On-Call/Temporary/Seasonal, Registrar

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

This is an evergreen job posting that remains open to support installations year round at the museum.  At times applications aren't reviewed for several weeks.  Upon applying your application is added to a general hiring pool, we hire on a rolling basis. MASS MoCA’s Visual Art Department seeks to grow its pool of on-call registrars to support larger installations throughout the museum. The On-Call Registrar (Temporary/Seasonal) is a temporary hourly position that will work alongside the full time registration, curatorial and installation/fabrication staff. The ideal candidate will be organized, adaptable, and a team player, who will work to achieve deadlines collaboratively. The schedule requires flexibility; the length of assignment and number of hours will be based on exhibition needs, ranging between full-time hours for several days, to full or part-time hours over several weeks  up to a maximum of 120 days. Needs scheduled on an ad-hoc or on-call basis.

About the Museum

MASS MoCA is a vibrant non-collecting art museum with approximately 300,000 square feet of exhibition space. Half of that space is dedicated to rotating 10-month exhibitions of which we present 4 to 6 large-scale exhibitions per year, along with smaller projects. The additional space is dedicated to long-term exhibitions in conjunction with artists, estates, and collections that run from 10 months to 25 years. MASS MoCA frequently works directly with artists on the fabrication of new commissions and large scale site specific installations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Thoroughly report all condition information for both  incoming and outgoing artworks during exhibition installation and deinstallation
• File management and data entry as assigned by the Senior Registrar and Assistant Registrar
• Working with a team to assemble and disassemble large and complex installations
• Maintaining a positive rapport with colleagues and artists through challenging and complex installations
• Maintaining safe working spaces through clear communication

Requirements/Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Art, Art History or Museum Studies (or equivalent experience)—we are open to any combination of alternative experience and school that you feel qualifies you for this position. Please use your cover letter and resume to convey this experience and why you feel it is relevant to the position.
• The most competitive candidate will have a thorough understanding of registration standards for living contemporary artists using nontraditional media.
• Minimum one year’s work in gallery or museum registration
• The ability to communicate clearly with colleagues, collaborators, and artists 
• A high level of professional consideration for the art in our care
• Knowledge of best practices for packing, crating, handling, and installing artworks
• Please include in your cover letter a list of relevant software that you feel you are proficient in

Work Conditions 

• Some duties of this position require being able to work outside, potentially in inclement weather for extended periods of time
• Potential for overtime and weekends during installation periods

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, and/or sit for extended periods of time with limited breaks
• Ability to use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arm, and reach above shoulder height
• The employee is regularly required to climb or balance, squat, kneel, and crouch. 
• The employee must regularly be able to lift and/or move up to 50+ pounds and move heavy objects as required.
• Ability to climb ladders and operate mechanical lifts and power tools
• Ability, mobility, and license to drive a motor vehicle
• Acute vision, hearing, voice, smell, and sense of touch
• Employee is required to move about their work area, between buildings and the campus grounds, ascend and descend stairs
• Must be able to wear PPE when necessary

Compensation and Benefits

• The hourly rate for this position is $24.00 per hour
• Massachusetts Earned Sick Time 
• Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM)
• Discounts at Gift Shop and R&D Store
• Staff appreciation social events year-round

Application Process: Interested candidates should apply online with a resume and cover letter. The application also includes a few brief questions to help us better understand your experience and interest in the role. Incomplete applications—including those missing the requested documents—may not be fully considered.

About MASS MoCA:

MASS MoCA is a vibrant non-collecting art museum with approximately 300,000 square feet of exhibition space dedicated to visual art and projects by contemporary artists. Formerly a 19th century factory, these exhibition spaces are unconventional, vast, soaring galleries spanning multiple buildings. Half of that space is dedicated to rotating 10–16 month exhibitions of which we present 4 to 6 large-scale exhibitions per year, along with smaller projects and commissions. The additional space is dedicated to long-term exhibitions in conjunction with artists, estates, and collections that run from 10 months to 25 years. MASS MoCA frequently works directly with artists on the fabrication of new commissions and large-scale site-specific installations. 

MASS MoCA was founded in 1999, not only as a contemporary art museum and performing arts venue, but also as a creative campus with a regional, national and global impact. MASS MoCA is one of the world's liveliest centers for making and enjoying today's most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. From its beginnings as the major textile mill Arnold Print Works in the mid-19th century, to its days as the Sprague Electric Company in the mid-20th century, to its current iteration as a globally renowned contemporary art museum and fabrication center, the 24-acre MASS MoCA campus has a rich history of serving as the economic engine of the city of North Adams and the surrounding region.