Curator in Charge, European Sculpture & Decorative Arts

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in TheMet experience online. Since its founding in 1870, TheMet has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Position Summary The Curator in Charge is the intellectual and administrative leader of the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (ESDA). The Department is among the largest in the Museum, with over 60,000 objects in its collection and over fifty galleries centered on the first floor. In the coming years, the department will see the opening of significant permanent galleries and a series of important exhibitions organized by the ESDA staff. You will provide an overarching vision for the department, establish strong, ambitious leadership, foster a culture of scholarly innovation, international connection, and overall excitement about work at The Met. You will support and advocate for the department’s staff throughout the institution, while fostering collegiality and collaboration within the team. You will set priorities, solve problems and establish workflows, focusing on the care of the collections. You will actively encourage groundbreaking and timely areas of research and programming. You will also be the department’s ambassador, clearly articulating its role for museum supporters and the public. Application Deadline: June26,2026 Responsibilities Lead and motivate a team of curators, researchers, collections staff, technicians and administrators caring for a collection spanning Europe over many centuries in both sculpture and the decorative arts. Direct and manage departmental special exhibitions, installations, research, publications, public programming and acquisitions. Manage the ongoing care of the galleries and ESDA’s storage areas. Oversee an acquisition program that adds exceptional objects to the collection, working with collectors and donors. Continue the department’s role as a center for scholarship both internally and in the broader academic world. Carry out research in your own area of expertise. Develop programs for ESDA Friends groups and the Visiting Committee. Other duties as assigned. Requirements and Qualifications Ph.D. in Art History with a concentration in relevant field preferred. Minimum ten years’ experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities required. Successful conceptualization and curation of major international exhibition required. Recognized achievement for expertise and scholarship in the field stretching across various regions and cultures of the collection. Good working knowledge of European and other relevant languages required. Strong record of publications in the field required. Strong communication and interpersonal skills required. Ability to manage staff and work collaboratively and efficiently within the department and cross‑departmentally. Compensation and Location Pay Range: $220,000.00 – $260,000.00 / Annually. The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors. Location Requirements: At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of the following states: NewYork, NewJersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri‑state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day. Benefits Medical, dental, vision and life insurance. 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match. Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays. Long‑term disability coverage. Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre‑tax income for eligible health care expenses). Commuter benefits (pre‑tax income for parking or mass transit expenses). Free financial‑planning services. Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs. 25% discount for staff in Museum shops. Subsidized staff cafeteria. Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions. Equal Employment Opportunity The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, credo, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay‑off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr