Position at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Paintings Conservator
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is currently
seeking to fill the position of Paintings Conservator.  Reporting to
the Senior Curator, the Paintings Conservator will examine,
document, and perform treatments on paintings from the Collection
and manage the preservation needs of PAFA's significant collection
of American paintings, works on paper, and sculptures spanning the
18th-21st centuries.

The Paintings Conservator manages the preservation needs of PAFA's
collection through advising and arranging for treatment of a
collection that includes works on paper, photographs, objects, and
sculpture.  The Paintings Conservator evaluates treatment and
exhibition needs of works requested for loan, treats paintings and
frames that will travel for loans, and acts as a courier for both
domestic and international loans.  In addition to fully documenting
treatments carried out at PAFA, the Paintings Conservator documents
the condition of new acquisitions, incoming and outgoing loans.

The Paintings Conservator is encouraged to pursue research that will
inform treatment decisions, contribute to knowledge of a work in the
collection, or increase general knowledge of materials or artists'
techniques.  The Paintings Conservator is expected to maintain a
level of expertise that reflects current developments in
conservation practice and make treatment and collections care
decisions that comply with current ethical standards, such as those
established by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works.  To this end, the Paintings Conservator is
expected to pursue professional development and training
opportunities through attendance of local and national meetings,
workshops, and training sessions, and through communication and
collaboration with professionals in conservation and related fields.

As the only conservator on staff, the Paintings Conservator works
closely with registrars, preparators, Operations staff, curators,
and additional museum staff to manage and administer preventive
conservation initiatives, including environmental monitoring,
controlling light levels, emergency preparedness, and improving
storage conditions in order to promote a high standard of
collections care for a collection of 13,000+ works housed in two
historic buildings.  The Paintings Conservator is asked to
contribute a conservator's expertise and perspective to strategic
planning, planning for storage expansion, and additional long-term
collections- and building-oriented projects.  The Paintings
Conservator works with Senior Staff and the Development Department
in obtaining grant funding or private donations for conservation
equipment upgrades, major conservation treatments, and preservation
initiatives.  The Paintings Conservator plays an active role in
public outreach, including working with the Education Department,
PAFA students, and the public, by hosting conservation lab tours,
workshops, and special events, by serving as a mentor to interns and
students, and by maintaining a web presence for the Conservation
Department.

Candidates must hold a Masters Degree or certificate with a
specialization in Paintings from a recognized graduate training
program, and must have five (5) years postgraduate paintings
conservation experience.  A minor in Preventive Conservation and/or
additional pre-graduate or graduate level experience in preventive
conservation and non-paintings specialties is preferred.  Candidates
must be members of the American Institute for Conservation;
membership at Professional Associate level (or Fellow) is preferred.
A history of successful grant-writing, participation in writing
conservation assessments, published (or in-process) technical
research, or research presented at conferences is preferred.
Candidates must possess excellent writing and communication skills,
appropriate computer skills, and creative and critical thinking
abilities.  Due to the physical nature of the position, candidates
must be able to sit, stand, or bend for long periods of time.  The
ability to lift and move objects up to 40 pounds is required.

Qualified candidates should send their resume, cover letter, and
list of three (3) professional references to jobs<-a t->pafa< . >org, fax to
215-972-6194 or mail to

    Human Resources
    128 N. Broad St.
    Philadelphia, PA 19102

Please include 'Paintings Conservator' in the subject line.  The
position will remain open until filled.  PAFA is an Equal
Opportunity Employer and encourages the recruitment and retention of
qualified candidates for all positions.  PAFA encourages members of
all diverse groups to seek employment with us.

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:9
                 Distributed: Saturday, August 2, 2014
                        Message Id: cdl-28-9-024
                                  ***