Wood River Museum Collections Specialist

POSITION INFORMATION

Title:

Wood River Museum Collections Specialist

Type:
Full-time, year-round, nonexempt position

Schedule:

Tuesday-Saturday

Location:

Ketchum, Idaho

Reports to:

Mary Tyson, Director of the Center for Regional History

Compensation:
Starting wage of $26/hour, commensurate with experience

Benefits:
Paid vacation and sick leave; 85% of health insurance premium paid by employer; retirement match with 4% employer match; employer-paid AD&D policy; voluntary vision, short-term disability, and dental plans. This position is eligible for financial relocation assistance. Special Instructions: successful applicants must be able to complete a criminal background check.

Mission:
The Community Library’s mission is to bring information, ideas, and individuals together to enhance the cultural life of the community. Guiding Principles:
The Community Library strives to promote literacy, encourage community conversations, provide contemplative space, foster creativity, and deepen a sense of place in central Idaho.

The Community Library Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History seeks a Collections Specialist to lead the professional care, movement, management, and documentation of collections in the newly expanded Wood River Museum of History and Culture. Reporting to the Director of the Center for Regional History, this position plays a key role in managing collection care of the Museum’s objects and various media;

completing museum inventories; cataloging, which includes photo documentation, condition reporting and historic research; assisting with the execution, development, and evaluation of rotating exhibitions.

• Conduct the inventory work required to advance collection management.
• Practice library, archives, and museum preservation and conservation standards.
• Adhere to the Center for Regional History Collection Management Policies.
• Maintain and utilize and oversee the Past Perfect collections management database and other discovery and access database software tools to manage the collection records.
• Photograph collection objects.
• Create condition reports for Museum collection objects.
• Run the Museum operations in coordination with the Museum Community Engagement Manager.
  
  This includes the supervision of volunteers and Museum Store operations.
• Provide excellent visitor service.
• Assist with the coordination and execution of museum programs.
• Work closely with the Museum Community Engagement Manager to develop programming with the aim of
  increasing visitor engagement in central Idaho history.
• Work with a team to execute dynamic museum exhibitions under the leadership of the Center for Regional History Director.
• Research and write exhibition copy and other interpretative materials as needed.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Work both independently and collaboratively in a production-oriented and creative team environment.
• Be proficient with technology and metadata standards specific to archives, museums, and special collections.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in the humanities, history, and/or related field, or commensurate experience.
• Demonstrated experience communicating with the public in a museum or library, or in an education setting, or in a customer service setting for a business or non-profit organization.
• Strong computer skills including but not limited to Microsoft Office 365, database software, and Adobe Creative Suite, coupled with a willingness to learn new programs and apps.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects at one time.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills including presentation, persuasion, and negotiation skills required in working with coworkers including the ability to communicate effectively and courteously under pressure.
• Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to foster an atmosphere of diversity and inclusion consistent with the library’s aims.
• Experience handling and housing 2-D and 3-D artifacts.

• Bilingual skills in English and Spanish.
• Background in Idaho history or history of the American West.
• Familiarity with cameras, photography, and image editing software, e.g., Photoshop and Lightroom
• Advanced work experience or studies in Museum Studies or Cultural Heritage Studies.

Work is performed primarily indoors and may involve sitting at a computer and standing for lengthy periods of time. This position requires intermittent lifting and moving objects up to 40 pounds (heavier items must be team lifted). A high degree of interaction with the public is required for this position.