Carrie's Anthropology 196m Blog

1. I have interned/volunteered at a museum, but have never had a paid job. I first begun as an intern at the UC Davis Anthropology Museum in 2005. I heard of the opportunity from a friend who was an intern and then applied (number 1 in Burcaw's list). Later, when my internship was complete, they asked if I would continue working there as a volunteer, which I did until 2008. My main responsibilities were in the cataloging, conservation, and care of archaeological collections. I helped enter objects into the museum catalog and database, created archival quality storage, and learned about pest management issues. After I gained some knowledge of human osteology, I began assisting with the care of human remains as required by NAGPRA. As a part of that duty, I helped inventory the skeletal remains and wrote first drafts of the public announcements that are required by NAGPRA.

2. (job from the Western Museum Association Job Listings)
Collections Manager with conservation training – The San Diego Museum of Man
The San Diego Museum of Man is seeking a collections manager with experience as a conservation technician who will manage, catalog and store the permanent collection. Candidate will have strong organizational skills with an attention to detail; strong communication skills; knowledge and skills in the management of anthropological collections; ability to manage multiple projects; supervisory skills. A related degree or experience in collections management-oriented museum work is required. For full job description, go to the Museum’s website at www.museumofman.org/employment. Salary range: $32,000-36,000 For more information or to apply, contact mbrooksgonyer@museumofman.org. (posted 03/09/2010) .

full job description from the museum website:
The San Diego Museum of Man is seeking a collections manager. Experience as a conservation technician is preferred. The collections manager works under moderate supervision to manage, preserve, catalog and store the permanent collection. This position is also responsible for assessing conservation of the Museum’s collections. The primary responsibilities of the collections manager are to generate and implement comprehensive collection management procedures; assist in the development and administration of a prioritized collection conservation assessment and treatment plan to improve the physical condition of the Museum’s permanent collection; build mounts and storage containers for various material types, sizes and conditions; monitor objects for damage and/or deterioration, evaluating major repairs and make minor repairs to those objects; perform cyclical cleaning of objects located within storage; administer a regular schedule of maintenance, which incorporates standards of safety and conservation for collection storage; monitor environmental conditions within the collection storage spaces; plan, design and control the ultimate high-density, compact storage solutions for the Museum’s collection. The collections manager will be responsible for assisting with facilitating care and control of collections on site; initiating, developing and implementing collections policies; overseeing object movement, internal and external; developing departmental and special project/program budgets; contracting for outside services as needed, such as: conservation, rigging, packing, crating, shipping, photography, etc.

The qualifications that I would highlight would be

• My experience managing permanent collections. I have experience working with catalogs, and can quickly adapt my understanding to their needs, I know how to build archival storage, and how to take steps at protecting the collections from pests, and other causes of damage (and what I don't know, I know where to find the proper information)
• I am very detail oriented, which my work at both the UC Davis Museum and my current employment at NRCS shows (At NRCS I am creating an archival filing system and catalog of all our ecological data that has been collected since the 1950s).
• I am very good working independently and can work on multiple tasks efficiently.