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Chief Conservator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The University Of Chicago

Project Conservator

Chicago, IL · On-site

$17.75 - $24.25/hr

Reporting to the Head Conservator and the Museum Director/Chief Curator, the Project Conservator will play a central role in a major grant-funded initiative to conserve and prepare the glazed brick ...

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How much do chief conservator jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for chief conservator in the United States is $124,409.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,000.00 and $146,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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Infographic showing various Chief Conservator job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 92% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $124,409 per year, or $59.8 per hour.

Supervisory Chief Conservator

Washington, DC • On-site, Remote

Smithsonian Institution
Museums and Historical Sites • 5 - 10K employees
Learn more about Smithsonian Institutionexternal

$121K - $158K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 9 days ago

Smithsonian Institution rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 25 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Summary
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in conservation laboratory of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG), Smithsonian Institution (SI). The conservation laboratory is an integral part of the Collections Care and Management Department, charged with the stewardship of the collections of the Museum.
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Duties
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The Supervisory Chief Conservator supervises and manages a professional team of conservators who hold experience in areas such as paper, photographs, paintings, variable media, sculpture, and installations. In addition, the Chief Conservator plans, directs, and coordinates conservation activities of the Laboratory and leads professional staff in carrying out the objectives of the conservation laboratory and the HMSG.
In this position, you will:
  • Manage and supervise the activities of the professional, para-professional, and technical staff in the lab, delegating work, tracking progress, and establishing priorities as necessary in line with museum programs.
  • Perform a full range of technical examinations of works of art to identify their structure and components, their condition, and/or conduct appropriate treatment according to your conservation specialty.
  • Establish procedures and direct work related to the examination, documentation handling and movement of objects in preparation for acquisition, loan, exhibition within the lab and during installation periods.
  • Manage the conservation laboratory and its programs: safety, equipment maintenance, and education.
  • Develop and monitor annual budgets for the lab, oversee procurement for all conservation equipment, including identifying needs for contract and fellow/interns to support work of the lab.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  • May need to complete a Probationary Period
  • Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.
Qualifications
Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience examining and treating fine art objects; documenting object conditions and conservation treatments; monitoring environmental conditions and identifying potential risks to collections; managing project budgets; and supervising and/or mentoring conservation staff.
Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
Education
This position does not have a positive education requirement.
Additional information
This position is not included in the bargaining unit.
Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.
Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.
Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.
Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description.
Flexible Spending Accounts - https://www.fsafeds.com/
Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp
Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
Long Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.com
Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/

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