Kathy and Ted Fernberger Curator of Prints

We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values.  We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, including those from traditionally underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected status. 

How You Will Contribute

We seek a curator with an exceptional record of exhibitions and publications to oversee the museum’s distinguished collection of 120,000 European, North American, and Japanese prints. Reporting directly to the Senior Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, you will join the curatorial team during a period of transformation within the department and the museum. This position requires a broad-based knowledge of prints and the print market. Candidates at the assistant, associate, and full curatorial levels will be considered.

Specifically, you will:

• Work under the direction of the Prints, Drawings, and Photographs Department Head and in cooperation with other curators in the department, as well as with other museum staff help to achieve the mission of the institution and its strategic objectives.
• Assess the collection of 120,000 prints and help outline and implement an acquisition strategy and display methodology in consultation with the Department head, and in collaboration with the Park Family Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings, and curatorial fellows.
• Conduct or direct research on the collection or on related topics in accordance with a plan developed in consultation with the Department Head. Keeping in mind the museum’s richly diverse audiences, utilize this research for the development of exhibitions and public programming, the enrichment of the museum’s collections database and interpretive materials in the galleries, and for presentation in collections catalogues, scholarly articles, public lectures and symposia.
• With the Department Head, devise a plan to mentor fellows by delegating curatorial tasks, developing collaborative working assignments, and providing professional feedback, including supporting fellows in developing and implementing exhibitions.
• Work closely with the museum’s conservation, collections management, and design and installation staff to ensure that the works of art in your care are properly documented, conserved, stored, and effectively displayed in the museum’s galleries for the enjoyment and education of the public.
• Organize and/or coordinate special exhibitions, either individually or in collaboration with colleagues from the museum or other institutions. This work should be understood as encompassing every aspect of the development and implementation of special exhibitions, from initial project planning and research to participation in budgeting and resource development, the production of the catalogue, the creation of the installation design and a marketing plan to promote the exhibition, and the development and presentation of interpretive programs that will accompany it.
• Identify and recommend works of art in your area of responsibility to be acquired for the collection and provide supporting documentation to justify the acquisition. In accordance with institutional policies, periodically assesses the area of the collection in your purview and make recommendations for potential deaccessions. Undertake a collection assessment and make recommendations about collecting strategies. Consult with the museum’s library staff on book and journal acquisitions in your area of responsibility.
• In consultation with the Department Head, work closely with the department’s acquisitions committee and supporters. Assist in all aspects of committee meeting preparations.
• Review and provide recommendations on loan requests received by the museum.
• Work collaboratively with the Education Division on the development and production of interpretive materials related to the collection and on the content and presentational strategies developed for public programs and distance learning programs.
• Develop in consultation with the Department Head a professional development plan that will enable you to keep up to date on scholarship and curatorial developments in the field and address any agreed-upon professional needs
• Work in close cooperation with the museum’s senior staff and Development officers to identify and cultivate individuals who can support the development of the collection in your area of responsibility.  Participate, as needed, in events organized by the museum for the benefit of its members or various constituent groups
• Represent the museum to various public constituencies in the city and the region and, as needed, attend civic and social events.
• Serve as a representative of the museum in various professional organizations and events and maintain a strong and effective relationship with curators and scholars in the field, especially those at peer institutions in this country and abroad.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Department Head.

Your background and experience include:

• A record of research and curatorial achievement, which includes the development of moderate and large-scale exhibitions and publications, the acquisition of works of art, and the ability to address diverse audiences.
• PhD with requisite experience as assistant curator, associate curator, or curator.
• A solid understanding of museum practices in terms of conservation, collections management, and loan requests.
• Mentoring fellows and interns and cultivating supporters and collectors.
• Ability to multitask, maintain effective lines of communication within the department and museum, and efficiently meet overlapping deadlines.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

What We Offer

Our employees are at the center of the museum and we encourage everyone to be actively engaged in museum culture and activities.  As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:

• Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
• Discounted guest tickets for general admission and special exhibitions
• Discounts on gift memberships
• Special staff tours and presentations from our world-renowned curatorial staff
• Discounts at the museum restaurant, all museum cafés, and museum retail stores

We offer a competitive benefits package* for employees including:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
• Health savings or flexible spending account program
• Retirement savings program with museum match
• Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays

 

*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.

 

 

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.