Academic Affairs Division

Conservation Department

JOB TITLE:Conservator/Associate Conservator of Textiles

SCHEDULED DAYS/HOURS:Full Time- 35 hours/week

DEPARTMENT:   Conservation                            

Job Description: Winterthur Museum is seeking candidates to fill the position of Conservator/Associate Conservator of Textiles to be lead in their Textile Conservation Laboratory in a dynamic conservation program whose mission is the preservation and enhanced understanding of textile based objects in the collection through collection preservation (documentation, treatment, and implementing storage strategies), exhibition, education and outreach, and object-based research and analysis. This position provides support and teaching to the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC), a Master’s-level graduate program with a three-year curriculum designed to educate and prepare students to be conservators of cultural heritage. This positon offers a unique and exciting opportunity in textile conservation leadership and education in the midst of a pre-eminent collection of 89,000 objects made and used in America from 1630 -1860, 20th century Winterthur Estate materials, and over 500,000 documents, books, manuscripts, and images in Winterthur’s research library.  The textile collection includes over 20,000 objects with a particular depth in printed textiles, needlework, furnishing fabrics, and quilts. The museum affords the chance to work with exhibiting textiles in gallery settings as well as rooms within a house setting.

In addition to textiles, the Conservation Department includes eight other laboratories staffed by leading professionals in paper, furniture, objects, library and archival materials, preventive and collection care, paintings conservation, photography, and scientific research and analysis. The personnel of the Textile Lab includes a conservation assistant and part-time conservator.

Job Requirements:  A Master’s degree in conservation (or a Bachelor’s degree and equivalent experience) combined with a minimum of ten/seven years conservation experience is required.  The successful candidate must demonstrate treatment, teaching and scholarly achievement, including a research/publication record, and evidence of professional engagement.  Support of the museum’s overall conservation efforts are an integral component of the position and the candidate must be committed to extensive collaboration with museum conservators and scientists; curators; exhibition, registration, development and other related staff; and WUDPAC faculty and students.  Administrative responsibilities of the Conservator/Associate Conservator of Textiles include the oversight of the laboratory staff, budget, and lab and equipment maintenance.  In addition to care of the Winterthur Collections, the Textile Conservator may also supervise documentation and treatment of archaeological, ethnographic, modern and contemporary artwork/objects through WUDPAC student projects.  The successful candidate will demonstrate (1) excellent interpersonal and communication skills with staff, students, museum and university colleagues, donors, and the general public (2) creative thinking and solutions-based problem-solving, and (3) superior organizational abilities with a high attention to detail.  A proven ability to work both collaboratively and independently while managing multiple tasks simultaneously is required.

This position reports to the Director of Conservation.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. To apply, send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, writing sample,and contact information for three professional references familiar with your textile conservation experience to:[log in to unmask]. Please reference Job #1117- Textile Conservator in the subject line.  Review of applications will begin as of April 21, 2017 and continue until the position is filled. 

Joy Gardiner

Charles F. Hummel Director of Conservation                                                 5105 Kennett Pike

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library                                                         Winterthur, DE 19735

&                                                                                                                      Phone: 302.888.4612

Affiliated Assistant Professor                                                                         Fax: 302.888.4838

Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation                 E-mail: [log in to unmask]