid-June 2022)
Location:
613 West 155th Street @ Broadway, New York, NY 10032
Pay Rate:
$300 per week for 14-16 hours per week for 9 months with no benefits
About the Hispanic Society:
The Hispanic Society Museum & Library was founded in New York City in 1904 by Archer M. Huntington with the purpose of advancing the study and appreciation of the art, literature, and culture of Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines. Located on Audubon Terrace (Broadway between 155th and 156th streets) in New York City, today the museum and library collections from antiquity through the early 20th century are widely recognized as the most comprehensive in scope and quality outside of Spain. Museum highlights from its over 7,000 paintings and drawings include numerous masterworks by El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, and Sorolla; sculpture by Pedro de Mena and Luisa Roldán; Latin American paintings by Vázquez, López de Arteaga, Rodríguez Juárez, Arrieta, and Campeche; as well as over 6,000 objects in all areas of the decorative arts. Additionally, 15,000 prints afford a unique view into the graphic arts in Spain from the seventeenth to the early 20th century, as well 4,000 printed maps. More than 175,000 photographs from 1850 through the early 20th century document the art, culture, and customs of Spain and Latin America. The Library offers unrivaled resources for researchers interested in the history and culture of Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines, with more than 300,000 books and periodicals, including 15,000 volumes printed before 1701, along with over 250,000 manuscripts, letters, and documents dating from the 11th century to the present.
Position Overview:
Each Fellow will report directly to one of the following departments:
1. Iconography: Dr. Patrick Lenaghan, Head of Iconography and Curator of Prints, Photographs, and Sculpture. Dr. Noemi Espinosa, Assistant Curator, Prints and Photographs
2. Museum: Dr. Marcus Burke, Senior Curator of Paintings, Drawings, and Metalwork, and Dr. Margaret Connors McQuade, Deputy Director and Curator of Decorative Arts
3. Conservation: Helene Fontoira-Marzin, Head of Conservation, and Monica Katz, Collections Manager and Object Conservator
4. Library: Dr. John O’Neill, Head of Library and Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts, and Vanesa Pintado, ABD, Assistant Curator of Rare Book and Manuscripts
Each Fellow will narrow the focus of their research as it relates to their interests and pursuits within one of the four general categories noted above. In addition to their research within these areas, each Fellow will rotate twice to other departments. For approximately six weeks in December/January and another six weeks April/May, each Fellow will spend ample time in another area. For example, the Fellow conducting research on 17th century manuscripts might work in the curatorial department to learn important professional skills. The Fellow in conservation might spend a month in the Library learning about the care of rare books, etc. We will work with each Fellow to ensure that their interest aligns with their non-direct research rotation. These rotations will provide the Fellows with a broader understanding of the inner workings of cultural organizations, while allowing them to interact with various cultural professionals besides their immediate supervisors, and also gain experience on other aspects of the organization’s operations beyond their research.
Responsibilities:
The Hispanic Society (HSA) seeks Fellows to work with the curators and the departmental administrator/registrar on several interesting tasks. Focusing on their research, additional responsibilities may include (but are not limited to) assisting with object registration and the ongoing development of the HSA object management database (TMS – The Museum System, or Mandarin – Library database); consulting catalogues, researching, and verifying data in TMS or Mandarin to prepare such data for inclusion in eMuseum; assisting with object inventories in storerooms; documenting movements of objects; drafting catalogue entries, and assisting with the planning of special exhibition projects. The Fellows will also help with other administrative tasks, including rights and reproductions and managing object photography; assisting with outgoing loans; assisting curators with researching, cataloguing, and documenting objects; building object files; and being available as the Department interacts with the Education Program, and other institution-wide functions, particularly those addressing community outreach.
The Learning Outcomes for these Fellows are multi-faceted. In addition to conducting and completing a research project that will be beneficial to both the Fellow and the Hispanic Society, each Fellow will gain: (1) A deeper understanding of the way a museum functions and the role of a curatorial department within the larger institution; (2) An understanding of the
internationally accepted norms for museum registration methods; (3) Experience with an object management database in widespread use in museums internationally; (4) An understanding of the role of databases and other technology in museum work; (5) An awareness of the interaction among curators, registrars, librarians, conservators, and collections management and; (6) An understanding of the ways in which a curatorial department can provide the groundwork for effective social and educational outreach; and (7) An understanding of the role of museums and associated libraries in promulgating awareness of the values of specific international cultural traditions, especially those which in the past have not been equally valued in the United States.
Qualifications:
This proposed paid Fellowship is intended for students from diverse economic and racial backgrounds in keeping with the Hispanic Society’s initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level of the institution. The Fellows will be selected from graduate programs from local New York City Metropolitan universities/colleges, and the emphasis will be on students whose focus of study is art history, history, anthropology, museum studies, conservation, library studies, and associated disciplines, and particularly those who are considering careers in the museum field.
-MA or PhD candidates required, or Post Graduate
-Bilingual English and Spanish preferred
-Past Internships in a museum or cultural arena preferred
-Excellent research and writing skills
Hispanic Society Status
The Hispanic Society is a not-for-profit museum and library and an equal opportunity employer that will assure compliance with EEO, DBE, and M/WBE programs.
Application Instructions
Please send resume, cover letter with a research proposal/topic of interest and 2 references (1 academic and 1 professional/character) to jobs@hispanicsociety.org
Please place in the subject line of email “Research Fellow: …and area of interest…” (Note area of interest, such as Conservation, Library, Photography, Prints, Sculpture, Spanish Art, Latin American Art, etc.)
No phone calls, please.
DUE DATE: July 9, 2021