Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium
1302 Main Street
St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819
SUMMARY
Reporting to the Executive Director, the full-time Collections Manager, Natural Sciences has responsibility for the functional core areas of the collections in the Fairbanks Museum’s trust.
The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium seeks a Collections Manager with a background in biological or natural science museum collections who has demonstrated proficiency and knowledge in the core functional areas of Collections Management (CM); current practices recognized by the museum industry for CM; conservation practices; has the administrative and planning capabilities expected of the profession; and has a working knowledge of current and emerging technologies to improve CM practices.
The successful candidate will have demonstrated professional experience with a diverse range of biological specimens (including taxidermy mounts, entomological specimens, dried invertebrate specimens, and herbarium specimens), as well as ethnological collections. The ideal candidate will also have a strong appreciation for related material culture; while the Museum’s areas of concentrations are within the natural sciences, particularly zoology, entomology, botany, and earth sciences, the Collections Manager must have the breadth of knowledge to liaise with a broad range of museums in Vermont and beyond. The Collections Manager will, when required, work closely with the Archivist in matters concerning the Museum’s archival collection. The Collections Manager will also collaborate with the Director of Exhibits in collections-related matters pertaining to the Museum’s displays and exhibits. This is not a research position.
DUTIES
- Responsible for the application of collections management policies, plans, and practices, including, but not limited to: accession and deaccession, registration and documentation, cataloging, preservation, conservation, access, risk management, storage, handling, and inventory.
- Work as a critical team member in the collections move and re-organization associated with the completion of a new collections facility in summer 2016.
- Monitoring and analysis of environmental conditions of the collections using eclimatenotebook and the PEM2 system.
- Responsible for data standards and systems for the input, maintenance, and preservation of collections records using PastPerfect.
- Work with Museum staff in the coordinating the of the Museum’s collections for exhibits, education, research, and public information.
- Consult with conservators, curators and researchers to advance the preservation, interpretation, and cataloguing of the collections.
- Organize, supervise and evaluate volunteers.
- Present collections stewardship requirements to staff, volunteers, and trustees.
- Obtain funds and other forms of support for stewardship, development, and interpretation of the collections.
- Promote the importance of the Museum’s collections through presentations and programs delivered to Museum visitors, community organizations and school groups.
- Draft, implement and monitor policies and budgets for the Collections Department.
- Serve on the Museum’s Management team.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s in zoology, museum studies with an emphasis on curating science, or closely related discipline required and 4 years of related experience or Master’s in zoology, museum studies with an emphasis on curating science, or closely related discipline with 2 years of related experience. Experience with natural history collections essential. Ability and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends, as needed. Eagerness to live in Vermont’s beautiful and rural Northeast Kingdom.
Send cover letter, resume and contact information for three references to Adam Kane, Executive Director at akane@fairbanksmuseum.org. EOE.
Applications due by April 15.
About the Fairbanks Museum
The Fairbanks Museum was built in 1890-91 by Franklin Fairbanks, a member of St. Johnsbury’s wealthy and illustrious 19th century Fairbanks family. Franklin Fairbanks was an amateur naturalist, world traveler, and community philanthropist. With the opening of the “Fairbanks Museum of Natural Science” in 1891, Franklin Fairbanks made his wide-ranging “cabinet of curiosities” available to the community of St. Johnsbury, and to the wider region. The collections remain northern New England’s most extensive natural history display, and the National Register-listed building is a splendid example of the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style. Its fabric and ambiance, inside and out, are intact.
The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium continues to faithfully uphold and expand upon Fairbank’s vision of a public museum with a strong educational component. The modern day mission of the Museum is to “inspire appreciation for our place in the natural world and to motivate our stewardship of a healthy planet.” The mission is accomplished through general visitation (+/- 30,000 year), school student visits (+/- 10,000 year), a region-wide citizen science initiative, a public planetarium and a well-respected weather center which broadcasts through Vermont Public Radio (Eye on the Sky).
About the Collections of the Fairbanks Museum
The Fairbanks Museum holds collections covering a wide range of disciplines. Our legacy collection, originally accumulated by Museum founder Franklin Fairbanks, includes collections in natural history, history, and cultural collections. In addition to these areas, the Museum has regional history collections including archival material important to the region.
The Museum’s largest collection is natural history including mounted specimens of birds, mammals, and aquatic species (including mollusks, coral and mounted fish). There is a herbarium of regional and exotic species, a collection of rocks, minerals and fossils, and small collections of fluid specimens and invertebrates.
The Archives focus on the historical development and institutional records of the Fairbanks Museum, its founder Franklin Fairbanks and his immediate family, objects in the collection, and records relating to Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. This is primarily a research collection, including photographs, weather records, and a large collection of weather related paintings and drawings. Also included is a collection of books focused on the social, economic and natural history of the Upper Connecticut River Valley and the Great Northern Forest.