Senior Museum Preparator

Description:

The Senior Museum Preparator engages the Airport’s audiences by creating exceptional exhibitions. Under general supervision and working as part of a team of senior preparators and on-call preparators, Senior Museum Preparators perform moderately difficult work requiring the exercise of independent judgment in the preparation of exhibitions, and perform and oversee a wide variety of skilled duties in the preparation, installation, and care of museum exhibits and works of art. Job duties require a high level of manual dexterity and skill for the handling and preparation of valuable art objects, as well as considerable skill in the use and care of hand and power tools, brazing, and carpentry.

SFO Museum is the only accredited museum at an airport and exhibition production methods differ from traditional museums in that exhibitions are designed, built, and tested in out-of-gallery workspaces; disassembled and transported to the Airport terminals; and installed over the course of a few days.

3522 Senior Museum Preparators work with all levels of Museum staff; coordinate with various departments within the Airport; and may communicate with outside individuals and organizations. The positions report to the Exhibition Production Supervisor, work in partnership with each other and colleagues across the Museum, and may oversee the work of TEX 3520 Museum Preparators, as assigned.

The essential functions of this classification include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collaborate in a fast-paced team environment that creates, installs, and deinstalls 30-40 exhibitions annually;
• Confer with preparation, curatorial, registration, and conservation staff in the planning and construction of exhibitions and accessory materials, acting as lead preparator when assigned;
• Design and construct exhibition furniture such as cases, pedestals, mannequins, steel, brass, plexiglass, and/or wooden mounts, partitions, walls and special exhibition effects;
• Paint gallery walls and furniture;
• Cut and assemble mats and frames for prints, photographs, and drawings;
• Install, adjust, and remove exhibition lighting fixtures;
• Install and remove objects within gallery cases and on walls;
• Install exhibition labels, didactics, and graphics;
• Utilize manual dexterity and standard museum techniques in the care and handling of irreplaceable and valuable objects;
• Pack, receive, and unpack art objects;
• Re-house permanent collection artwork; create box and storage mount construction;
• Maintain, clean, and upkeep assigned shop area(s);
• Monitor supply and equipment inventory; report low inventory levels to supervisor;
• Restock exhibition brochures throughout the Airport terminals;
• Operate museum trucks, vans, and cars, forklifts (training provided), and pallet jacks;
• Uphold and enforce safety and security as first priority;
• Uphold and enforce values of teamwork, mutual respect, open communication, and ready assistance to colleagues;
• Uphold and enforce values of excellence, innovation, and pride in accomplishment;
• Use a variety of hand and power tools;
• Use a variety of brazing and MIG/TIG welding equipment;
• Use an application of various materials, such as paint, MDF, plywood, steel, brass, plexiglass, and archival materials.
• Utilize sketches, drawings, diagrams, written, and/or verbal instructions;
• Other duties as assigned.