Cultural Curator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Head Curator

Lead the Vision. Tell the Stories. Preserve the Legacy.

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) is seeking an experienced and visionary Head Curator to lead the development and execution of dynamic exhibitions that celebrate, preserve, and share the rich histories, cultures, and living traditions of the Pueblo people.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the narrative experience of one of the Southwest's premier cultural institutions. The Head Curator serves as the creative and strategic leader for all exhibitions, guiding concept development, storytelling, design, fabrication, installation, and community engagement while ensuring cultural integrity and alignment with IPCC's mission.

The ideal candidate is an innovative museum professional who combines curatorial expertise with strong project management and leadership skills, and who understands the importance of collaborative, community-centered exhibition development.

What You'll Do

Lead Exhibition Vision and Development

• Develop, plan, and implement temporary, permanent, traveling, and special exhibitions.
• Oversee all aspects of exhibition design, fabrication, installation, and operation.
• Create and maintain a strategic 3–5-year exhibition plan aligned with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with facilities and internal teams to prepare and manage exhibition spaces.
• Coordinate exhibition-related lectures, educational programs, and public engagement opportunities.
• Serve as the primary liaison with guest curators, museums, lenders, artists, and exhibition partners.

Champion Cultural Stewardship

• Ensure exhibitions respectfully represent Pueblo cultures, values, and perspectives.
• Collaborate with Pueblo community members, tribal representatives, artists, and cultural advisors.
• Maintain and enforce exhibition policies and practices consistent with professional museum standards and ethics.
• Foster culturally grounded storytelling that honors Indigenous knowledge and lived experiences.

Lead and Inspire Teams

• Supervise, mentor, and support departmental staff, interns, and project teams.
• Establish priorities, assign work, manage timelines, and oversee performance.
• Create a collaborative environment that encourages creativity, accountability, and professional growth.

Build Relationships and Community Connections

• Cultivate meaningful relationships with Pueblo artists, cultural practitioners, and community stakeholders.
• Support collaborative exhibition development and community engagement initiatives.
• Represent IPCC professionally within museum, cultural, and tribal communities.

Manage Resources and Projects

• Develop and manage exhibition budgets and project schedules.
• Support exhibition-related grant applications and funding opportunities.
• Work closely with leadership to align exhibition initiatives with operational and financial objectives.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in history, Art, Museum Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field; and
• Minimum five (5) years of professional experience related to museum exhibitions, curatorial practice, collections, cultural programming, or related work; including supervisory experience, or
• An equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Knowledge and Experience

• Knowledge of Pueblo Indian protocols, customs, traditions, and cultural perspectives.
• Knowledge of the arts, histories, cultures, and heritage of New Mexico's Pueblos and neighboring Tribal Nations.
• Experience developing and managing museum exhibitions from concept through installation.
• Knowledge of museum standards, ethics, collections management, and artifact care.
• Experience working with collections management databases and object documentation systems.
• Strong exhibition design, content development, and project management skills.
• Advanced research abilities utilizing archival, digital, and library resources.
• Experience developing budgets and managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse communities, artists, scholars, and stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently while fostering collaboration across departments.

Why Join IPCC?

At IPCC, you'll have the opportunity to help tell meaningful stories that connect generations, strengthen cultural understanding, and celebrate the living traditions of Pueblo communities. Your work will directly contribute to preserving and sharing Indigenous histories, perspectives, and creativity through innovative and impactful exhibitions.

Additional Information

• Successful candidates must pass a pre-employment drug/alcohol screening and background investigation.
• Native American preference will be given in accordance with applicable law.

If you are passionate about museum leadership, Indigenous storytelling, cultural stewardship, and creating transformative visitor experiences, we encourage you to apply.

Portfolio Submission

As part of the interview process, you will be asked to provide a portfolio or a link to materials that showcase exhibitions, curatorial projects, publications, collections work, interpretive programs, or other relevant accomplishments. Submitted materials should demonstrate your curatorial vision, leadership experience, and contributions to the field.