General Information
| Job Description | MUSEUM SCI AST | Working Title | Curatorial and Project Assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job Code | 009724 | Grade | |
| Department Name | UCR ARTS - D01295 | Department Head | Sheila Bergman |
| Supervisor | Rita Souther | Effective Date | 06/01/2021 |
Position(s) Directly Supervised
| Job Code | Title | FTE |
|---|
Department Custom Scope
| UCR ARTS seeks a Curatorial and Project Assistant for a 16-month, part-time (appx. 19 hours per week) limited position for the research and development of an exhibition and publication focused on the history of digital imaging titled "Digital Capture: Southern California and the Origin of the Pixel-Based Image World" [Getty PST 2024, Research Phase] . The project will trace the 1960?s invention of digital imaging in the Cold War research labs of Southern California, and, through the prism of art, examine the ideological shift that occurred as nascent digital photography disseminated into art practice, the creative industries, and popular culture. Reporting to UCR ARTS Exhibitions Manager, the Curatorial and Project Assistant will support the curatorial team in researching related artists, archives, existing texts, and tracing individual works of art. The Assistant will establish and maintain detailed text and image files on these artists, archives, and artworks. S/he will draft original brief biographies for each of the artists under consideration and maintain a detailed bibliography of primary and secondary sources. In addition, the Curatorial and Project Assistant will assist in reviewing secondary source material, archives, related artists, and tracing individual works of art for the project. The Assistant will make travel arrangements for team Curators, organize and maintain project files, transcribe interviews, schedule meetings, and write and disperse meeting minutes, among other duties as assigned. Individual must be able to work occasional weekends and evening hours within the approved hours available through the grant. UCR ARTS is the California Museum of Photography (CMP) and the Culver Center of the Arts, which also houses the Sweeney Art Gallery. The California Museum of Photography has more than 500,000 photographs, photographic artifacts, and apparatus. This collection serves to promote the understanding of photography and visual media by providing access and context to one of the largest and most comprehensive photographic resources in America. Collection projects have regularly been funded by the NEA, NEH, corporations, and foundations. At this time, UCR ARTS is closed due to the pandemic. Employees will work from home offices until the museum is cleared to safely open. Applicants will be required to submit a writing sample as part of the selection process. The budgeted pay rate is $23.25 per hour. |
Education & Experience Requirements
Education Requirements
| Degree | Requirement |
|---|---|
| B.A. in Art History, related field, or equivalent work experience. | Required |
| M.A. in Art History or related field | Preferred |
Experience Requirements
| Experience | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Thorough grounding in art historical research and methodology, knowledge of academic research practices, and excellent oral and written communication skills. Example of previous research project and writing sample required. | Required |
| Minimum of 2 years experience with archives and collections research or equivalent. | Required |
| Must be highly organized, efficient, and attentive to detail, with excellent follow-up skills; self-starting, resourceful, proactive, and motivated in performing and excelling in responsibilities; able to prioritize and adjust to a heavy workload, manage a variety of tasks, and meet various deadlines; skilled in planning and coordinating meetings and events. | Required |
| Computer use proficiency including MS Office (Word, Outlook, and Excel); Adobe Acrobat; file sharing platforms such as Dropbox, One Drive, Google Drive; remote communication software such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams; library, archive, and collection research databases. | Required |
| Familiarity with museum operations, standards, practices, and procedures. | Preferred |
| Expertise in digital imaging history and technologies. | Preferred |
| Administrative coordination experience. | Preferred |
| Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop for basic image editing. | Preferred |
License Requirements
Certification Requirements
| Certification | Requirement |
|---|
Educational Condition Requirements
| Condition | Requirement |
|---|
Key Responsibilities
| Description | % Time |
|---|---|
| Research Research related artists, archives, existing texts, and tracking individual works of art. Research is to be conducted both on-site at various locations (archives, libraries, and museum collections?including but not limited to the CMP collection?, galleries, artist studios, etc.) as well as remotely (secondary source material such related websites, digital and printed publications). | 50 |
| Report and File Management Organize and maintain exhibition and artist files; draft original brief biographies for each of the artists under consideration and maintain a detailed bibliography of primary and secondary sources. Maintain, update, and circulate a working exhibition checklist; and work with UCR ARTS publications staff to collect images for website and catalogue, among other duties. Prepare regular progress reports; maintaining files; coordinate in- and out-of-office logistics. | 20 |
| Artist Correspondence Correspond with artists, lenders, and institutions regarding issues such as art dimensions, hanging requirements, shipping requirements, etc. Liaison between artist and project leaders/curatorial staff. | 15 |
| Meeting arrangements and travel planning Coordinate all aspects of the Curatorial Advisory Committee, including organizing and attending meetings, recording minutes, and making travel arrangements for Committee participants and the Curatorial team. | 15 |
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
| Knowledge/Skill/Ability | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Knowledge of art historical research and methodology, knowledge of academic research practices; excellent oral and written communication skills. | Required |
| Computer use proficiency including MS Office (Word, Outlook, and Excel); Adobe Acrobat; file sharing platforms such as Dropbox, One Drive, Google Drive; remote communication software such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams; library, archive, and collection research databases. | Required |
Special Requirements & Conditions
| Special Condition | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Occasional travel for university related business meetings, conferences and/or professional development. | Required |
| Valid Drivers License | Required |
Other Special Requirements & Conditions
|
|
Level of Supervision Received
| General Supervision |
Environment
Working Environment
| UCR ARTS museum located in downtown Riverside and various archives, libraries and museum collections |
Other Requirements
Items Used
|
Physical Requirements
|
Mental Requirements
|
Environmental Requirements
|
Critical Position
| Is Critical Position: No |