Collections Associate

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Job Summary

Our Mission

 

The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to inspire curiosity about, and enjoyment and understanding of, the visual arts by collecting, conserving, exhibiting, and interpreting works of art of outstanding quality and historical importance and is one of four programs of the J. Paul Getty Trust.  The Museum operates two sites, the Getty Villa in Malibu, which exhibits its collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, and the Getty Center in Brentwood, which displays its collections of European art: Medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, drawings to 1900, and photography to the present day (including non-European works).  The Museum mounts approximately 25 temporary exhibitions a year across its two sites; maintains an annual permanent gallery improvement program and offers wide-ranging and ambitious programming for its visitors.

 

The Opportunity

 

The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks a qualified Collection Associate to support the Department of Photographs. Reporting to Curator of Photographs Paul Martineau, the Collection Associate is responsible for facilitating the intellectual and physical access to the Department’s collection of over 150,000 objects through developing and implementing policies and processes related to storage and cataloging of the collection.

 

Under limited supervision, the Collection Associate for Photographs has primary responsibility for administering the processing of hundreds of new acquisitions annually, including housing, numbering, coordinating digital imaging, cataloging and determining proper storage. Participates in hiring, training and supervising cataloguing team and interns. Develops cataloging syntax and standards for Getty’s collection information system, the TMS database. Performs ongoing inventories. Participates in annual external audit. Manages housing, storage, and movement of collection objects. Enters location updates for all collection movement. Works with Paper Conservation on storage space planning and supply needs. Coordinates closely with Registrar’s Office, Preparators, and Imaging Services. Coordinates outgoing loans from the Department. Manages study room visitors and groups. Responds to public comments, feedback, and research requests regarding the collection.  Work will initially be onsite for the first three months to be re-evaluated at that time for telework.

Major Job Responsibilities

• Ensures accurate and appropriate documentation, cataloging, housing and numbering of works of art in the Department of Photographs collection.
• Participates in hiring, and primarily responsible for training, supervising and managing the cataloging team. Develops cataloging syntax and TMS standards for the photographs collection. Establishes cataloging priorities. Reviews and edits cataloging by curatorial assistants. Reviews TMS records for consistency.
• Participates in strategic planning for care and storage of the photography collection. Assesses supply needs and coordinates purchasing with Department of Paper Conservation staff. Assesses storage space needs annually. Compiles statistics on collection growth for the curatorial team.
• Oversees location changes for objects in the Department of Photographs collection. Records location changes in TMS database and provides daily updates to registrars. Supports exhibition preparation by noting location changes relating to installations and deinstallations. Keeps track of outgoing loans. Represents the Department of Photographs in the annual audit carried out by the Registrars Department.
• Carries out and supports research and updates to collection records. Responds to public comments, feedback, and research requests, updating TMS if appropriate. Enters object information into TMS provided by curators. Coordinates updates to digital images with the Media Metadata Assistant.
• Maintains Department collection statistics. Responsible for updating maker lists, including researching life dates for makers, adding information as new makers are added to the collection, and communicating changes to the registrars and ULAN editors. Supports curators by providing lists as requested.
• Responsible for carrying out regular inventories of the collection. Develops inventory procedures, performs physical inventories, and verifies object numbers on housing and on objects.
• Responsible for managing outgoing loan requests for photographs. Pulls material requested, reviews with Department of Paper Conservation and curators, communicates with borrowers and registrar, in consultation with Senior Curator assesses and updates insurance values, submits recommendations to Associate Director for Collections, submits proposal to registrar, moves framed objects to temp storage, refiles returned loans. 
• Responsible for overseeing the study room: develops and enforces policies for visitors to the collection, calendar/scheduling of individuals as well as classes; books parking reservations; creates lists and pulls materials; supervises visitors to study room; refiles materials.
• Responsible for coordinating imaging of the collection, working in tandem with Imaging Services; prioritizes collection materials for imaging; flags unusual imaging needs; transports objects to/from Imaging Services suite each week
• Co-supervises Department’s graduate intern, training them on collection management procedures and tasks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in art history or related field
• 3-5 years of registration or publications experience or related experience in collections documentation, handling or movement or in the granting or obtaining of electronic rights

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Applies knowledge of best practices in collection documentation, organization, and storage to moderately complex assignments and work.
• Knowledge of database systems and reporting mechanisms
• Proven project management skills
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Proven experience dealing with confidential information
• Attention to detail, editorial and proofing skills
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task and assign work to others
• Knowledge of art history and/or the history of photography and its terminology

Benefits and Perks

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

 

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan – with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

 

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.