Curatorial Assistant - Curatorial and Scholarly Programs

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is seeking an enthusiastic, curious, and motivated assistant to join our Curatorial Department.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching, and interpreting art in ways that deepen our collective understanding of Asia and the world. Home to more than 46,000 objects, the museum stewards one of North America’s largest and most comprehensive collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Islamic world. Its rich holdings bring the arts of Asia into direct dialogue with an important collection of nineteenth- and early twentieth century American works, providing an essential platform for creative collaboration and cultural exchange between the United States, Asia, and the Middle East.

Beginning with a 1906 gift that paved the way for the museum’s opening in 1923, the National Museum of Asian Art is a leading resource for visitors, students, and scholars in the United States and internationally. Its galleries, laboratories, archives, and library are located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and are part of the world’s largest museum complex, which typically reports more than 27 million visits each year. The museum is free and open to the public 364 days a year, making its exhibitions, programs, learning opportunities, and digital initiatives accessible to global audiences.

Candidates will be expected to work on all aspects of curatorial work (exhibitions, collections, and publications, both physical and digital, as well as public programs) and oversee administrative and financial tasks within the Curatorial Department of the National Museum of Asian Art.

Major duties include

In addition to other duties, the incumbent would:

· Assist curators with managing schedules, timelines, tasks, data gathering for various curatorial projects (collections, exhibitions, digital and print publications, research projects, and public programs).

· Assist with the development of annual curatorial budgets and maintain financial records in accordance with Smithsonian policy.

· Review and reconcile monthly financial reports as necessary. Coordinate with member of the Finance Team to troubleshoot and resolve financial discrepancies.

· Serve as liaison between curatorial department, other departments, and outside entities.

· Assist outside visitors and researchers with storage visits and other needs.

· Assist curatorial fellows, contractors, and interns.

· Collaborate with and project-manage projects (publications, symposia, public programs) for Scholarly Programs and Publications.

· Provide logistical support for CUR and SPP

· Make national and international travel arrangements for curators and invitational guests.

· Prepare purchase orders and drafts contracts.

· Perform directed research related to exhibitions, collections, digital and print publications, provenance, and other research projects.

· Assist with data entry into The Museum System (TMS).

· Assist with assembling checklist, didactics, and other material related to curatorial research project.

Qualifications requirements:

· Bachelor’s degree

· Knowledge of arts of the Ancient Near East and Islamic World

· Knowledge of Arabic, Turkish, or Persian language is desirable.

· Ability to carry out guided scholarly research.

· Ability to work well with others and manage and execute with skill, efficiency, and accuracy.

· Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form.

· Ability to multi-task

· Ability to project manage

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams)

· Knowledge of basic financial principles.

Vacancy details:

· Salary range: ($64,957 - $69,287)

· Position Type: Trust Fund (this is not a Federal position)

· Schedule: Full Time

· Duty Location: Washington DC

· Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

For consideration, please submit resume and cover letter to FSG-asiaHR@si.edu. Please include the position title in your email subject line. Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact the point-of-contact listed in the “How To Apply” section below. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: www.si.edu/oeema

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, DC