Associate Preparator (Full-Time)

Job Description

The Portland Art Museum (referred to as Museum) invites applications for the position of Associate Preparator. The Associate Preparator demonstrates a solid foundation of skills and thorough knowledge of professional standards and practices. Responsibilities include competency in all Preparator related skills with demonstrated, specialized proficiency in fabrication.

The Associate Preparator acts as a model for Assistant Preparators during the preparation, installation, and strike of all exhibitions, at times giving direction and making sure proper protocols for art handling, storage, and display are being met. Under the direction of Chief Preparator and Supervising Preparator this is a collaborative, hands-on role that is both attentive and fast-paced, meeting both the goals of executing exhibition schedules safely and maintaining the museums objective in collection care and understanding current priorities.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• In absence of Chief & Lead Preparator, the Associate Preparator acts as a backup to ensure timely project completion and care
• Assists Chief Preparator in all aspects of exhibitions including, carpentry and related shop work, painting, lighting, mount making, art handling, packing and installation
• Assists Chief Preparator and Registrars in, shipping and receiving of artworks, crate moving, unpacking and packing, crate building and retrofitting, and local and regional pickup and delivery of artwork
• Assists in maintaining workshop including, cleaning and organization of shop space
• Assists Registrars and Conservators in collection maintenance, organizing storage, rehousing objects, seismic mitigation, and collection documentation
• Assists in maintaining general appearance of galleries including cleaning of exhibit furniture/casework, dusting, and changing of lights
• Assist with maintenance and troubleshooting of new media electronic artworks and displays
  
  

Secondary Or Additional Responsibilities

• Attend meetings as necessary
• Train new staff as necessary
• Performs other related duties as assigned
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No supervisory duties
  
  

Institutional Responsibilities

• Support the Museum’s mission, vision and core values of creativity, connection, equity, learning, accessibility and accountability
• Contribute to and support the PAM strategic plan, annual priorities, and institutional initiatives such as diversity, equity, inclusion and access
• Contribute to a positive organizational culture based on mutual respect, a spirit of collegiality, cooperation, and openness to many perspectives
• Participate in a culture of ongoing learning, collaboration, innovation, creativity, and community engagement
• Promote equity and inclusion goals and have a “people first” mindset
  
  

Required Knowledge & Skills

If you have any questions along the way including wanting to talk about a nontraditional career background, please reach out to HR.

• Knowledge of safe art handling practices and principles of professional museum collection care and respect for works of art
• Responsibly demonstrates workplace safety
• Effectively communicates verbally and maintains an effective working relationship with supervisor, staff, and other co-workers
• Willingness to work under the direction of visiting Couriers from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds and different countries
• Successfully fabricate from working diagrams and oral instructions to finished products in a variety of materials
• Willingness to learn and follow ADA guidelines
• Basic math and geometric knowledge, and measurement skills and a demonstrated knowledge of museum installation techniques. Demonstrated problem solving skills
  
  

Education, Formal & Informal Experience, Training Required, Certification, Etc.

• 3-5 years experience in art handling or similar field
• Experience in fabrication in a variety of materials required
• Knowledge of basic art rigging techniques, a plus
• Experience to install artifact mounts, a plus
• Familiarity with new media artworks, a plus
• Knowledge of shop safety and use of hand/power tools and willingness to learn and adhere to OSHA safety guidelines
  
  

Job Conditions

• Non-Exempt
• Schedule/Hours: 35 hour per week
• Onsite/Not Remote
• Occasional nights and weekends
• Extensive close work
  
  

Physical Activities

• Constantly standing, walking, bending body to wait, use of fingers, talking, reaching, hearing, feeling, handling, climbing, kneeling, crawling, and grasping
• Frequently push/pull/lift/carry up to 50 lbs (use of carts, wheels, etc.)
• Frequent repetitive motion of feet
• Frequent repetitive motion of hands and wrists
• Occasional outdoor work
• This is not a complete representation of all physical requirements
  
  

Benefits

• This role is non-exempt/hourly and full-time
• Budgeted compensation is within pay grade H ($27.11 min - $31.85 mid - $36.60 max), depending on experience
• Shift differentials, for hourly/non-exempt staff, for hours worked onsite within:
• Evening hours (6:00 pm-12:00 am) will be paid an additional $1.00 per hour
• Night hours (12:01 am-6:00 am) will be paid an additional $2.00 per hour
• Healthcare package: medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, 401K match, and flexible spending accounts
• Paid time off: 6 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, vacation, sick, and bereavement leave
• Monthly Museum contribution for public transit, parking, or bike to work plan
• Museum admission & lectures, programs, and gift shop discounts
• R.E.A.P (Reciprocal Employee Attraction Pass), providing free general admission to local destinations
  

Application Process for Associate Preparator

In order to be considered eligible, submissions require a resume, cover letter, four references, and all application questions answered. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application materials will be screened and interview candidates will be selected and notified by email. All applicants will be notified once the position is filled.

Closing date: Open Until Filled

Company Description

Equal Opportunity & Accessibility

The Museum is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our hiring practices and in our Museum employee experiences. We strive to foster a mindful and respectful environment in which everyone can be their authentic selves at work and experience a culture free of harassment, racism, and discrimination.

The Museum is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including age, sex, color, race, creed, national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political belief, disability or any other legally protected status. We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. This commitment ensures that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the application, interview, and hiring process. Alternative formats of this application are available upon request. If reasonable accommodation or an alternative form of this application is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and/or receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at hr@pam.org or 503.276.4358

About The Portland Art Museum

The seventh oldest museum in the United States, the Portland Art Museum is internationally recognized for its permanent collection and ambitious special exhibitions drawn from the Museum’s holdings and the world’s finest public and private collections. The Museum’s collection of more than 50,000 objects, displayed in 112,000 square feet of galleries, reflects the history of art from ancient times to today. The collection is distinguished for its holdings of arts of the native peoples of North America, English silver, and the graphic arts. An active collecting institution dedicated to preserving great art for the enrichment of future generations, the Museum devotes 90 percent of its galleries to its permanent collection.

The Museum’s campus of landmark buildings, a cornerstone of Portland’s cultural district, includes the Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art, the Gilkey Center for Graphic Arts, the Schnitzer Center for Northwest Art, PAM CUT, and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Center for Native American Art. With a membership of more than 22,000 households and serving more than 350,000 visitors annually, the Museum is a premier venue for education in the visual arts. For information on exhibitions and programs, call 503-226-2811 or visit portlandartmuseum.org.

About PAM CUT // Center For An Untold Tomorrow

PAM CUT celebrates cinematic storytelling from around the corner and across the globe, embracing artists who want to express themselves in a variety of ways and don’t fit into neat categorization or boxes.

The Portland, Oregon-based organization focuses on pioneering, multi-faceted artists changing for whom, by whom and how cinematic stories are told — and provides support directly to creatives through exhibitions, artist residency, career sustainability programs, ongoing education, and global recognition platforms including programming at its signature spaces at the Portland Art Museum, PAM CUT galleries, and the Tomorrow Theater.

PAM CUT also serves individuals and communities who want to share experiences through our participatory, ever-evolving, and unbound programming. Audiences attending PAM CUT programs experience and create cinematic storytelling in many forms including: Film, Series, Audio, Gaming, Animation, Immersive and XR, and more!

Learn more at pamcut.org.