Conservator, Textiles

About the role

The Conservator, Textiles works closely with curatorial staff to ensure the care and longevity of the Museum's encyclopedic collection of artworks, which includes an active exhibition, publication, and loan program.

Responsibilities

• Conducts research on materials, techniques, construction, and deterioration processes to inform treatment decisions and preventive conservation strategies.

• Examines, assesses, and documents the condition of costume and textile objects across the Museum’s collections using accepted conservation methodologies.

• Prepares comprehensive written and photographic documentation, including condition reports, treatment proposals and reports, technical analyses, and installation and handling guidelines.

• Collaborates with curatorial and registration staff to provide technical guidance on display requirements, mount-making considerations, environmental parameters, and loan feasibility.

• Organizes the planning, preparation, and installation of permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibitions, as well as incoming and outgoing loans.

• Serves as a courier for traveling exhibitions and loans, as assigned.

• Provides recommendations for environmental conditions and coordinates exhibition maintenance in collaboration with Conservation Technicians.

• Contributes to the development and implementation of standards and best practices for handling, storage, mounting, packing, and transport of costume and textile collections.

• Promotes preventive conservation initiatives, including environmental monitoring, risk assessment, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

• Ensures proper implementation of storage systems for textiles and costumes, including flat, rolled, and hanging storage solutions.

• Lectures and publishes on conservation findings, keeping informed on current literature.

• Responds to inquiries from the public, conducts lab tours, and explains conservation procedures.

• Participates in professional development activities, including engagement with conservation organizations, conferences, and current literature, to remain informed of advances in the field.

• Provides guidance, training, and supervision to interns, fellows, or volunteers, as assigned.

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Conservation from an accredited graduate school, with a focus on Textile conservation.

• Minimum 7 years of experience in conservation, with a strong background in textiles.

• Advanced knowledge of conservation principles, techniques, and materials.

• Experienced museum professional with a clear understanding of the standards and practices related to conservation and collections care.

• Mastery of conservation documentation and database management.