Job ID: 2024-1463 Type: Regular Full-Time # of Openings: 1 Category: Collections Oakland Museum of CA
Overview
The Curator of the Art of California will engage visitors by celebrating, documenting, collecting and interpreting the art of the region’s past, present, and future. Drawing on OMCA’s rich collections, with emphasis on Oakland stories, and with an interest in connecting those stories to national histories and contemporary discussions, the position’s community-centered curatorial work will emphasize undertold stories, inspiration and resilience, collective and individual empowerment, and everyday life.
Responsibilities
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The following reflects OMCA’s definition of essential functions for this position, but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. OMCA may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.
INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Support the Museum’s mission, values, vision, and core commitment to the visitor experience, community engagement, and institutional relevancy for the future
Contribute to and support the OMCA strategic plan, annual priorities, and institutional initiatives such as diversity advancement
Contribute to a positive organizational culture based on mutual respect, a spirit of collegiality, cooperation, and openness to many perspectives
Participate in a culture of ongoing learning, collaboration, innovation, creativity, and community engagement
All positions will have core functional responsibilities, cross functional team activation and learning and development as a core function of each role.
POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Perform collections-based research and develop ideas for special exhibitions and core gallery installations that meet OMCA’s mission, community engagement and business goals, and leverage our collections and campus in new ways
Support OMCA’s portfolio of exhibitions projects through creative approaches to using collections to support diverse types of visitor experiences, delivery platforms, interdisciplinary strategies, and topics representative of multiple viewpoints and perspectives
Research and identify collections objects and stories to support core gallery reinstallation
Participate in the ongoing review and implementation of OCMA’s collections care and deaccessioning plan
Collaborate with colleagues to develop and present related programming
Qualifications
EXPERIENCE
Ability to display and encourage visitor and internal customer service, take and share responsibility and treat others with respect
5+ years demonstrated experience originating and developing exhibitions with sound scholarship and broad community relevance and appeal
Bachelors and Master’s degree in relevant field. Additional expertise in contemporary art; ethnic studies; gender studies; and/or the experiences of Black diasporic, Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and/or Indigenous peoples will be especially encouraged
Broad knowledge of current trends and issues in curatorship, exhibition development and community engagement
Demonstrated experience with collection development and research
English language proficiency in both spoken and written form; a second language (particularly Spanish or Mandarin) desirable
Collegial Team leadership experience
Superior communication and presentation skills
Understanding of Museum ethics and standards for collections management and conservation
Proficiency with Google suite; familiarity with collection databases desired
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The environment may include:
Museum environment involves both indoor and outdoor working conditions
Ability to travel between OMCA locations, and other travel as required by position responsibilities
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends
EEO STATEMENT
The Oakland Museum of California is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ability/disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We highly encourage our diverse community to apply for available employment, internship, fellowship and volunteer positions at the Museum, as we aim to ensure our staff reflects the diversity of our visitors and surrounding community. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, OMCA will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.
