Curator of Collections and Study Room Initiatives at UNM Art Museum – Museum Studies

Job Title: Curator of Collections and Study Room Initiatives

Job Status: Full-time

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Description

Full job posting available at: https://unm.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/18/home/requisition/20558?c=unm&referralToken=zOxUlGBqAkOtpzLbdvEJpA

Working title: Curator of Collections and Study Room Initiatives

Position Grade: 11 (Curator 2)

Salary Range: $40,000 – $50,000

The University of New Mexico Art Museum (UNMAM) is seeking applicants for a Curator of Collections and Study Room Initiatives. Applications will only be accepted through the UNM Jobs website. Please visit https://unmjobs.unm.edu/ to view the full job description and apply.

Located in Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico, UNM is a Carnegie Very High Research University, a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, and the state’s flagship institution of higher learning. Founded in 1963, the UNMAM is the foremost teaching collection and the largest fine arts collection in the State of New Mexico. UNMAM collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets original works of art, encouraging an understanding and appreciation of art and its multiple roles in society.

Housed in the Center for the Arts, the museum occupies three floors of exhibition space, totaling 7,280 ft2, and 7,500 ft2 of art collections storage. The Beaumont Newhall study room is where faculty and students engage with the collection.

The ideal candidate will join a team of 6 full time staff and report to the Curator of Prints and Photographs.

The ideal candidate will establish a range of museum collection initiatives designed to position the UNMAM as an educational platform that supports creativity and risk-taking, curricular innovation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and civic and cultural engagement. The successful candidate will possess a deep commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration and a cross-disciplinary approach to original works of art.

This new hybrid position requires significant contact and communication with Museum staff, campus colleagues (faculty and students) and donors who represent the demographics of New Mexico.

The museum’s collection strengths are works on paper that include 10,000+ prints, 10,000 photographs and early cased objects, and nearly 1,500 drawings. Other notable parts of the collection include the Tamarind Lithography Archives (over 6,000 lithographs), and the Raymond Jonson Collection (over 2,400 works by Jonson and other artists). Other holdings include painting and sculpture from Europe, the Americas, and African Art. The Curator, in collaboration with other museum staff, will organize study room programs, exhibitions and other initiatives that engage the entire collection and serve the broader goals of the museum and the university.

Over the past several years, the UNMAM initiated several projects that present varied digital engagement opportunities for its audiences. The UNMAM views these and future digital projects as necessary tools and dynamic learning environments in which to serve the university community and general public.

Primary Responsibilities

Initial point of contact for faculty, students and researchers for collection access.
Pulls works on paper and other art from storage and returns objects to their proper locations.
Maintains museum collections database locations.
Coordinates viewings of artworks in study room.
Initial point of contact for collections donations and acquisitions.
Design collections-based exhibitions and initiatives that engage and enrich students, visitors, and the campus community.
Serve the museum and university community, cultivating academic exchange across campus in a variety of disciplines. Initiate relevant and proactive partnerships across the campus community that enable collections access for UNM Departments, Faculty, Students and Staff.
Develop an annual outreach plan that identifies and fosters relationships with the UNM audiences detailed above.
Communicate and collaborate with the museum staff (primarily the Curator of Prints & Photographs and the Collections Manager).
Develop and maintain evaluative metrics that address measurable impact.
May supervise student employees, Graduate and Research Assistants
Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree; at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s Degree in Museum Studies, Art History, American Studies, Art Education, or related humanities degree.
Demonstrated knowledge of art and art history. Possesses a broad understanding of the field of art history, including a range of periods, cultures, artistic trends and a willingness to research outside of their area of expertise.
Five years of related work experience in museums.
Knowledge of art handling best practices and collections care in a museum environment.
Ability to handle art storage boxes and objects up to 30 lbs.; ability to climb ladders and lift materials above head.
A deep commitment to interdisciplinary teaching with a contextual, cross-disciplinary approach to art.
Demonstrated ability to work with and across diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and levels of education within and external to the campus community.
Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate across organizational structures.
Demonstrated creativity and innovation in developing collections-based exhibitions and initiatives for the academic community.
Experience in planning of collections-based exhibitions and initiatives, from conception through implementation.
Working knowledge of collections management databases.
Experience with grant writing on the local and national level.
Demonstrated ability to speak to small and large groups.
Second language competency (particularly in Spanish, Diné or Pueblo languages).

Applications will only be accepted through the UNM Jobs website. Please visit https://unmjobs.unm.edu/ to view the full job description and apply.