DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE

TEXTILE CONSERVATOR JOB POSTING ​​​

Casey Mallinckrodt, head conservator​​​casey.mallinckrodt@dmns.org

TEXTILE CONSERVATOR

Title​​Conservator II, Textile Conservator

Department​Science

Reports to​Head Conservator

Full time ​(40hr week) on site

Effective Date​May 2023

Salary​​$55,000.00-$65,000.00 a year with benefits and travel and research funds

AVENIR CONSERVATION CENTER ​

VISION
The newly established Avenir Conservation Center is committed to compassionate and scholarly conservation initiatives that are deeply rooted in shared learning. We strive to model excellence as well as decenter historical perspectives on ownership, care, and preservation of belongings housed in museum collections by partnering with originating and descendant communities to amplify their beliefs and desires. We resolve to honor diverse cultural protocols during all phases of our work.

MISSION
Develop a facility that generates collaborative and innovative research and collections care; serves as a resource for other institutions and individuals; and mentors a new generation of conservators and museum professionals from diverse and wide-reaching backgrounds. We will join the forward-thinking people and organizations that model the changes we embrace.

CONSERVATION LAB
The conservation lab is located in the museum in the Avenir Collections Center, which opened in 2014. The space is equipped with micro-FTIR, p-XRF, polarized light microscope, and a photography area equipped for multispectral imaging.  Strengths of the textile collections include Native North American and First Nations textiles, archaeological textiles from South America, historic and contemporary Mexican textiles, and a diverse collection of basketry. The collections include historic and contemporary garments and beadwork.

Job Description

The Avenur Conservation Center is actively expanding staffing and resources and is evolving to realize our mission. We are committed to collaboration within the museum and the larger community, and to engaging people historically underrepresented in the conservation and museum professions.

Conservators develop and carry out conservation treatments, technical analyses and collaborative research, and engage in outreach through public programs and tours. With the collections staff, conservators oversee care and handling of anthropologydivision collections. We are seeking a colleague who is curious and enthusiastic to work closely with conservators and curators, scholars and community members to build the Avenir Conservation Center.  The position may include work at archaeological sites.

The textile conservator will have a unique opportunity to collaborate with conservation and curatorial colleagues to envision and develop textile conservation capacity and projects as well as oversee the care and handling of the textile collections. The conservator will developand carry out conservation treatments, technical analyses, and research, and will have a central role in a multi-year conservation-curatorial study of the museum’s collections of textiles of the Americas.  The conservator will have the support of a five-person advisory group of experienced textile conservators and specialists.

Essential Duties

• Acquire equipment and tools for the conservation lab requiredfor textile conservation.
• Oversee all aspects of care for the anthropology textile collections for long term stability.
• Survey the textile collections and develop guidelines for preventive and interventive conservation of these collections.
• Engage with communities of origin in collaborative decision-making around textile and related collections in the museum’s anthropology collections.
• Coordinate the installation, deinstallation, and rehousing of textile-based collections.
• Complete all documentation, condition examinations, treatment proposals and reports, and conservation stabilization treatments as needed for exhibitions, grant awards, or loans.
• Help design and carry out an in-depth conservation-curatorial research project to study the museum’s textiles of the Americas including Peruvian and South American archaeological textiles, and historic and modern garments and textiles of Central America, Mexico, and textiles of the Southwest United States.
• Contribute to professional publications and presentations.
• Respond to emergency situations and routine operations including integrated pest management.
• Participate in public outreach.
• Oversee volunteers.

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements
• Master’s degree in conservation from a recognized conservation graduate program.

• Minimum 5 years working as a practicing conservator, preferably within a museum.
• Demonstrated experience and advanced knowledge of sewing techniques, garment construction, weaving structure, dyes and colorants, and textile mounting techniques.
• Demonstrated skills in digital imaging for documentation and analysis.

The Ideal Candidate

• Experience with and commitment to working within a collaborative community.
• Knowledge of ethical issues of cultural heritage collections.
• Experience engaging originating communities in conservation decision making.
• Experience in the treatment and preservation of woven textiles and basketry, garments, beadwork, and related objects of material culture.
• Interest in innovations in conservation science and imaging, and the desire to carry out technical research toward publication and public presentation.
• Familiarity with polarized light microscopy, x-ray fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy, and multispectral imaging.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfortable speaking to the public.

Preference will be given to candidates with organizational and leadership experience; interest in research, cross disciplinary collaboration, and publication; and have some Spanish language.

We welcome the opportunity to diversify the community of museum professionals. Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job description describes your experience and aspirations, please apply for the textile conservator position.