Eugene V. Thaw Fellowship for Collections Cataloguing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Job Title: Eugene V. Thaw Fellowship for Collections Cataloguing

Location: New York, NY


About the Fellowship
Unique among Met fellowships, the purpose of this position in the Department of European Paintings is to train emerging museum professionals in the practice of cataloguing works of art, including researching and compiling provenance information, exhibition histories, and bibliographic references, as well as documenting critical opinions found in literature. Fellows also receive training in The Museum System (TMS), a collections management database widely used by museums.

The fellow participates in a range of activities, typically focusing on a specific portion of the collection, and works closely with curators, conservators, and cataloguers under the direction of the Senior Collections Cataloguer. With European Paintings colleagues, the fellow develops areas of personal interest within the fields of collections cataloguing and art history. To further develop their expertise, the fellow may also have the opportunity to travel to research objects in the European Paintings collection.

Eligibility
Applicants for the Eugene V. Thaw Fellowship are not expected to have a background in cataloguing, though it is beneficial.
Eligible candidates must hold an MA at the time of application, and/or be working toward a PhD. Postdoctoral and senior scholars are not eligible for this fellowship.
Basic language skills pertaining to the area in which the fellow plans to work are essential.
All fellows must be in residence at The Met for the entirety of their 12-month fellowship period.
All fellows are expected to have valid US work authorization for the entire duration of the fellowship. If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, please review the additional details in the Fellowship Application FAQs and ensure you have confirmed your eligibility prior to submitting your application.

The fellow receives:

  • An annual salary of $47,000
  • Benefits currently offered to full-time, nonexempt employees of the Museum, such as health insurance (optional)
  • A stipend of up to $2,000, pending approval by the European Paintings department head, for travel or projects directly related to collections research

The Eugene V. Thaw Fellow for Collections Cataloguing is a temporary, full-time, nonexempt employee of The Met.

Important Dates

Application deadline: Friday, October 17, 2025, 5 pm ET

Notification deadline: All applicants will be notified by the last Friday in February following the application deadline.

Fellowship Period: September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027

How To Apply

All applications, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted online and in English. The Met will not accept applications or related materials via email, postal mail, or in person.

Applicants for the Eugene V. Thaw Fellowship for Collections Cataloguing must submit the following materials (as .doc or .pdf files):

  • A statement of interest, not to exceed 1,000 words, specifying your areas of research and their relationship to the European Paintings collection and activities. Include relevant experiences related to this curatorial area.
  • A copy of a published paper or recent writing sample, not to exceed 5,000 words
  • A curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
  • Three letters of recommendation. Applicants must submit 3 academic recommendations. All letters must be submitted in English and uploaded directly by the recommenders. Recommenders may not be current Met staff, contractors, or volunteers.
  • Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate).
    If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file.

Full Description and Application Link Here.

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