(P/T) Collections and Exhibitions Research Associate at The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD

Job Title: Collections and Exhibitions Research Associate

Job Status: Part-time, Contract

Location: Washington, D.C.

Salary: $28 – $35 / hour

The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) at the Milken Institute is looking for a talented museum professional with experience in collections management and exhibition research to join the Content Team on a contract basis.

The Milken Institute is a non-partisan and nonprofit think tank renowned for convening people with talent and resources to address global challenges. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, the Institute conducts research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. 

The Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD), the most recent center within the Institute, is catalyzing this work by building a new type of cultural center in the heart of Washington, DC.  MCAAD celebrates the ideal of the American Dream and explores the ongoing challenges people face in pursuing opportunity, through exhibitions, programs and educational programs. To accomplish this, we focus on four pillars of the American Dream: education, good health, economic freedom, and an entrepreneurial mindset.  MCAAD’s physical home, with a planned opening in early 2025, is a remarkable renovation of several 120-year-old historic bank buildings, including Riggs Bank, known as the “Bank of Presidents.” The Center’s main halls are in the National Register of Historic Places, and our stewardship of the property—along with adjacent buildings on 15th St NW—will showcase and honor the history of these buildings while adapting them for use as a modern cultural center with immersive exhibit galleries. There will also be a state-of-the-art theater, events and lecture spaces, a holodeck, shop, and an atrium with café. The six-building complex featuring nearly 300,000 square feet of space will also include a conference center, recording and broadcast studios, and the Washington, D.C., headquarters of five centers of the Milken Institute.

Description of Services 

Location: Washington, DC 20005

Salary: $28 – $35 per hour, 20 – 35 hours per week

Estimated Cost: $28,350 (March 25, 2024 – September 27, 2024 – 27 weeks, 30 hr/wk, $35/hr)

Duration: 6 Month Contract from start date, with possibility to extend

Position Type: Hybrid, expectation is minimum 1-2 days in office.

We are looking to hire a dynamic, flexible, and detail-oriented professional with excellent organizational skills to join our team as an associate on a contract basis while Collections Manager is on leave and supporting plans toward opening. The Collections and Exhibitions Research Associate will be responsible for assisting the Collections Manager in a variety of tasks related to the Center’s physical and digital assets as well as assisting on exhibition related research and projects.  This role will initially be focused on covering the Collection’s Manager responsibilities while on maternity leave and will shift upon her return. While the Collections Manager is on leave, the role will consist of three main areas of responsibility, 1) temporary ownership of current systems and procedures, 2) assisting other staff who are responsible for related collections efforts, and 3) spearheading upcoming projects set to begin while the Collections Manager is on leave. These areas are more specifically outlined below along with the Associate’s regular duties and responsibilities. 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Database Management – The Associate will be expected to assist the Collections Manager in maintaining a series of databases used by the Content Team. While the Collections Manager is on leave the Associate will take over management of these systems.
  • Airtable – The Associate will use Airtable to help the Content Team track objects and assets being used in various exhibits in multiple bases. The Associate will primarily be responsible for ensuring these bases are up to date in terms of tracking objects and assets for use and creating object and assets lists for research, pricing, and acquisition. 
  • Collector Systems – The Associate will use MCAAD’s collection management system to assist in maintaining collection records. This includes updating current records, accessioning newly acquired and loaned objects, tracking objects in exhibits, and other collections needs as assigned.
  • Asset management and research
  • The Associate will be responsible for researching, sourcing, and organizing images and digital assets for use in MCAAD exhibits. They will work with an outside vendor on purchasing and acquiring these assets while the Collections Manager is on leave.
  • Collections Management
  • The Associate will assist in the proper care and preservation of MCAAD’s collections by monitoring the museum collections storage room, environmental conditions data and analysis, assisting in curatorial housekeeping, and conservation projects. The Associate will oversee these efforts while the Collections Manager is on leave.
  • The Associate will assist on incoming and outgoing loans including researching objects for loan, reviewing loan documents, shipping coordination, condition reporting, and other duties as needed. 
  • Acquisitions Review Committee
  • The Associate will assist in leading acquisition review committee meetings by reviewing submitted object acquisition forms from curators, creating object lists for approval during meetings, and tracking approved objects in Airtable. While the Collections Manager is on leave, the Associate with work with the Lead Curator on managing paperwork for approved acquisitions, and liaison with an outside vendor on purchasing approved objects. 
  • Exhibit and object installation
  • Object Case Layouts – While the Collections Manager is on leave, the Associate will work with MCAAD’s fabricator, Design & Production, and MCAAD’s Project Manager on object layouts for exhibit cases, make recommendations for object mounts, and assist in planning for object installation.
  • The Associate will assist the Collection’s Manager on object installation in different exhibit areas including preparing objects for display, assisting in physically installing objects, and documenting any changes to previous case layouts among other duties. In the event that object installation is required while the Collections Manager is on leave, the Associate will work with the Lead Curator or Exhibit Manager to physically install objects.    
  • Collections and exhibit research
  • The Associate will assist the Collections Manager and Curators on object, asset, and exhibit research for ongoing exhibit planning as well as assisting in content review as it relates to Objects and Assets

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in museum studies, history, public history, library sciences, or other relevant field. Master’s degree is preferred.
  • 2 years of experience working with collections in a museum, archive, or library environment. 
  • Experience in database management for collections and assets. Preferably in Collector Systems and Airtable.
  • Experience assisting in the care, preservation, and documentation of museum collections, object handling, loan procedures, and exhibit installation.
  • Experience with Microsoft Office Suite including SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel  
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, competing priorities, to solve problems and to meet challenging and changing deadlines with attention to detail
  • Ability to work independently and proactively, take initiative, meet deadlines and work collaboratively in a fast-paced team environment
  • Excellent relationship management skills and verbal and written communication skills
  • Located in/near, or willing to relocate to, Washington, DC
  • Successful completion of a security background check
  • Have necessary authorizations to work in the United States of America

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements 

This position will work in a professional office environment but does require some degree of walking, climbing, and lifting/carrying of heavy weighted materials up to 50 lbs. This position may require occasional travel less than 25% of the time. This position will be working a hybrid model, where you will be expected to report to the Washington, DC office location at a minimum Tuesday-Wednesday; this is subject to change.

About the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream

The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Milken Institute, a, 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Santa Monica.  The Center is headquartered in Washington, DC.  Its mission is to make the American Dream an attainable reality for everyone. The mission of the parent, the Milken Institute, is to improve lives around the world by advancing innovative economic and policy solutions that create jobs, widen access to capital and enhance health. 

APPLY HERE