At The Huntington, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to support and promote the appreciation of the humanities, the arts, and botanical science. The Huntington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.
Founded in 1919, The Huntington is a collections-based research and educational institution open to the public, housing world-class library, art, and botanical collections. Its mission is to support research and promote education in the arts, humanities, and botanical science and to display and interpret its extraordinary resources for diverse audiences.
Here we are committed to the highest of standards in all that we do – from preserving and protecting the collections, to exhibitions, educational and scholarly programming, visitor and reader services, and beyond. Achieving excellence across these pursuits requires a diversity of perspectives, expertise, experience, and methodologies.
At The Huntington, our organizational Culture is shaped by the following core values: Intellectual curiosity, Collaboration, Stewardship, Belonging, and Integrity.
Intellectual Curiosity: Knowledge, lifelong learning, and a spirit of inquiry are at the core of our mission and organizational culture.
Collaboration: Teamwork and a collaborative attitude are important at all levels of The Huntington. We foster relationships internally among our departments and externally with organizations throughout the community.
Stewardship: We are committed to the care and development of our collections, our financial and physical resources, our staff, and our community.
Belonging: We strive to attract and maintain a workforce of individuals with diverse talents, backgrounds, and perspectives. Our organizational culture promotes a sense of welcome, inclusion, and connection.
Integrity: We value respect and honesty, working to fulfill our mission with honor and ethical principles.
About the Role
The Preparator I is a member of the institution’s Preparation Department, under the Registration and Collection Management Department. This position is integral in the implementation of the institution’s schedule of special exhibitions, permanent collection rotations, and collections care. This position is part of a team of preparatory staff. The position’s primary responsibility is to assist in all handling, display preparations, installation, packing, storage and care of artworks according to museum standards. Reports to Head of Preparations.
Essential Duties
Assists with object preparation, installation/de-installation of exhibitions, gallery rotations, and collection rehousing projects, working with colleagues in the Registration, Exhibitions, and Preservation department. Related duties will include, but are not limited to:
Receiving, unpacking and packing artworks
Assisting curators in placement of artworks in galleries
Handling and installing artworks and collections objects
Hinging, matting and framing artworks
Creating or modifying mounts i.e., book cradles, slants
Performing carpentry work such as retrofitting crates and modifying pedestals
Spackling and touch-up painting
Assisting with lighting exhibitions
Monitoring and maintenance of exhibition lighting and A/V elements
Performing regular gallery dusting and cleaning.
Assist Registration and Collections Management colleagues in transporting art on and off campus
Attending in-house training workshops in Huntington object prep procedures
Candidate Requirements and Experience
One to three years of experience in preparation, collections management or installation in a gallery or museum setting.
Familiarity with industry standard materials, processes, equipment, and safety protocols.
Basic knowledge of installation methods required; mounting, matting, framing skills a plus.
Demonstrated knowledge of art-handling procedures for two- and three-dimensional objects in various materials, sizes, and weights.
Some experience using heavy equipment, including scissor-lift, pallet jack, pedal lift.
Awareness of museum standards for packing and crating.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
Professional conduct and ability to establish positive working relationships with museum staff, representatives from other arts institutions, consultants, artists, and vendors.
Adherence to the institution’s core values in all activities
Other Desirable Qualifications
Ability to plan, prioritize, multi-task, and meet deadlines
Flexible and fast learner
Facility with word processing, Excel, Outlook
Proven solutions-oriented approach, and true team player
Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills
Woodworking and/or metalworking skills a plus
For Consideration at Preparator II Level
Several years of experience in Art Preparation
Expertise in industry standard materials, processes, equipment, and safety protocols.
Experience driving box truck and transporting art
Ability to act as point person for object prep and installation projects
Ability to independently light exhibitions
Proficiency in mounting, matting, framing of works on paper.
Book cradle fabrication experience
Ability to lead historic painting frame buildouts
Extensive experience with heavy equipment and rigging
Mountmaking experience
Electrical wiring experience
Proficiency in woodworking and/or metalworking
Demonstrated leadership experience
Experience with material procurement and payment processing
Working Conditions
Gallery, workshop, and office settings. Most of the work will be indoors, but there is some occasional outdoor work.
Prolonged periods of standing, bending, sitting, and stooping.
Lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds.
Compensation & Benefits
We provide competitive compensation, generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees including:
Pay Range: $27.00- $29.00/hr.
Medical, Dental, Vision
403(b) retirement plan and matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and holidays
Discounts for staff in The Huntington Store and restaurants
Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions
Free passes each month to welcome family and friends to visit the grounds
The Application Process
Please submit a cover letter and CV/resume as a single PDF attachment.
You will have the opportunity to submit additional documents on the “My Experience” section of the application.