Museum Specialist

OPEN DATE: September 5, 2025

CLOSING DATE: October 3, 2025

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not to Exceed One (1) Year

SCHEDULE: Full-time

DUTY LOCATION: New York, NY
POSITION SENSITIVITY & RISK: Nonsensitive/Moderate Risk: 5N

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 purpose of this position is to provide support on a full range of curatorial responsibilities that includes scholarly research, exhibition and website planning/production, programmatic support, public service, and administrative duties to assist in the planning, organizing, documenting, and displaying of works by the American artist Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), at CHSDM and online. This position reports to the Associate Curator and Head of Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design. Still, the incumbent works closely and collaboratively with colleagues across Curatorial (including Conservation, Exhibitions and Registrar) and those in the Learning, Cross-Platform Publishing, and Digital and Emerging Media departments. The incumbent will be invited and expected to attend departmental and cross-departmental meetings that are part of the normal workflow for exhibition planning.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Exhibitions:
Participates in a multidisciplinary approach to exhibitions, working collaboratively with the various departments to support and contribute to content development that addresses the museum’s goal of optimizing the visitor’s engagement and experience. Works with assigned curators on all aspects of scholarly research, planning, writing, execution, and installation of exhibitions, including attending exhibition production meetings, liaising with curator(s), creating object checklists, supplying/editing didactic information such as object labels and exhibition texts, coordinating audiovisual components, gathering content for the digital exhibition platform, and more. Conducts original library and web-based research related to exhibition themes and designers. Responsible for independently reading Italian, German or French to perform research and other exhibition duties. Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills in working with the curatorial team, with co-curators (designers, artists, and internal and external curators), and with Exhibitions, Registrar, Conservation, Cross-Platform Publication, Digital and Emerging Media, Communication, and Finance department team members, as well as with outside contractors/vendors to support the successful exhibition preparation and execution within the allotted schedule. Works with lenders, contemporary artists, and designers participating in exhibitions and maintains professional and timely correspondence with these constituents. Works on aspects related to exhibition travel, if pertinent. Provide administrative support for exhibition related events, including exhibition tours, meetings, and presentations.

Research and Publications:
Conducts scholarly research on Frederic Edwin Church in support of exhibitions. Proposes and writes appropriate articles for CHSDM online and print publications based on original research as requested. Attends meetings with curators and the Cross-Platform Publishing department. Creates image checklist, oversees/supervises photography as needed, prepares captions/texts as assigned, and liaises with publications as required. Coordinates with Cross-Platform Publishing departments on the schedule of the exhibition catalog and generates POs and paperwork as needed for the exhibition and catalog. Makes an effort to keep information about exhibitions, especially related to design in the New York area, through gallery and museum visits, publications, etc., and conveys observations to curators. Responsible for independently reading Italian, German, or French to perform research and other publication-related duties.

Exhibitions Managment:
Assists curator(s) in preparation of loan paperwork. Assists with presentations, including research as necessary. Maintains, updates, and reconciles collection and exhibition records using TMS software in collaboration with the Registrar and updates department files as required. Liaises with departmental curators, registrars, conservators, and lenders on conservation and other issues relative to loans. Assists curatorial staff and photographers during photo shoots of exhibition and collection objects.

Public Outreach and Programming:
Collaborates with curators, Cross-Platform Publishing, Learning, and Digital and Emerging Media staff on developing exhibition and publication-related content for digital platforms and public programs. Participates in docent training and in giving tours, as needed, to priority visitors, classes, security, and visitor experience staff. May participate in symposia, panel discussions, or other public programs to extend understanding of CHSDM exhibitions and publications to national and international audiences.

Administration:
Coordinates with the Exhibitions and Cross-Platform Publishing departments on the exhibition installation and catalog production schedule. As required, generates POs and paperwork to support exhibition and publication needs. Organizes, maintains, and updates exhibition files. Contributes to CHSDM’s expanding web, blog, and social media initiatives to engage audiences. Participates in general administrative staff and committee meetings as requested.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required:Proficiency in reading Italian, German, or French in order to perform research and other duties associated with exhibitions and publications.

In addition to the requirement above, a qualified candidate will possess 1 year of specialized experience. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Experience performing basic curatorial functions including cataloging, researching, writing, etc. for the production of exhibitions, publications, and educational programming.
• Experience drafting materials such as research results, reports, didactic exhibition texts, label copy, correspondence, blogs, tweets, observations, and comments for a museum’s website and social media outlets.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite (including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Photoshop) and The Museum System (TMS) to support curatorial functions.

A bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred.

Directions to apply

Visit https://trustcareers.si.edu/en/postings/5cf1aff4-2895-45d2-a8fb-1ed79a4c7496 to apply.

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.

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.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Relocation expenses for this position are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. 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 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historical and contemporary design and is the steward of one of the most diverse and comprehensive design collections in existence – more than 215,000 design objects spanning 30 centuries. From ancient textiles and works on paper to icons of modern design and cutting-edge technologies, Cooper Hewitt’s collection serves as inspiration for creative work of all kinds and tells the story of design’s paramount importance in improving our world. Cooper Hewitt’s mission is to educate, inspire, and empower people through design.