Title: Curator #00016

State Role Title: Hist/Arch & Preserv II

Hiring Range: $45,000–$60,000

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Gunston Hall

Location: Gunston Hall

Agency Website: https://gunstonhall.org

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Gunston Hall is a small museum with a highly collaborative, energetic staff dedicated to the power of place, historical objects, and storytelling to create meaningful experiences for visitors of all ages. The Curator is an important part of this team, playing a significant role working with the archives and collections team. Gunston Hall’s curatorial team cares for the objects, archival materials, and rare books in the collection; uses the collection to help advance Gunston Hall’s educational charge; ensures the preservation of the historic mansion, conducts and disseminates historical research; leads the acquisitions process for additional items appropriate to the collection; and serves as one of the public faces of the institution.

The incumbent in this role will have an enthusiastic passion for leveraging collections to engage, educate and connect people with history in a meaningful and inspiring way. The Curator reports to the Executive Director.

Primary responsibilities of the Curator include:
• Supervising part-time collections management technician, interns, and volunteers as appropriate.
• Identifying and outlining priorities for the collections department in support of Gunston Hall’s broader strategic goals.
• Researching objects in the collection as well as potential acquisitions. Performs archival and other primary source research.
• Helping to develop concrete plans for implementing collections priorities, including operational planning associated with the new archeology center and East Yard interpretive landscape.
• Helping to development and execute the budget for the curatorial department.
• Identifying avenues for earning revenue to support collections department activities.
• Identifying grants appropriate for completing collections projects and work with
development to create successful grant applications.
• Serving as a staff liaison to community stakeholders, including the Descendants Advisory Board.
• Helping to create and manage policies to grow the collection in ways that support Gunston Hall’s institutional mission, research into its collections, the interpretation of its historic structures, and engage visitors in its exhibit spaces.
• Proposing, researching, and participating in implementing both temporary and long-term exhibits.
• Setting and reviewing necessary internal standards and policies to support the safety and preservation of the collection.
• Ensuring alignments of campus master plan development and other capital projects with collections care and preservation standards.

Minimum Qualifications

• Considerable knowledge in American history, historic preservation, objects conservation, art history, material culture studies, or related field is required.
• Substantial knowledge of American social, political, and material culture history of the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Experience working with a mixed media museum collection of 18th and 19th century objects.
• Experience managing an Integrated Pest Management Plan for preserving collections.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Familiarity with standard software and cataloging systems for objects collections and conservation.
• Experience handling archival records and artifacts within objects collections.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience working with researchers and other community stakeholders while maintaining security and preservation standards in a research library and collections environment.
• Knowledge of agents of deterioration and experience mitigating their impact on collections.
• Knowledge of emergency management protocols.

Additional Considerations

• Considerable knowledge in American history, historic preservation, objects conservation, art history, material culture studies, or related field.
• Familiarity with the conservation of archaeological materials.
• Staff management experience.
• Experience developing a budget.
• Knowledge of archival practices.
• Familiarity with rare book conservation.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

State employees who have been affected by Policy 1.3 Layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card) must submit the card BEFORE the closing date for this position. The card may be scanned and attached to the application or faxed to (804) 371-7401. Please include your name and the position number of the fax cover sheet. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call 804-225-2131 for assistance.

All applicants are subject to a background investigation. The investigation may include: fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI); local agency checks; employment verification; verification of education (relevant to employment); credit checks; and other checks requested by the hiring authority. AMERICORPS, PEACE CORPS, AND OTHER NATIONAL SERVICE ALUMNI ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Contact Information

Name: Kimberly Crutchfield

Phone: 804-292-6542

Email: kimberly.crutchfield@dhrm.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.