Associate Curator for Academic Engagement

Department
 

AI Feitler Center/Academic Intiatives

About the Department
 

The Smart Museum, founded at the University of Chicago in 1974, currently houses more than 16,000 objects from a wide range of cultures and historical periods. As a university museum situated within one of the great research institutions of the world, the Smart has dedicated itself to being a site for research and the development, exchange, and exhibition of pathbreaking ideas for campus and public audiences. The museum established the Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry in 2018 through a generous gift from the Feitler family. The Feitler gift responded to the Museum’s overall commitment to advance its impact across the University of Chicago, to develop and sustain pedagogical resources for faculty, and to enable all students to experience an intimate and intellectually engaging encounter with art objects. The Feitler Center promotes deep engagement with the Smart Museum’s collections and exhibitions, helping to integrate the Museum into the intellectual culture of the University of Chicago. By supporting the use of art as a resource for research and pedagogy, developing curricular exhibitions, and providing a range of unique student opportunities, the Feitler Center advances interdisciplinary connections through which all students and faculty can profoundly experience, learn about, and learn from works of art.

Job Summary
 

The job uses best practices and knowledge to research unique and complex subjects related to the museum and art collections, and publishes this research. Guides the development and evaluation of the museum's exhibitions. Collaborates with the education department on education programs related to collections.
The Associate Curator for Academic Engagement advances the mission of the Feitler Center at the Smart Museum by supporting the use of art as a pedagogical resource at the University of Chicago. The ACAE has two major responsibilities: the facilitation of class visits to the Smart Museum’s galleries and education study room, and the development and organization of high-impact pedagogical exhibitions with faculty and students. Bringing a generalist’s knowledge of art history, an in-depth knowledge of museum practice, and a basic understanding of university curricula, the ACAE champions object-centered teaching and learning across all academic disciplines. The ACAE works to raise the visibility of the Center’s pedagogical programs and expand their impact. The position communicates regularly with academic departments on campus, collaborating with university faculty, students, and administrators.
Internal to the Smart Museum, the Associate Curator for Academic Engagement works closely with the Feitler Center’s Academic Engagement Coordinator, and with members of the Curatorial, Exhibitions, and Registration teams. The position collaborates frequently with the collection curators and participates in meetings of the curatorial team, with a particular focus on shared expertise about the permanent collection.  While contributing to a highly collaborative curatorial team environment, the ACAE does not share in the primary responsibilities of a collections curator (for original scholarship, publishing, collections care, acquisitions, valuations, and donor/collector/board cultivation).
The ACAE reports to the Director of the Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry and Deputy Director for Academic and Curatorial Affairs. 
This is a full-time benefits eligible position.

Responsibilities

• Manages research and teaching visits to the Smart Museum’s Education Study Room. Identifies new faculty partners for teaching with the Museum’s collections and exhibitions. Researches artwork in permanent collection and exhibitions to support course visits. Connects artworks in the collection to course offerings and interdisciplinary academic projects. Coordinates object retrieval from storage. Facilitates individual class visits to ensure a productive and smooth visit. Manage evaluation efforts surrounding the program.
• Proactively seeks new and creative ways to increase faculty and student visits to the Museum to study the collection. Seeks ways to improve curricular engagement with the Smart’s collections and exhibitions.  Communicates with faculty, student researchers, and campus stakeholders to continually expand visibility of pedagogical services.
• Develops and participates in workshops with faculty and students intended to increase/ improve quantitative and qualitative engagement through teaching at the Smart. Assists in liaising with faculty and students for other types of pedagogical programming.
• Supervises undergraduate and graduate departmental interns to support the day-to-day operations of the Education Study Room or pedagogical exhibitions.
• Guides Teaching Fellows, Instructors, and Post-doc Fellows in the methods and practices of museum teaching.
• Stays up-to-date with best practices in the field. Establishes and maintains relationships with colleagues at other institutions.
• Acts as coordinating curator or co-curator with the Director of the Feitler Center for pedagogical exhibitions organized through the Feitler Center at the Smart Museum.
• Helps identify possible partners for new projects. Develops concepts with faculty and students and guides them through the artwork selection process.
• Procures loans from institutions and private collections. Drafts interpretive didactics and website text.
• Liaise with curatorial and exhibitions staff on installation and exhibition design. Work with Feitler Center and Public Practice department to conceive engaging programming around Feitler Center exhibition projects. Does not curate exhibitions for purposes other than pedagogical need.
• Mentors and oversees the work of graduate and undergraduate interns associated with pedagogical exhibitions.
• Collaborates with the Exhibitions and Publications Coordinator to draft budgets for Feitler Center pedagogical exhibitions.
• Writes and edits content for and about pedagogical exhibitions (including faculty and student engagement) at the Smart Museum for reports, meetings, publications, and e-newsletters.
• Contributes to curatorial team meetings, particularly to share expertise about the Smart’s permanent collection.
• Seeks opportunities to present about teaching and research opportunities for UChicago faculty (including regular visits to departmental faculty meetings). Presents at conferences and symposia.
• Implements the museum's strategic goals and devises plans to ensure the collections, exhibitions and related publications and programs achieve them.
• Serves as primary liaison and counsels outside scholars, museum personnel, students, researchers, donors, and the general public regarding the content of collections.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• MA in art history or related field.
• ABD or PhD with university teaching experience.

Experience:

• Prior experience in a museum setting, preferably in academic engagement or academic curation.
• Working knowledge in higher education involving collaboration with faculty and mentoring of students.
• Background with interpretive writing and speaking about art.
• Knowledge of museum standards regarding the care and handling of art and knowledge of legal and ethical issues surrounding a museum art collection.
• Exceptional visual literacy and fluency in methodologies of visual analysis and interpretation
• A generalist’s knowledge of the history of art.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Strong computer skills and familiarity with technology tools available, including Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, etc and databases required, preferably previous work experience with TMS.
• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the Smart Museum and University.
• A solid understanding of University and community engagement or direct experience working collaboratively with individuals from all sectors of the University community and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent writing, research, and oral presentation skills.
• Deep commitment to object-centered learning, the study of original works of art, and interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration.
• Represent the museum in a professional manner to guest curators, artists, donors, lenders, professional colleagues, and all University constituencies.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• See projects through to completion and ability to work well both with others and under own direction.
• Handle multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize workflow, both for self and for staff.
• Foster partnership and collaboration.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, and motivate others.

Working Conditions

• Travel and work outside regular business hours when necessary.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Museum & Arts

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Applicant Inquiry Form. <span>Applicant Inquiry Form</span> The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity /Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

Department
 

AI Feitler Center/Academic Intiatives

About the Department
 

The Smart Museum, founded at the University of Chicago in 1974, currently houses more than 16,000 objects from a wide range of cultures and historical periods. As a university museum situated within one of the great research institutions of the world, the Smart has dedicated itself to being a site for research and the development, exchange, and exhibition of pathbreaking ideas for campus and public audiences. The museum established the Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry in 2018 through a generous gift from the Feitler family. The Feitler gift responded to the Museum’s overall commitment to advance its impact across the University of Chicago, to develop and sustain pedagogical resources for faculty, and to enable all students to experience an intimate and intellectually engaging encounter with art objects. The Feitler Center promotes deep engagement with the Smart Museum’s collections and exhibitions, helping to integrate the Museum into the intellectual culture of the University of Chicago. By supporting the use of art as a resource for research and pedagogy, developing curricular exhibitions, and providing a range of unique student opportunities, the Feitler Center advances interdisciplinary connections through which all students and faculty can profoundly experience, learn about, and learn from works of art.

Job Summary
 

The job uses best practices and knowledge to research unique and complex subjects related to the museum and art collections, and publishes this research. Guides the development and evaluation of the museum's exhibitions. Collaborates with the education department on education programs related to collections.
The Associate Curator for Academic Engagement advances the mission of the Feitler Center at the Smart Museum by supporting the use of art as a pedagogical resource at the University of Chicago. The ACAE has two major responsibilities: the facilitation of class visits to the Smart Museum’s galleries and education study room, and the development and organization of high-impact pedagogical exhibitions with faculty and students. Bringing a generalist’s knowledge of art history, an in-depth knowledge of museum practice, and a basic understanding of university curricula, the ACAE champions object-centered teaching and learning across all academic disciplines. The ACAE works to raise the visibility of the Center’s pedagogical programs and expand their impact. The position communicates regularly with academic departments on campus, collaborating with university faculty, students, and administrators.
Internal to the Smart Museum, the Associate Curator for Academic Engagement works closely with the Feitler Center’s Academic Engagement Coordinator, and with members of the Curatorial, Exhibitions, and Registration teams. The position collaborates frequently with the collection curators and participates in meetings of the curatorial team, with a particular focus on shared expertise about the permanent collection.  While contributing to a highly collaborative curatorial team environment, the ACAE does not share in the primary responsibilities of a collections curator (for original scholarship, publishing, collections care, acquisitions, valuations, and donor/collector/board cultivation).
The ACAE reports to the Director of the Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry and Deputy Director for Academic and Curatorial Affairs. 
This is a full-time benefits eligible position.

Responsibilities

• Manages research and teaching visits to the Smart Museum’s Education Study Room. Identifies new faculty partners for teaching with the Museum’s collections and exhibitions. Researches artwork in permanent collection and exhibitions to support course visits. Connects artworks in the collection to course offerings and interdisciplinary academic projects. Coordinates object retrieval from storage. Facilitates individual class visits to ensure a productive and smooth visit. Manage evaluation efforts surrounding the program.
• Proactively seeks new and creative ways to increase faculty and student visits to the Museum to study the collection. Seeks ways to improve curricular engagement with the Smart’s collections and exhibitions.  Communicates with faculty, student researchers, and campus stakeholders to continually expand visibility of pedagogical services.
• Develops and participates in workshops with faculty and students intended to increase/ improve quantitative and qualitative engagement through teaching at the Smart. Assists in liaising with faculty and students for other types of pedagogical programming.
• Supervises undergraduate and graduate departmental interns to support the day-to-day operations of the Education Study Room or pedagogical exhibitions.
• Guides Teaching Fellows, Instructors, and Post-doc Fellows in the methods and practices of museum teaching.
• Stays up-to-date with best practices in the field. Establishes and maintains relationships with colleagues at other institutions.
• Acts as coordinating curator or co-curator with the Director of the Feitler Center for pedagogical exhibitions organized through the Feitler Center at the Smart Museum.
• Helps identify possible partners for new projects. Develops concepts with faculty and students and guides them through the artwork selection process.
• Procures loans from institutions and private collections. Drafts interpretive didactics and website text.
• Liaise with curatorial and exhibitions staff on installation and exhibition design. Work with Feitler Center and Public Practice department to conceive engaging programming around Feitler Center exhibition projects. Does not curate exhibitions for purposes other than pedagogical need.
• Mentors and oversees the work of graduate and undergraduate interns associated with pedagogical exhibitions.
• Collaborates with the Exhibitions and Publications Coordinator to draft budgets for Feitler Center pedagogical exhibitions.
• Writes and edits content for and about pedagogical exhibitions (including faculty and student engagement) at the Smart Museum for reports, meetings, publications, and e-newsletters.
• Contributes to curatorial team meetings, particularly to share expertise about the Smart’s permanent collection.
• Seeks opportunities to present about teaching and research opportunities for UChicago faculty (including regular visits to departmental faculty meetings). Presents at conferences and symposia.
• Implements the museum's strategic goals and devises plans to ensure the collections, exhibitions and related publications and programs achieve them.
• Serves as primary liaison and counsels outside scholars, museum personnel, students, researchers, donors, and the general public regarding the content of collections.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• MA in art history or related field.
• ABD or PhD with university teaching experience.

Experience:

• Prior experience in a museum setting, preferably in academic engagement or academic curation.
• Working knowledge in higher education involving collaboration with faculty and mentoring of students.
• Background with interpretive writing and speaking about art.
• Knowledge of museum standards regarding the care and handling of art and knowledge of legal and ethical issues surrounding a museum art collection.
• Exceptional visual literacy and fluency in methodologies of visual analysis and interpretation
• A generalist’s knowledge of the history of art.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Strong computer skills and familiarity with technology tools available, including Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, etc and databases required, preferably previous work experience with TMS.
• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the Smart Museum and University.
• A solid understanding of University and community engagement or direct experience working collaboratively with individuals from all sectors of the University community and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent writing, research, and oral presentation skills.
• Deep commitment to object-centered learning, the study of original works of art, and interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration.
• Represent the museum in a professional manner to guest curators, artists, donors, lenders, professional colleagues, and all University constituencies.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• See projects through to completion and ability to work well both with others and under own direction.
• Handle multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize workflow, both for self and for staff.
• Foster partnership and collaboration.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, and motivate others.

Working Conditions

• Travel and work outside regular business hours when necessary.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Museum & Arts

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Applicant Inquiry Form. <span>Applicant Inquiry Form</span> The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity /Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.