Mellon Fellow

Mellon Fellow—Conservation
As a highly engaged member of the Conservation team, the Mellon Fellow assists the Museum’s painting, paper, and object conservators in addressing the needs of works in our holdings and collections. Under the direction of the Chief Conservator, this three-year fellowship offers an opportunity to work with conservators and curators, and with collections and exhibitions staff, on general preservation activities throughout the Museum.
Qualifications:
A successful candidate will have many of the skills listed below and the desire and capacity to learn the rest on the job.

• Graduate degree in art conservation from a recognized conservation training program with a specialization in paintings, paper, or objects
• Demonstrated experience examining collection objects to assess condition and structure, writing conservation reports, documenting condition and treatment activities, and producing conservation documentation photographs
• Knowledge of American Institute for Conservation (AIC) standards
• Proficiency in conservation hand skills and art handling
• Familiarity with both basic and complex conservation treatments
• Basic understanding of preventive conservation best practices including environmental controls and integrated pest management
• Familiarity with a range of scientific analytical techniques and equipment
• Ability to work as part of a team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent research and comprehension skills

Additional qualifications:

• Experience with infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), and X-ray imaging techniques, as well as portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) and microscopy, fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), and multi-band imaging (MBI) is a plus
• Desire to write and publish academic papers and posters, as well as social media posts and blog entries is helpful
• Familiarity with The Museum System (TMS), Microsoft Office Suite, and/or photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge is desirable

Responsibilities:

• Carry out research, documentation, and treatments as part of the Museum’s exhibition program, as directed
• Assess condition issues and conservation needs for exhibitions, loans, and acquisitions
• Prepare collections for exhibitions and loans by performing conservation treatments with varying levels of complexity
• Document conservation work through written reports, conservation photography, and scientific analysis
• Pursue research projects including close visual study, scientific analysis, archival research, and collaboration with other institutions
• Collaborate with staff across the Museum to achieve conservation goals and meet deadlines
• Maintain a safe work space and follow best practices for using and disposing of chemicals, particularly organic solvents and heavy metals
• Participate in general conservation activities including giving tours, maintaining gallery and storage spaces, and updating conservation records
• Perform preventive conservation tasks such as recording environmental monitoring and integrated pest management
• Order supplies
• Other duties as assigned

90% of this position is related to direct care of the collection as defined by the AAM.
Start date: April 2022; this is a three-year position.
Department: Conservation
Reports to: Chief Conservator
Position type: Full-time
Union status: Non-union
FLSA status: Non-exempt
Schedule: 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm

• online*

If you have questions about our online application system, please get in touch with us at job.application.questions@brooklynmuseum.org.

Location: 200 Eastern Parkway

Brooklyn,New York 11238-6052, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Job Type: Full-time