Curatorial Assistant II

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Why join the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences?

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is the historic heart of Harvard University. It is the home of Harvard’s undergraduate program (Harvard College, founded in 1636) as well as all of Harvard’s Ph.D. programs (the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1872), Harvard Athletics and the Division of Continuing Education. The 40 academic departments and 30+ centers of the FAS support a community unparalleled in its academic excellence across the broadest range of liberal arts and sciences disciplines. Together, the FAS seeks to foster an environment of ambition, curiosity and shared commitment to knowledge and truth that elicits excellence from all members of our community and prepares the next generation of leaders through a transformative educational experience.

Job Summary:

The Curatorial Assistant II assists with the general curation of the vascular plant and cryptogamic collections.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

This position spends an equal amount of time between the vascular plant and cryptogamic collections performing the following duties:

• Processes outgoing and returned loans, borrows, gifts, and exchanges, image and other miscellaneous requests for researchers.
• Prepares labels for newly acquired specimens and repacks cryptogams when necessary.
• Inserts labels and files newly acquired specimens into the collections.
• Audits specimens in the herbaria for needed repair and makes minor repairs.
• Images specimens and enters associated data into the database. 
• Assists with the reorganization of the collections when necessary.
• Orients and assists visitors, and answers questions or correspondence related to the collections.
• Prepares tours for educational purposes, including pulling specimens and leading tours.
• Handles pest management for part of the collection.
• May also oversee the work of volunteers and other support staff.
• Performs other related job duties as required.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.

Basic Qualifications:

College background with at least one year of experience in a museum collection.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

BA/BS degree preferred. Specialized courses pertaining to the taxonomy of vascular plants or any of the cryptogamic organism groups and to herbarium/museum collections preferred. Word processing and data entry skills, preferably with knowledge of the Windows environment and specimen databases. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. The ability to work well independently and with others. Must be detail oriented.

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Criminal
• Other Information:

  To be considered for this position, a resume and cover letter are required.

All formal offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.

The Harvard University Herbaria (HUH) include six collections and more than five million specimens of algae, bryophytes, fungi, and vascular plants. Together they form one of the largest university herbarium collections in the world, and the fourth largest herbarium in the United States. With their state-of-the art research laboratories and world class libraries, the HUH have been a centerpiece of biodiversity science since the early 1800s.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that all duties and responsibilities must be performed at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 051. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.