Director Curator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary: The Hope R. Edison and Julian I. Edison Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photography operates with a high degree of independence to provide creative vision and strategic leadership for the department and its collections. This role is central to developing and executing a dynamic, rigorous program of exhibitions and publications that enhances the collection’s profile and increases audience engagement, achieved through collaboration within the Curatorial Division and across the Museum.

Core responsibilities include establishing and managing departmental priorities, budgets, and major projects. The Curator will lead and supervise departmental staff, handling recruitment, assignments, performance reviews, and professional development to maintain a high-quality workforce. The Curator will assume primary responsibility for the collection's development, interpretation, and scholarly assessment through research, publications, exhibitions, and strategic acquisitions.

The Curator advises on all aspects of collection care, including conservation, record-keeping, handling, and storage, working closely with relevant departments. Essential to this role is robust collaboration with colleagues across the Museum on exhibitions, gallery displays, publications, and other public-facing projects. The Curator also plays a key role in cultivating and stewarding relationships with donors and patrons to support departmental and institutional goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establish and manage the priorities, budget, and major projects of the specified curatorial department. Supervise and mentor direct reports.
• Assist with the stewardship of the collection, enhancing its quality through research and recommendation of acquisitions (purchases and gifts), and deaccessions.
• Research, interpret and provide information on the collection including outcomes such as cataloging and documenting of objects, publications, lectures, docent training.
• Develop and generate art exhibitions that vary widely in scale and scope.
• Assist in continuous planning and execution of changes to the installation of the collection.
• Collaborate with Curatorial, Learning & Engagement, Digital, Marketing, Communications, and Development colleagues to provide content, support, and programming as needed, in digital and in-person formats, for public, member, collector, and patron groups.
• Support and collaborate with conservators, installation crew, and registrars to assure proper storage, handling, restoration, preservation, and display of objects in the collection.
• Assist with and maintain individual, foundation, corporate, community partner, and other important cultivation efforts and, when appropriate, participate in solicitation and stewardship while following Museum guidelines and best practices.
• Take a lead role in the planning and programming of the Museum’s Collectors Circle programs.
• Provide supervision and mentorship for all other department members.
• Perform other duties as assigned and appropriate

Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate will possess a Master's degree (Ph.D. preferred) in Relevant Field and 5-8 years of curatorial experience at a comparable institution.
• Deep expertise in their specified field(s), coupled with the adaptability to work adeptly across multiple subject areas within the department's purview, embracing the opportunities offered by an encyclopedic collection.
• Significant experience in core curatorial practices, including successful acquisitions, oversight of installations, thorough collection documentation, and the conceptualization and execution of exhibitions.
• A strong commitment to advanced scholarship is essential, evidenced by a robust record of research, publications, active participation in professional organizations, and significant exhibition contributions.
• Proven record of impactful collection building, demonstrated through strategic acquisitions and a successful track record of securing both gifts of artworks and financial donations to support acquisition initiatives.
• Fluency in relevant foreign language(s) is required (proficiency preferred), alongside familiarity with current legal and ethical standards in museology and collections stewardship.
• Excellent communication skills and meticulous attention to deadlines are crucial for success in this role.

Additional Details:

Hiring Range: $113,820 - $142,275 annually

Status: Regular, full-time (37.5 hours/week)

Benefits: Full, competitive benefits package, including 4 weeks’ vacation, parental leave, a robust wellness program, and hybrid work schedule.

The Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all applicants and employees fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience, without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.