Please visit Curatorial Assistant III in Herpetology for complete job posting and application instructions.
The Curatorial Assistant III reports to the Curatorial Associate of Herpetology, in conjunction to the MCZ’s Director, Collections Operations, and faculty Curators. The Museum of Comparative Zoology and the Department of Herpetology aim to be inclusive environments that welcome colleagues of all backgrounds to work in a respectful and collegial environment. Candidates will interact with researchers, students and the public, and we seek candidates that value all these interactions.
Position Description
- Special projects as directed by Curatorial Associate, which may be determined in consultation with the Curator of Herpetology, the MCZ Director, and/or Director of Collections Operations.
- Catalogs specimens as per existing workflows and performs data cleanup and quality control pertaining to specimens and transactions within collection management system (MCZbase). This includes, but is not limited to, updating taxonomic identifications (e.g., scientific name), error corrections, and georeferencing of existing specimen data.
- Develops and implements new workflows for digitization, databasing, and curation (including inventory, optimal storage and rearrangement, reidentification, and taxonomic update to conform to current scientific literature).
- Prepares, packs, documents, and maintains loans and associated specimens in consultation with supervisor. Also prepares, files, and tracks import/export process in coordination with international customs authorities, and advises students, internal/external researchers on legal transport of specimens.
- Fulfills digital imaging, microCT scanning, and x-ray requests with resulting media provided to external researchers, stored in MCZbase, and/or uploaded to Morphosource.
- Serves as a point of contact for and assistance within the collection to faculty, staff, students, outside researchers, and the general public. This includes coordinating visitation logistics and responding to technical inquiries related to the collection, taxonomic nomenclature, database, loan policies, etc.
- Trains interns, LHTs/TMPs, graduate students, and postdocs in collection protocols, including the proper handling and care of the specimens, use of database, and instruction on equipment. Responsibilities may also include organization and supervision of projects for interns and LHTs/TMPs within the collection.