Curatorial Assistant, Contemporary Art

At an exciting moment for the program in Contemporary Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is currently accepting applications for a creative and dynamic Curatorial Assistant to support the department’s curatorial staff in all areas of their responsibilities, including administrative work in the context of curatorial activities as well as research for upcoming exhibitions, publications, loans, and acquisitions.  The Curatorial Assistant will have the opportunity to work on upcoming exhibitions and gallery displays.  These are termed positions set for 24 months with a potential extension for an additional 12 months based on evaluation and institutional priorities following the first year and in mutual agreement.  They report to the department Chair and/or other senior curatorial staff as assigned.                                                                                                                                                                             

The Department of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, presents, collects and fosters access to and understanding of contemporary art. The Department advocates for the importance of contemporary voices in the context of a global and transhistorical museum, continually exploring opportunities to create opportunities to hear the voice of artists. With an eye on local, national, and international artists and communities, the Department creates a varied program for a range of audiences, working closely with colleagues from across the institution. The quickly evolving collection increasingly represents contemporary art in all of its iterations, transcending traditional boundaries and hierarchies of media, movements, and chronology. 

Essential Functions:

• Assist department curators with all aspects of administration, research, planning, and realization of upcoming exhibitions, acquisitions, and gallery displays.
• Assist in the production of Museum publications and exhibition-related materials, including wall texts, object labels, and press releases.
• Document and research the department’s collections; in consultation with DCA staff and Conservation, evaluate and assist with documentation for loans of objects to and from the collection.  
• Support exhibition projects through bibliographic and checklist research, loan correspondence, publication research and production, website development, and public programming assistance.
• Conduct regular inspection of works on view in collection displays and loan exhibitions; assist with the maintenance of displays, including restocking of exhibition materials such as gallery handouts or brochures.
• Assist with inquiries from the public and art professionals and conduct tours of the collection and special exhibitions as necessary.
• Support the department’s curators with areas related to donor cultivation and outreach; participate in events and public programming and contribute to the department’s monthly newsletter and other supporting correspondence.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• B.A. in Art History or a related discipline.
• One to three years of relevant work experience in an area of the department’s interest, including but not limited to modern and contemporary art, time-based media, and performance.
• Clear commitment to IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, access) through a practice that fosters a culturally inclusive and welcoming environment.
• Strong research and organizational skills alongside attention to detail.
• Working knowledge of standard office procedures and the MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Willingness to perform other associated duties as responsibilities necessitate.
• Proficiency in another language a plus.

Salary Range

Full-time Salary, 35 hours per week

Salary: $50,537

Two-year term, with possible extension for a third year

This position is affiliated with the UAW union
 

The MFA is an equal opportunity employer. The community and audience we serve is diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in our workplace. Toward that end, the MFA does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment or promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, handicap or disability, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.