Natural History Collections Manager

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until February 15, 2018.

Purpose of Position
The collection manager for the University of Texas at El Paso Biodiversity Collections (UTEP-BC, natural history collections) will administer a world-class collection of specimens.  The collections consist of fluid-preserved specimens, study skins, herbarium specimens, invertebrate collections, Cenozoic fossils, frozen tissues, wet and dry skeletons, acoustical recordings, digital and film-image archives, and extensive library holdings.  The collections have an historical strength in Chihuahuan desert extant and extinct invertebrate and vertebrate specimens, and recent collections have focused on this region, Central and South America, and Central Africa. University curators and students, and national and international scholars use the collections extensively for research and education.  The collections manager is responsible for day-to-day activities in the collection and reports to the director.

• Ensure long-term integrity and preservation of collections and collection-storage environment.
• Maintain and improve collection-care protocols.
• Develop and maintain collection database (Arctos database).
• Maintain and organize records of collection activity, use, and status for annual reports, grant submittals, and other documentation.

Acquisition and collection development:

Oversee the preparation and staging of newly acquired specimens for their integration into the collection.

• Organize and prepare documentation necessary for specimen accession, including national and international permits and associated documentation.
• Electronically catalog specimens and their associated information.
• Participate in acquisition of specimens for the UTEP-BC by facilitating donations and by occasional fieldwork and expeditions at the direction of the curatorial staff.

Museum operational service:

• Process all specimen loans, exchanges, and gifts; incorporate received specimens into the collection; maintain appropriate records of such activities.
• Collaborate with curators to plan and implement divisional goals, priorities, and programs.
• Collaborate with other museum collections managers to achieve high quality collections care and economy of scale in all collections-related activities.
• Work proactively to place specimens from the UTEP-BC collection into the hands of qualified researchers for study.
• Assist and supervise users of the collections.
• Respond to inquiries from scientists, governmental and consulting agencies, the public, and other users.
• Participate in the museum’s public programming by providing information and specimens and assisting in exhibit design; assist in museum public functions.
• Conduct tours for visiting scholars, students, and the public.

Supervision:

• Hire, train, and supervise undergraduate assistants.
• Train and supervise volunteers working in the collection.

Professional development:

• Work closely with the curators to ensure consistency of practice.
• Participate in collection management training and development through professional societies.
• Undertake research in area of expertise when not in conflict with collection management duties.
• Participate in professional scientific societies.

Knowledge of all Microsoft Office software and able to learn and use institutional software systems.
Complies with all State and University policies.
Other duties may be assigned.

Required Qualifications
A Master’s degree or Ph.D. from an accredited university in museum studies, systematics, botany or invertebrate/vertebrate zoology or bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of 2 years experience working with museum collections in a position with similar responsibilities.

Familiarity with biodiversity informatics, including the database Arctos, web-based applications, and distributed networks.

Demonstrable knowledge of care and management of natural history collections, with a special emphasis on preventative conservation, collection-storage environments, and techniques pertaining uniquely to fluid-preserved, skeletal, and dry skin collections.

International field experience with knowledge of numerous techniques for the collection of botanical, invertebrate or vertebrate specimens.

Experience handling cryogenically stored tissue samples.