Exhibition Preparator

JOB TITLE: Exhibition Preparator

DEPARTMENT: Exhibitions

REPORTS TO: Production Manager and Director of Exhibitions

About The New York Historical

New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution documenting over 400 years of American history through a peerless collection of art, documents, and artifacts. Our offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The New York Historical is a museum of museums and a collection of collections. We are home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the Center for Women’s History, the Reiss Family Graduate Institute for Constitutional History, the Dorothy Tapper Goldman Center for Teaching Democracy, the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and the future American LGBTQ Museum. We elevate the perspectives and scholarship that define the United States’ democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better.

Job Summary

New York Historical Exhibition Preparators report to the Production Manager and the Director of Exhibitions and are responsible for all aspects of in-house exhibit preparation and fabrication including installation, de-installation, maintenance, and lighting. Exhibition Preparators work closely with the Design Department, Collections Department, Conservation, and other departments within the organization.

This position observes a 35-hour work week Monday through Friday from 8AM to 4PM, with occasional evenings and weekends, as projects require.

Essential Job Duties

• Fabricate, paint, and install exhibition display furniture and casework;
• Maintain woodshop tools, keep shop organized, and clean shop at end of each day;
• Install and maintain exhibition lighting, and maintain lighting storage area;
• Maintain and repair exhibitions in all galleries and conduct routine exhibition inspection;
• Gallery wall preparation;
• Order necessary exhibition materials and supplies;
• Mount making for historic objects and artifacts;
• Additional responsibilities and duties as required.
  
  
  

Requirements

• Must be a team player, troubleshooter, and collaborative problem solver;
• Ability to interpret shop drawings;
• Experience with carpentry, painting, and lighting;
• Ability to safely use table saw, chop saw, router, drill press, band-saw, and hand tools;
• Must be comfortable driving and working on Genie lift up to 20’ above floor;
• Knowledge of light fixtures and lenses, fiber optic lighting systems, and basic electrical skills;
• Art handling experience; ability to work around, move, install, and handle artwork and artifacts;
• Knowledge of conservation standards;
• Model making, mount making (silver soldering brass), drawing, and painting skills are preferred;
• Experience with Vectorworks is preferred.
  
  
  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee with or without accommodation, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Work involves moderate to heavy work. There is frequent need to stand, stoop, walk, and lift heavy objects (up to 50 pounds) and perform other similar actions during the workday. The candidate must be comfortable working on ladders and possess the physical agility to work in tight spaces.

Compensation & Benefits

The expected salary for this position is $52,500.

The New York Historical provides a generous benefits package for eligible employees to support their health and wellbeing, which includes:

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick and personal days, and holidays observed by the Museum;
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance;
• Short and long-term disability coverage options;
• 403(b) retirement plan with eligibility for employer contributions following one year of full-time service;
• Flexible spending accounts for health-related expenses, dependent care, and parking and transit expenses;
• Employee Assistance Program for all employees and their families;
• 20% discount at the NYHistory Store;
• Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions across the city.
  
  
  

The New York Historical is an Equal Opportunity Employer.