Research Fellow, Spencer Art Reference Project

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art invites all people to explore the art in its care, and through its vast collections, the depths, and complexities of human experiences.

We strive to create a sense of belonging, where staff and volunteers can do meaningful work connecting people to art. We create an informed, invested group of staff and volunteers through shared values and open, direct, and respectful communication. We embrace IDEAS (Inclusion,

Diversity, Equity, Access, and Sustainability) in every aspect of our ideals and aspirations, as we believe these values to be paramount to success.

Each staff member and volunteer will embody the institution’s commitments and agrees to exhibit behaviors that align with them. We hold one another to these expectations so that, together, we may know, own, energize and sustain our culture and the institution for generations to come.

RESEARCH FELLOW

LOCATION: KANSAS CITY, MO

Term: 90 to 120 days. June 2024 through September 2024 (with the possibility of an extension into the fall months)

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM with flexibility to work outside of these hours as the project demands.

Pay: $ 20.00 per hour

JOB PURPOSE:

The Research Fellow position will be responsible for researching artists for inclusion in the Missouri Remembers: Artist in Missouri through 1951 portal. For the second phase of the project, Missouri’s Native American Artists, researchers will work closely with an advisory panel and library staff to identify, research, and write entries on Native American artists for publication in Missouri Remembers.

The Missouri Remembers portal launched in 2021. The goal of the first phase of the project was to develop a portal that was accessible to a variety of users, including researchers and students, which would share the impact of the arts on Missouri’s cultural heritage - especially by uncovering the stories of women, outsider artists, and artists of color. The second phase, will focus on the inclusion of Native American artists with verifiable connections to tribal communities.

In partnerships with an advisory panel, project partners, will hire and train research fellows to utilize a variety of sources and research skills to discover and document verifiable Native Artists who are descended from the original tribes of the Missouri region and who have shaped and been shaped by the state’s history. Native peoples from any tribe living in Missouri prior to 1951, as well as Native peoples whose tribes have historic lands in the Missouri area, but due to exile were forced to live outside of Missouri, qualify for inclusion in the portal. The portal mainly focuses on visual artists practicing before 1951 and includes many types of art like jewelry, painting, pottery and more. The project will begin this May - August 2024 with the possibility of some hours being available during Fall 2024.

Key Accountabilities/Essential Functions

• Research– Research Fellows will be responsible for research using traditional primary and secondary sources, as well as genealogical sources, archival resources, and verbal records of an artist’s life and work that may not have been written down. Additionally, many of the reference materials that claim to document Native artists did not verify tribal membership. Research fellows will need to verify tribal membership for artists included in the portal.
• Writing & Metadata creation – Research Fellows with knowledge of Native American culture, lifeways, and history will be ideally suited to synthesize information from a variety of sources to create an entry that can be used as a reference for future research and exploration. Candidates with specific knowledge of tribes with connections to the Missouri region including the Osage, Sac & Fox, Missouri, Otoe, Wyandotte, Kaw, Omaha, Missouria are encouraged to apply.
• Other – Research Fellows will work closely with staff partners at their hosting institution as well as the project’s advisory panel.
  
  
  

Core Capability Requirements

Education/

Experience

• Students pursuing degrees in Indigenous studies, art history, history, an associated humanities field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience and interest in research resources and strategies
• Interest in learning about the history of Missouri and the Native American artists who have called the state home – both pre-contact and during forced migration
• Experienced writer able to work collaboratively with editors so the entry meets the portal’s editorial guidelines, integrates feedback of the advisory board and cites referenced resources
• Preference in filling this role will be given to qualified, Native American candidates enrolled in a federally recognized tribe.
  
  
  

Core Capabilities

• Collaborative: Able to work with a team and build consensus among a diverse group of personalities with different work styles, straightforward, shares information easily, listens as well as gives advice, respects the abilities of others and has a high EQ/emotional intelligence. Participates in project research, development, documentation and implementation within a highly collaborative team environment.
• Analytical Thinking: Simplifies complex situations in a systematic, logical manner by identifying issues, making comparisons, setting priorities and assessing implications
• Accuracy: Must be detail-oriented, with a proven ability to work with a high degree of accuracy and flexibility.
• Communication Skills: Ability to interact professionally with all levels of internal staff and with external stakeholders. Strong interpersonal communication skills; diplomatic and collaborative work style.
• Time Management and Organizational Skills: Ability to establish priorities, meet deadlines, and handle multiple assignments concurrently while advancing both individual and departmental goals.
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Sustainability (IDEAS): We embrace IDEAS in every aspect of our ideals and aspirations, as we believe these values to be paramount to success. Each staff member and volunteer embodies the institution’s commitments and agrees to exhibit behaviors that align with them. We hold one another to these expectations so that, together, we may know, own, energize and sustain our culture and the institution for generations to come.
  
  
  

Non-Discrimination

The Nelson-Atkins is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ applicants.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art conducts pre-employment background checks as part of our selection process.