SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM

Employment Opportunity

JOB DESCRIPTION: Associate Textile Conservator or Textile Conservator

                                             Grade K or M (exempt)

REPORTS TO: Head of Conservation 

SUPERVISES: No one

SPECIFICATIONS: Degree from an accredited conservation program or its equivalent and 6 years conservation experience in textile conservation preferred. Compensation will be commensurate with experience and has a starting range in the low-$50,000s (associate), to mid-$60,000s (conservator) yearly with annual merit raises and comprehensive benefits including support for continuing education and conference attendance. Moving expense assistance is provided.

JOB DISCRIPTION: The Saint Louis Art Museum seeks a collegial, collaborative, and energetic textile conservator to join its active conservation team. SLAM is one of the nation’s leading comprehensive art museums with collections that include works of art of exceptional quality from virtually every culture and time period. A growing collection of over 3500 textiles date from Coptic to contemporary arts. Multiple curatorial departments including Decorative Arts, Asian arts, and Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas oversee the textile collection. The museum’s textile gallery hosts two exhibitions per year. As the museum’s textile conservator the candidate will conduct conservation treatments, address display needs including mount systems, as well as storage requirements. The ideal candidate will have a broad and solid foundation in treatment techniques for a wide range of primarily flat textiles and be capable of collaborating with other conservation staff to solve unique preservation challenges. Knowledge of textile science, fabric structures, sewing construction and needlework techniques required. Experience with costume and historic upholstery conservation treatments are a plus. The candidate must be organized with excellent time and project management skills. 

DUTIES, WORK PERFORMED:

• Examine and assess physical condition of textiles including deterioration, damage, and potential complications involved in treatment.
• Design and carry out conservation treatment in consultation with the curators.
• Design and construct mount systems for 2 & 3-dimensional objects.
• Provide written and photographic documentation to record condition of objects, treatments proposed, and treatments performed.
• Recommend other Conservators outside their field of expertise and review treatment proposals.
• Examine textile works prior to acquisition to aid the Curatorial staff in determining physical and aesthetic condition, as well as authenticity of works.
• Examine works requested for loan to document their condition and to determine suitability for travel and, and advise the Registrar and others on any special packing and shipping considerations.
• Provide guidance to the Collections Care Technician on the maintenance of textiles on display in the galleries.
• Advise the Registrar, Curators, and other museum staff members on the handling, installation, storage, and maintenance of works in the collection.
• Administer the workflow and assist in preparing, monitoring and controlling the budget of the Textile Conservation Lab.
• Recommend acquisition of new equipment.
• Monitor and order conservation supplies. 

The above statements of this job description describe the general duties and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. They do not claim to describe all of the functions of this position. Employees may be assigned other duties and the essential functions may change or be changed from time to time.

Applicants should apply through the Museum’s website – www.slam.org. Additional questions regarding the position or the collection should be directed to the Head of Conservation – [log in to unmask]

The Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all applicants and employees fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience, without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Posted by Christine Giuntini for

Zoe A. Perkins

Textile Conservator

The Saint Louis Art Museum

One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park

St. Louis, MO 63110

314-655-5271

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