Position at Rijksmuseum

Head of the Paintings Conservation Studio
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

36 hours per week

Closing date:  27 March, 2014

As the National Museum of Art and History of the Netherlands, the
Rijksmuseum holds canonical collections of Netherlandish fine and
applied arts and historical artefacts from the Middle Ages onwards,
supplemented by important holdings of other European and Asian arts.
Its principal function is to study, enhance and augment these
collections and to present them for the enjoyment and benefit of a
broad national and international audience.  The Rijksmuseum, which
is staffed by some 600 employees, was reopened on 13 April 2013
after an intensive refurbishment, and expects to attract over a
million visitors per year.

The Conservation Department is located in the Atelier Building which
is shared with the scientific laboratories of the Cultural Heritage
Agency (Rijksdienst Cultureel Erfgoed, RCE) and the Conservation
Training Program of the University of Amsterdam.  Within the
Conservation Department, the following disciplines of conservation
are represented: Books, Paper and Photography; Glass, Ceramics and
Stone; Furniture; Metal; Paintings and Frames; and Textiles (34
permanent positions).  In addition, there are 3 positions within its
scientific department.  The Atelier Building aspires to become a
Center of Expertise and is an international meeting place in the
field of conservation, restoration and conservation science.

The Rijksmuseum has a collection of around 6000 paintings with an
emphasis on the Dutch 17th century "Golden Age".  The highlights are
undoubtedly the works of Rembrandt, Hals, Vermeer and Steen, however
there are numerous other masterpieces in the collection by, for
example, Goya, and Tintoretto.  The Conservation Department focusses
on reaching an internationally acclaimed position in the museum
field in which conservation, restoration and scientific research as
performed by conservators and conservation scientists forms an
essential part.

Information regarding the position: The Rijksmuseum is an institute
where a great deal of scientific research is ongoing.  In this
context, a clear vision is expected from you regarding the
development of the field of painting conservation and how you might
envision accomplishing this goal.  The Painting Conservation Studio
is composed of painting conservators (6 permanent positions) and a
frame conservator (1 permanent position), of which you are the Head.
In addition, painting conservators are appointed regularly on
contract for temporary projects (currently 10 positions).  You have
responsibility for all conservation projects and create, in close
coordination with the curatorial Head of Fine Arts, the planning
regarding the pictures to be restored, as well as determining the
priorities of conserving the collection in storage in Lelystad.  The
location of the conservation studios of the Rijksmuseum is in the
Atelier Building in Amsterdam, however minor conservation treatments
can also be undertaken in the studio in the Lelystad storage
facility.  It is furthermore your task to help devise the ambitious
conservation and research planning of the entire Conservation
Department.

Beside your supervisory activities you are expected to:

    Be known as a renowned and experienced (in theory and practice)
    painting conservator;

    Perform scientific research on the collection together with
    colleagues and/or scientists.  The results of which will be
    documented in text and images and disseminated via the web,
    (contributions to) books or articles in scientific journals and
    at symposia;

    Carefully document all undertaken treatments and to ensure and
    supervise the same by your colleagues in the studio;

    Oversee the physical state of the collection so that (dangerous)
    deterioration is recognized on time and that proper measures are
    (can be) undertaken.

Requirements:

    MA or MS in Painting Conservation at a recognized institution
    (in the Netherlands: the UvA or SRAL), preference may be given
    for a candidate with a PhD

    Experience performing complex conservation treatments and
    documentation of the results

    Extensive knowledge of restoration methodology

    Practical expertise in looking and understanding paintings and
    the ability to communicate

    An extensive network in the field of conservation and research

    A considerable number of publications from which the candidate's
    enquiring attitude can clearly be discerned

    Knowledge of new, advanced analytical methods for researching
    paintings or painted objects

    Command of both spoken and written Dutch and English (in case
    Dutch is not in command, it is expected that the candidate
    aspires to it)

    Strong social and communicative skills

    An analytical and problem-solving nature

    Interest in further personal development in the field

    Service oriented, flexible and stress-resistant

    Proven supervisory capabilities in which the stimulation of
    colleagues plays a pivotal part

An assessment of these requirements will also be done by an external
agency as part of the hiring process.

Placement: The Head of the Paintings Conservation Studio shall, just
as for any contract with the Rijksmuseum, initially be appointed for
one year.  As the function concerns a permanent position, the
contract can then become a permanent one.

Salary conditions: The salary is commensurate with training and
experience, minimally Euro 3.350,- and maximally Euro 4.666,- before
taxes per month (scale 12), for a full-time week of 36 hours,
excluding an 8% vacation bonus and an annual end-of-the-year bonus.
The collective labour agreement (CAO) for independent national
museums applies.

For further information you can contact

    Dr. Robert van Langh
    Head of the Department of Conservation and Restoration
    +31 20-6747233

 For questions related to the application procedure please contact

    Bart Schindeler
    Personnel Advisor
    +31 20-6747324.

Applications: The candidate is expected to submit an essay regarding
their vision of the further development of the profession of
Painting Conservation in 600-1000 words with their application for
the position.  Please send applications (letter, essay and cv) by
e-mail to vacatures<-at->rijksmuseum<.>nl with the title of the position in
the subject line, before February 17, 2014.  The job interview will
take place upon invitation on 27 March 2014 in the Atelier Building
in Amsterdam.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 27:27
                Distributed: Saturday, December 21, 2013
                       Message Id: cdl-27-27-022
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