Position at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Conservator of Textiles
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
is seeking applicants for the position of Conservator of Textiles.
This is a permanent full-time salaried position and is eligible for
benefits.

Responsibilities: The Conservator of Textiles is responsible for
enhancing the protection and preservation of Colonial Williamsburg's
cultural assets by supervising the operation of the textiles
conservation laboratory.  Primary functions include proposing and
carrying out conservation treatments, and researching and developing
new approaches to conservation treatment.  Condition assessments and
treatments are carried out in accordance with exhibition objectives.
Additionally, the Conservator of Textiles oversees the conservation
treatments and career development of laboratory staff (where
applicable) as well as conservation technicians, interns, and
volunteers.

Requirements:

    Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, including
    professional presentations

    Ability to establish and maintain effective working
    relationships

    Must be able to establish priorities, meet deadlines and work
    under pressure.

    Detailed knowledge of traditional decorative, fine, and folk art
    materials and technologies;

    Knowledge of the effects of environmental conditions on
    materials and objects; detailed knowledge of conservation
    materials

    Experience in applying current conservation methodologies

    Highly developed manual skills; scientific knowledge to enable
    undertaking in-depth examination and analysis of objects

    Performing treatments and producing and following necessary
    literature and reports

    Demonstrable history of proposed, completed and documented
    treatments

All generally gained through graduate level study in conservation
plus ten years conservation experience in recognized institutions or
the equivalent technical education and experience.

Preferred qualifications:

    Supervisory and administrative experience

    Familiarity with upholstery techniques used in the 18th and 19th
    centuries

    Membership in a professional conservation organization

    history of publications pertinent to the area of specialization

The Conservation Department of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
is composed of an energetic team of conservation professionals who
work in nine modern well-equipped labs.  On-site analytical
capabilities include: x-radiography, fluorescence microscopy, FT-IR,
XRF, and SEM-EDS.

Colonial Williamsburg's textile and costume collection includes more
than 8,000 examples of clothing, needlework, quilts, carpets, and
flat textiles from several continents and ranging in date from the
17th century to the present.  Among the embroidered textiles are
clothing, bed furnishings, samplers, raised-worked boxes, and
mourning pictures.  Household textiles include linen tablecloths,
homespun sheets, and woolen blankets, as well as printed cotton bed
hangings, chair covers, and carpets from Asia and Europe.  An
extensive assemblage of costume accessories comprises hats, shoes,
stockings, handkerchiefs, aprons, gloves, and pocketbooks.

For further information and to apply online, please visit:

    <URL:http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/foundation/careers>

Salary commensurate with experience.  Successful candidate must have
USA work visa.  Colonial Williamsburg supports a drug- and
alcohol-free workplace.  AA/EOE

David Blanchfield
Director of Conservation
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Williamsburg, Virginia


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 29:47
                    Distributed: Sunday, May 1, 2016
                       Message Id: cdl-29-47-029
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