PREPARATOR

Our Mission: The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) enriches our world by collecting, preserving, and making accessible an astonishing variety of musical instruments including performance videos from every country in the world. MIM offers guests a welcoming and fun experience, incomparable interactive technology, dynamic programming, and exceptional musical performances. MIM fosters appreciated of the world's diverse cultures by showing how we innovate, adapt, and learn from each other to create music-the language of the soul.

Position Summary: The Preparator participates in general and/or specialized aspects of collections management; exhibit installation; acquisition processing; storage and handling; IPM; and environmental monitoring for MIM. The Preparator reports to the Exhibits Manager and works closely with staff in MIM's Curatorial and Collections departments. The Preparator position is full-time and includes benefits.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assists in the installation of objects for exhibition and in the de-installation of objects for photography, mount making, exhibit maintenance, and conservation purposes.
• Assists in the routine cleaning (dusting, vacuuming, etc.) of exhibit spaces and objects; documents object cleaning in TMS.
• Performs maintenance tasks (patching, painting, etc.) of exhibit spaces.
• Assists in maintaining organized, clean, and functional spaces for exhibit prep, storage, and permanent and temporary object staging.
• Properly documents location changes of all objects in MIM's collection database, TMS; inputs and updates collection data in TMS, as needed.
• Works with other team members to ensure the proper handling and safety of objects during installation; ensures the safety of the collection in storage through routine storage inspection and monitoring.
• Assists in the organization, tracking, and installation of exhibit signage, object and audiovisual labels, graphic rails, mounts, pedestals, donor plaques, headers and sub-headers and mural graphics.
• Builds storage mounts and rearranges items in storage as needed to implement plans for permanent housing of the collection.
• Assists with pest monitoring and other IPM activities.
• Assists in maintaining an inventory of supplies, tools, and materials for back-of-house collections spaces.
• Works with registration team members to process incoming acquisitions and loans (freezing objects when appropriate; taking photos; taking dimensions; and tagging); assists with packing and shipping of objects as needed.
• Expedites objects to Conservation Lab or other museum areas as needed.
• Manages and assists in selected special projects (museum wide) and performs other related duties, as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts in museum studies or related field desired; should have at least three years' experience handling objects in a museum as a Collections professional
• Knowledge of accepted museum collection management practices
• Efficient with power tools such as drills, saws, and sanders.
• Must have strong analytical skills
• Some travel and weekend work may be required
• Must be technically literate, with experience in data entry and office software programs
• Ability to problem-solve, work independently, and excel in a high performance, team-oriented culture
• Strong writing and collaborative interpersonal skills
• Ability to lift at least fifty pounds and climb a stepladder
• Possess a valid U.S. driver's license