Lead Museum Preparator (Promotional)

Education and Experience:  A Bachelor's degree or higher in art, fine art, art history, museum studies, or related field and four (4) years of experience handling art and artifacts, including two (2) years of experience installing and de-installing museum exhibitions, exhibit design, preparation, or fabrication and two (2) years of supervisory experience.

Licenses and Certificates:  Texas Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent from another state.

Under general direction, oversee the art museum's preparations, including the oversight of the museum's fine art collection, loans, and all back-of-house operations.

Plan and oversee the museum's preparations department. Involves: Develop schedules to meet deadlines.  Install/uninstall exhibitions and permanent collection.  Develop solutions for design and installation challenges.  Create appropriate and safe mounts and stands for display and storage, and overall preparation of galleries. Coordinate fabrication and installation of labels, graphics, and other relevant exhibition elements, including painting and carpentry work.  Frame and/or assure proper framing of fine art, including permanent collection and loans.  Maintain and order inventory of supplies, carpentry, gallery lighting and packing materials.  Mat and frame works of art, determining most suitable option for the safety and stability of the object.  Oversee and install lighting of galleries and maintenance of in-gallery computer/audiovisual components and digital art installations. Monitor galleries to assure exhibits and installations are properly lighted, maintained, and cleaned.
 
Ensure proper care and movement of art.  Involves:  Work collaboratively with Registrar and curatorial staff on complex projects including permanent collection and loans.  Check and maintain condition and location of works of art and artifacts on display according to American Alliance of Museums (AAM) best practices.  Receive, unpack, inspect and pack works of fine art.  Organize and maintain all exhibitions and transport furniture including pedestals, vitrines, and crates.  Load, unload, and store crates.  Escort artwork in transit to ensure proper handling.  Maintain all work areas in a clean safe manner.

Oversee the back-of-house operations of the museum facility.  Involves:  Schedule all operations, security, and janitorial staff.  Serve as primary point of contact for security and janitorial staff, conveying policies and procedures, scope of work, and daily schedules and priorities.  Ensure the safety and security of art, visitors, staff, and the museum facility and EPMA maintaining its AAM Accreditation status.  Develop and maintain emergency protocols to ensure the safety of museum staff, visitors, and all art.  Troubleshoot and manage all daily incidents and serving as point-of-contact for staff on all facility systems matters.  Manage and oversee a variety of small and large-scale renovations, improvements and repairs to the museum building. Manage maintenance schedules to ensure work is performed according to AAM standards. Oversee preventive building maintenance efforts.   Oversee work orders, scheduling staff, ensure work quality and on time completion. Oversee key maintenance functions involving HVAC, electrical, structural, plumbing, and equipment repair or replacement to ensure safety and care of permanent collection and loaned works of art. Oversee all work in progress to ensure quality, timeliness and safety. Inspect completed work to ensure quality and conformance.

Perform administrative duties as assigned: Involves: Assist with department's budget and project budgets.  Estimate cost of repairs, select and requisition necessary equipment and related supplies. Participate in the preparation and administration of the section's budget.  Forecast funds needed for materials, equipment, supplies and staff. Monitor expenditures. 

Supervise assigned personnel. Involves: Schedule, assign, instruct, guide and check work. Appraise employee performance. Provide for training and development. Enforce personnel rules and regulations and work behavior standards firmly and impartially. Counsel, motivate and maintain harmony. Interview applicants. Recommend hiring, termination, transfers, discipline, merit pay or other employee status changes.