Curatorial Assistant to the Deputy Director and Chief Curator at The Frick Collection

Nonexempt

Application deadline: May 26; Start date: mid-late July 2023 

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 full-time employees are eligible to accrue up to 12 sick and 12 vacation days their first year of employment and subsequent years. In the fourth year of employment, vacation accruals increase to up to 17 days per 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 employee-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

The Curatorial Assistant provides research support to the Deputy Director and Chief Curator, whose projects encompass art of the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries. Particular projects that the Curatorial Assistant will work on include a catalogue of Spanish paintings at The Frick Collection, a catalogue raisonné of Paolo Veronese drawings, and a catalogue raisonné and biography of Rosalba Carriera. The Curatorial Assistant will also work on future exhibition projects. We are seeking a highly motivated and organized individual who can assist in the following areas: conducting scholarly research; preparing for exhibitions and publications (including maintaining object lists and files, assisting with loan correspondence, requesting images and rights for print and internet use, and liaising with departments across the institution in support of programming and promotional materials); arranging curatorial events (such as study days, symposia, and dinners); and leading guided tours and gallery talks. This role involves occasionally assisting with after-hours events and interacting with the public and high-level donors. The position provides a superb opportunity for participating in all aspects of curatorial work in a small, dynamic department. 

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.

M.A. in Art History. Proficiency in foreign languages, particularly Italian or Spanish. French would also be useful. Strong writing, editorial, and research skills. Computer literacy in a Windows environment/Microsoft Office Suite essential, experience with The Museum System preferred. 

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. The annual salary for this position is $52,000; the hourly rate is $28.57.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted no later than Friday, May 26, 2023.

Apply here or send resume and cover letter to:   

Chief Curator

Frick Madison
30 East 75th Street

New York, NY 10021

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.