Departmental Technician, European Paintings - The Metropolitan Museum Of Art : Job Details

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 The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met 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. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity.

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

As the Departmental Technician, you will be part of a team responsible for safe handling, movement, storage, and installation of works of art. You will install paintings in permanent galleries and temporary locations, dust works, transport paintings throughout the Museum, preparing paintings for loan, updating hardware, carrying out the upkeep of the storeroom and galleries, reframing, accurately measuring canvases and frames, recording locations in TMS, supervising viewings of art in storage, conducting the annual inventory, and other related duties. The Department of European Paintings is in the middle of a major move and gallery installation of its collections. The technician should be highly motivated and able to take on the demands of this exceptional moment.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILIES & DUTIES:

• Care for the collection, recommend and implement best practices

• Expertly install paintings including by wire and blind hanging

• Safely move paintings and objects to and from galleries, storerooms, and conservation studios

• Maintain storerooms, including keeping spaces clean and racks accessible

• Lift heavy objects, open and close cases, and move pedestals

• Record the movement and locations of paintings in TMS

• Conduct the annual inventory

• Carry out work professionally and efficiently

• Communicate accurately, effectively, and respectfully with art handling team, curators, and conservators

• Other related duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• College degree in art, art history, museum studies, or conservation preferred;

• Minimum of three years' experience in the role of caring and handling artwork in a museum, gallery, or professional artist studio preferred

• Ability to work as a member of a team required

• Willingness to work overtime (nights and weekends as needed) as needed.

• Background in art handling, studio art, collections management, art history, or conservation preferred;

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and The Museum System (TMS)

• Ability to follow directions and to work independently required

• Ability to work cooperatively with curatorial, conservation, and administrative staff and other museum colleagues required

• Ability to safely lift heavy objects, open cases, and move pedestals required

• Careful and meticulous attention to detail in handling works of art and recording location information required

• Must be comfortable on ladders and will be trained to operate a lift

COMPENSATION RATE:

• Pay Rate: $24.17418 / Hourly

• An internal union applicant who accepts this position will retain their current salary if it is higher than $24.17418 / Hour.

The advertised starting salary rate reflects the good faith minimum and maximum hourly rate for this role. Starting salary rates are set in accordance with established union rates provided by the economic agreement as established and negotiated by DC 37 and the City of New York, Office of Labor Relations. * Incumbent rates may vary depending on an individual employee's seniority status, and/or based on terms as provided by the DC 37 Local 1503 and Museum collective bargaining agreement.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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 following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• 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

• A subsidized staff cafeteria

• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected] .

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, 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.