About MoMA PS1

MoMA PS1 champions how art and artists are at the intersection of the social, cultural, and political issues of their time. Providing audiences with the agency to ask questions, access to knowledge, and a forum for public debate, PS1 has offered insight into artists’ diverse worldviews for more than 45 years. Founded in 1976 by Alanna Heiss, the institution was a defining force in the alternative space movement in New York, transforming a 19th-century public schoolhouse in Long Island City into a site for artistic experimentation and creativity.

With an annual budget of approximately $12M, PS1 has been a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) since 1982, and an affiliate of The Museum of Modern Art since 2000.

We recognize that a successful candidate will meet many of the requirements listed on this job description, but may not meet 100% of the qualifications. If much of this job description describes you, we encourage you to apply for this role.

Summary

PS1 seeks an Assistant Registrar, Exhibitions for a full-time position in the Program Production department. Under the supervision of the Senior Registrar, and working collaboratively with the Museum’s Program Production, Curatorial, Operations and Security staff as well as with lenders, conservators, artists, and couriers, the Assistant Registrar, Exhibitions fulfills the registration responsibilities for a robust program of exhibitions at MoMA PS1.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all logistical arrangements pertaining to transportation, customs clearance, booking transports and requesting/comparing shipping estimates, packing, and courier needs for borrowed artworks.
• Develop and manage registration budgets by creating initial estimates, processing and tracking expenses, and reporting regularly on budgets related to each exhibition.
• Issue loan agreements and review/negotiate lender terms and requirements of agreements in collaboration with the Senior Registrar, Director of Program Production, Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, MoMA Legal team and insurance agent.
• Plan install and deinstall schedules in collaboration with Program Production team; consider staffing levels for art handler needs, contract registrar assignments, artists on-site, couriers, conservators, shipping deadlines and curatorial priorities.
• Adhere to the industry’s best practices for art handling, installation, storage, condition reporting, data management, packing and shipping.
• Create and maintain all condition report documents and images.
• Conduct regular gallery checks and monitor gallery environmental conditions.
• Work across museum departments to implement security protocols and floorplans as they pertain to art object safety; communicate and educate staff on art safety; maintain and distribute reference photos of each exhibition to share with front-line staff.
• Liaise with relevant departments to help maintain the incoming and outgoing shipping schedule for the museum.
• Function as the on-site and off-site storage liaison.
• Provide support to Senior Registrar and Director of Program Production on touring exhibitions and special projects as needed.

Experience

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Minimum of 3 years relevant experience managing exhibitions with responsibility for logistical arrangements pertaining to packing, transportation, customs clearance, and courier needs, for complex exhibitions involving foreign and domestic loans.
• Attention to detail, with ability to prioritize and manage time effectively, multitask, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with frequently changing deadlines.
• Experience developing and managing registration budgets.
• Knowledge of standard museum loan and registration practices and understanding of fine arts insurance.
• Experience with art handling, transportation, and knowledge of museum best practices.
• Familiarity with exhibition installation and experience with management and guidance of skilled teams.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, effective and professional negotiating skills, strong interpersonal skills, discretion and diplomacy.
• Proficient with museum databases systems (TMS preferred) and experience working in Microsoft and Google environments.
• Ability to work collaboratively across museum departments and to understand the goals of a small curatorial team in formulating and implementing an ambitious program of temporary exhibitions.
• Ability to maintain a professional and positive attitude in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of, and interest in, contemporary art and MoMA PS1 and its programming.
• Availability to respond to art incidents after normal business hours and over the weekend.

This position has a salary range of $60,000 - $63,000. Benefits include 20 days paid vacation leave; 10 days paid sick leave; 11 paid holidays; and 3 paid personal days; participation in a 401(k), life insurance; medical/health (including visual and dental); transit, and dependent care FSA; and pension plan.

Please be advised that due to the high volume of applicants, we are only able to contact those candidates whose skills and background best fit the needs of the open positions.

PS1 is an equal opportunity employer and considers all candidates for employment regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, creed, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.