IUMAA Curator of Collections Impact (Museum Curator)

IU MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY & ANT (BL-MAA-IUBLA)

Department Information

IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (IUMAA) takes aspects of the former museum and the Laboratory of Archaeology and combines them into one cohesive experience. With an impactful long-term vision focusing on purposeful storytelling, stewarding collections, and bringing these items to communities, the IUMAA thoughtfully houses and displays over 5 million artifacts that span across a broad range of the human experience. The IUMAA is accessible for research as well as teaching and is culturally connected to our broader community through partnerships with Indigenous communities, advisory boards, and other IUMAA community members.

Job Summary

The Curator will be a dynamic museum professional with curation, collections engagement, access policies, and community-centered consultations. The Curator will work collaboratively with the interpretive planning team, the leadership team, descendant communities, and IU faculty to build collections access policies/procedures, research pathways, and active consultation procedures for the diverse collections (archaeology/ethnography).

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Collaborates with community partners on community-led and community-directed projects through community advisory groups, tribal consultations, community engagement, collecting initiatives, exhibitions, online platforms, and public programs.
• Works to ensure collections are interpreted inclusively with multiple voices, focused on community authorship and perspectives, and prioritizing Indigenous communities.
• Collaborates and builds relationships with faculty, departments, and organizations on the IU campus and beyond, to support collections engagement and connection, shared-stewardship models, research initiatives, and curricula development.
• Works closely with the IU NAGPRA team to support collections repatriation, provenance/provenience transparency, community consultations, and the integration of Indigenous stewardship models
• Conducts original interdisciplinary research and collaborative documentation projects on ethnographic and archaeology collections ¿ making the results available to the public through ethical access and outreach initiatives, exhibitions, public programs, and publications.
• Participates in the exhibit development process by serving as an exhibit developer and/or on exhibit teams (helping develop content, drafting labels, writing articles, consulting on design decisions, developing and participating in programs)
• Works closely with the Director of Curatorial Affairs and the Executive Director to develop an innovative and bold vision and strategy for developing ambitious research, exhibition, and publication programs.
• Collaborates with the interpretive planning and curatorial teams to develop significant exhibitions plan to prepare for the Museum opening and beyond.
• Acts as an ambassador to academic departments and the broader IU and Bloomington communities.
• Cultivates support for exhibitions, galleries, programs, symposia, acquisitions, research grants, and fellowships through association with professional organizations, foundations, collectors, and donors.

General Responsibilities

• Preserves and manages museum artifacts, documents, and/or collections, ensuring adherence to relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Coordinates the moving of works to and from buildings. Plans what artifacts will be displayed and works with departments to make selections based on the environment in the area.
• Uses conservation and maintenance techniques to preserve artifacts, documents, and collections.
• Researches and writes labels for all displayed works. Prints and installs labels.
• Researches and prepares courses, tours, and presentations related to the museum.
• Strategizes for continued goal setting and activities to reach goals and assists with the associated budget construction to carry out long-term plans.
• Assists other museum services staff with incoming artifacts and database management.
• Inventories artifacts in museums and maintains condition reports.
• May provide guidance and delegate administrative tasks to other museum services staff.
• May make process recommendations for improved operational efficiency.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree in museum services or other related field

• Masters degree in museum studies, anthropology, indigenous studies, history, or related fields.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 2 years in museum services or other related field

• 3 years of experience with curatorial work related to special collections, indigenous collections, archaeology, and/or intangible heritage
• 2 years of experience related to Indigenous consultation or shared stewardship practices

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Work Location

IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

Bloomington, Indiana

Advertised Salary

$60,000 - $70,000 per year

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Multiple plan options for medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Health Savings Account with generous IU contribution
• Life insurance, LTD, and AD&D options
• Base retirement plan contribution from IU, subject to vesting
• Additional supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition benefit for IU classes
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing our online Benefits Brochure.

Job Classification

Career Level: Career

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Educational Resources & Tech

Job Family: Museum Services

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Posting Disclaimer

This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.

If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Indiana University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admission, as required by Title IX. Questions or complaints regarding Title IX may be referred to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the university Title IX Coordinator. See Indiana University's Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

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