Collections Manager – Vertebrate Paleontology

The Field Museum of Natural History has an immediate opening for a Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology. The Field Museum’s Fossil Vertebrate collections are world‑class and host an incredible diversity of specimens. These include our collections of fossil mammals (~73,000 specimens including a large collection of Oligocene‑Pleistocene mammals from South America), fossil fishes (~30,000 individuals ranging from the Ordovician to Pleistocene), and Paleozoic tetrapods from North America and South Africa (~3,500 specimens), among others.

The vertebrate paleontology collections also include materials from the Green River Formation (mostly fish, but also including rarer mammal, bird, and reptile specimens) and a dinosaur collection that houses important holotypes and other specimens (e.g., Brachiosaurus holotype, Cryolophosaurus holotype, SUE, Archaeopteryx).

This is a full‑time position in the Gantz Family Collections Center reporting to the Head of Geological Collections. The Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology is responsible for managing the Museum’s world‑renowned fossil vertebrate collections and making them available for research, education, exhibition, and outreach. Based on best practices, the individual in this role will oversee the direct care, organization, and management of more than 100,000 specimens—some of which are the Field Museum’s most high‑profile items.

The successful candidate will be evaluated on their ability to care for, promote, study, build, and ensure accessibility to these collections. The Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology may supervise Collections support staff in Geology and may serve as Head of Geological Collections, a rotating role through which the Museum’s Geological Collections are represented on the Collections Leadership Team.

The Collection Manager will work jointly with curators to set long and short‑term priorities for the vertebrate paleontology collections. They will also interact with other collections areas, research scientists, exhibition developers, education staff, and fundraisers. The Collection Manager is expected to actively seek funding to support collections care and improvement.

We are especially interested in candidates with a vision for making collections accessible through digitization and the next frontiers in natural history collections. Candidates dedicated to collections care with demonstrated leadership experience are especially encouraged to apply. As part of our commitment to transparency, we wish to note that we are not able to sponsor new H‑1B visas at this time.

This policy does not affect current H‑1B employees.

• Establishes priorities for collection care and management in coordination with the Head of Geological Collections and relevant curatorial and research staff and develops and updates policies and procedures
• Manages the day‑to‑day activities for the vertebrate paleontology collections, including organizing and maintaining the specimens on display as well as those in the relevant collection ranges: the fossil fish range, the fossil amphibian and reptile range, the oversize vertebrate paleontology range, the fossil mammal range, and a range housing mounted vertebrate skeletons that are not on display
• Works with other staff to ensure collections facilities and environments are up to professional standards and, as needed, plans and executes collections reorganization and moves
• Plans, undertakes, and supervises the digitization and continuing documentation of collections including databasing, capturing digital images of scientific labels and specimens, correspondence, archives, publications, and loan records using the Museum’s collection management software (EMu)
• Manages the budget for the vertebrate paleontology collection, identifies vendors, and orders supplies
• In collaboration with the paleontology curatorial team, reviews and approves research requests, including for destructive sampling
• Facilitates the use of the vertebrate paleontology collections by internal staff and outside researchers
• Manages incoming and outgoing loans for vertebrate paleontology
• Recruit, onboard,…