Conservator (Preventive) (Fellow) IS-1001-11

OVERVIEW

This position is located in the Museum Support Center in Suitland, MD, the Museum Conservation Institute (MCI), Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institute (SI). The Smithsonian Institute is a diverse museum, education, and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. The Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) increases and shares scientific and practical knowledge that improves the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage. This position is a two year fellowship. The fellow would focus on developing a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, data-driven approach to protecting and maintaining museum collections environments at SI.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Conservation Research:

• Maps and assesses historic and current research and practices in the maintenance of museum collections environments across the SI and within the broader conservation sector. Gathers and analyzes current best practices in preventive conservation regarding environmental controls and identifies opportunities or gaps in current environmental standards for museum collections. Develops and carries out 2 pilot projects that can be tested within SI to provide new or additional evidence that would assist in data-driven decision-making for setting collections environment parameters.

Interagency Collaboration:

• Collaborates closely with an interdisciplinary range of professionals including conservators, scientists, and cultural heritage practitioners at MCI as well as researchers, conservators, collection managers and curators throughout the Smithsonian and the conservation community. Additionally, works closely with Facilities Management and Design and Construction engineers and professionals to understand how their expertise and professional responsibilities work in relation to conservators’ expertise and professional responsibilities. Identifies a small multi-disciplinary advisory team to whom to report findings and receive feedback.

Conservation Education:

• Organizes a convening of key stakeholders and researchers on the topic of data-driven decision-making for setting collections environment parameters. Develops presentation tools for communicating results to conservators, collections staff and facilities staff as well as high-level decision-makers, for ex, unit directors and SI senior leadership. Shares project results through lectures and presentations both internally at SI as well as at professional conferences and academic audiences. Travels for research visits or deliver presentations, as appropriate. Performs other duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a master's degree (M.A. or M.Sc.) in conservation from an accredited conservation program, and one to two years of research experience or related museum or fieldwork experience in preventive conservation.

• Knowledge of principles, concepts, and methodologies requisite to preventive conservation, e.g., chemistry, material technology and deterioration, and art historical and technological understanding: and of the practical or craft skills to comprehend considerations in the examination and conservation treatment of museum collections, sufficient to assess museum collections environments, identify preservation risks, and evaluate preventive conservation approaches and research priorities.
• Knowledge of the chemical and physical properties of museum collections, specimens, and objects, and of the techniques used to preserve and conserve them in order to evaluate the effects of environmental conditions on collections and interpret conservation and research findings. 
• Skill in documenting and interpreting conservation treatments and research findings and compiling, presenting, and disseminating results in written form, sufficient to communicate technical information to staff from different disciplines.
• Knowledge of a range of conservation technologies (e.g., cleaning, mending, consolidation, wet cleaning, replacement, coating, supporting, mounting, and rehousing) and of technical and scientific research procedures, sufficient to evaluate conservation practices, develop and assess pilot projects, and determine the applicability of research findings to museum collection environments.
• Skill in collaborating with interdisciplinary teams of both conservation and allied professionals. 
• Skill in written and verbal communication of information accurately and with attention to detail to audiences that include art historians, curators, conservation scientists, as well as administrators and to the general public.     

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package. Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.  Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery." 
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.  

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact Olaajep@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.  The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo   

About Smithsonian Institution

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.