Collections Assistant (Museum Technician) (IS-1016-07)

Application Deadline: 31 January 2025

Department: Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Director, Collections Care and Management

Compensation: $57,164 - $60,976 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: January 13, 2025   CLOSING DATE: January 31, 2025 (This job will close once 75 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date.)  POSITION TYPE: Trust FundAPPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite    SCHEDULE: Full Time DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC 
Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all Qualified Applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).  Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States.  Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 

OVERVIEW

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) is a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the art and artists of our time. We seek to share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences, and ideas converge. We enhance public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education and public programs, conservation, and research.

The Collections Care and Management Department is responsible for the care, preservation, and documentation of all works of art at the museum. The incumbent serves as a museum technician, reporting to the Director of Collections Management, providing technical assistance and support in the broad areas of collection stewardship.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting administrative functions by ordering equipment and supplies associated with the functions of the Collection Management department and tracking the orders during the procurement process; Assisting department members with procurement procedures and ensuring compliance.
• Assisting in collecting, organizing, and preparing material related to HMSG collections, acquisitions, exhibitions, or other projects as assigned.
• Assisting in maintaining standards, policies, and operating procedures for basic conservation, physical care, storage, documentation, and inventory of museum collections.
• Assisting with registration tasks associated with cataloguing, art handling, location updates and general collection documentation using relevant databases and tools, including participating in the Museum's courier efforts as assigned.
• Checking and keeping accounts of conservation lab supplies of adhesives, papers, fabrics, chemicals, solvents, and reordering them when necessary. Assisting with conservation tasks associated with emergency supply kits, basic environmental monitoring and IPM, collection rehousing, and maintenance of lab supplies.
• Assisting with archives research, digitization, and access requests; Managing the digital assets for the department, by entering the information into The Museum System (TMS) and the Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) datab