Collections Assistant, Curatorial Affairs

JOB TITLE: #1771 Collections Assistant, Curatorial Affairs
OPEN TO: This job is open to all applicants.
LOCATION: History Center – 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102
SALARY: $21.25 hourly minimum
STATUS & HOURS: Full-time, regular (approximately 2,080 annual hours) position.
BENEFITS: Eligible to participate in the State Employee Group Insurance Program and a retirement program with employer contribution. Generous vacation and sick time accruals with additional paid holidays.
DEPARTMENT: Collections
CLASSIFICATION: 05L Professional
SUPERVISORY: No
HIRING MANAGER: Director, Collections
POSTING DATE: April 7, 2023
DEADLINE DATE: May 7, 2023

TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a resume and cover letter by the application deadline date.

DESCRIPTION: This position exists to provide curatorial support related to collections and access. Work includes assisting with research and appraisal for prospective acquisitions, communicating with donor and maintaining donation/donor documentation; communications related to collections management and archival processing and access; supporting preliminary archival processing tasks at accession including creating and editing Collection Management System (CMS); collections research, and other tasks related to the intellectual and physical management of physical and digital collections for discovery, access, use, and long-term preservation.

SUMMARY OF WORK: 1) Assist with activities related to initial acquisitions according to established practices and procedures; 2) Support activities related to preliminary collections description and access; 3) Assist with activities related to physical collections management and preservation; and 4) Participate in projects and other activities to support access to MNHS collections and other resources.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Associate’s degree or equivalent experience. Two years of experience in museums, curatorial, or collections management.
Experience using a collections database or similar information database.
Knowledge of standards in care of historic collections.
Familiarity with how to properly handle collections.
Familiarity with how to properly catalog and document collections.
Ability to use Microsoft Office and Google software and email.
Technical skills and experience using internet and media technologies.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in writing, by phone, and in person with varied audiences.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative, to work independently and as a member of a team, and be self-motivated.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate work and manage time.
Ability, flexibility and willingness to occasionally work a varied schedule, including evenings and weekends. Ability and willingness to maintain electronic and written records and to complete assigned reports.
Ability to lift 30 pounds; more than 30 pounds team lift.
Ability to reach, bend, kneel, pull, push, and other physical movements to complete daily responsibilities in collections care and handling.
Comfortable with occasional exposure to potential irritants such as mold and decaying film.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in American History, Art History, American Studies, Public History or equivalent degree field.
Experience working with researchers and other constituents.
Experience operating the KE EMu collections management system.
Knowledge of MNHS collections.
Knowledge of Minnesota History.
Knowledge and understanding of MNHS policies & procedures.
Public speaking experience.

Should you have questions with the application process, email humanresources@mnhs.org..

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.