Assistant Curator

Are you passionate about sharing the mission and goals of a Museum? Looking for a new career where you have the ability to utilize your skills in museum exhibits and be a part of an exciting and diverse team? If so, the City of Ontario has the perfect opportunity for you! The Ontario Museum of History & Art is searching for an organized and self-motivated individual to join the team as an Assistant Curator assigned to Exhibits. The Assistant Curator assigned to Exhibits is responsible for the coordination of temporary permanent and traveling exhibits, including care of all works, exhibit design, and security.

The ideal candidate for this position will possess strong communication and presentation skills, exemplary organizational and time management skills, and a passion for creativity, collaboration, and teamwork. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate great attention to detail as well as the ability to take the initiative, be open minded, and work in a fast-paced environment. Additionally, the successful candidate will embody the Department’s mission and vision as well as the qualities of a “Five Tool Player” – Leader, Thinker, Communicator, Operator and Public Servant – and the values of the City's Approach to Public Service - Commitment to the Community, Excellence through Teamwork, and Doing the Right Thing the right way.

The Assistant Curator classification is used throughout the Department of Museum, Arts & Culture in a variety of assignments. This recruitment will result in an eligibility list for this classification to meet the current and future staffing needs of the Department. The current vacancy is for Assistant Curator of Exhibits. The City of Ontario reserves the right, if necessary, to accept only the first one hundred (100) applications from applicants that meet the qualification guidelines below. Completed applications will be reviewed and only qualified applicants whose qualifications best meet or exceed the requirements of the position and needs of the City, will be invited to participate further in the selection process.  

The Community Life and Culture Agency
The City of Ontario's Community Life & Culture Agency endeavors to meet the Ontario City Council goal to "encourage, provide or support enhanced recreational, educational, cultural and healthy city programs, policies and activities."  Community Life & Culture does this through a comprehensive array of programs, activities, services and events available through the Housing Services, Library, Museum, Arts & Culture, and Recreation & Community Services Departments. 
The City of Ontario’s Department of Museum, Arts & Culture enhances knowledge and appreciation of our Inland Empire community through dynamic, inspiring, and creative exhibits, collections stewardship, family-friendly educational programs, cultural events, and public art.  MAC reflects pride in our legacy, who we are, where we live, and who we aspire to be, as well as supports artists of all backgrounds who create experiences that are inclusive, innovative, and relevant. To learn more about the Ontario Museum of History & Art, please view the Department's Strategic Plan here. 

The essential functions performed by all Assistant Curators typically include the following:
 

• Assists curatorial staff on collection management, exhibit and educational program development.
• Assists in the development of graphic materials to market collections work, exhibits and public programs.
• Coordinates in-house exhibition research for upcoming exhibits and permanent collections.
• Assists with researching and developing grant applications and other funding opportunities.
• Assists with division budgets and expense tracking, correspondence, reports, arranges studio visits, and general office responsibilities.
• Represents the Museum at events, meetings, and gatherings of the City and general public.
• Coordinates the activities of volunteers, staff, contract artists, and program participants.
• Collaborates with other City departments and assists in communication efforts between the Museum and artists, volunteers, participants, and other community organizations.

When assigned to Education:

• Coordinates development of K-12 educator materials, including outreach brochures, lesson plans, and sample activities.
• Assists in managing the activities and planning of education programs in history, gardens, visual, and/or media arts, including research, design, staffing, and assessment.   
• Teaches and/or coordinates tours and workshops for K-12 students and adults in history, gardens, visual, performing, and/or media arts.
• Provides metrics, data collection, maintenance, analysis, and reporting on tour and community program participants. 
• Assists with development of a strategic community engagement plan to increase visitorship to the Museum, especially school and community groups.
• Manages, orders, and tracks inventory for art supplies.

When assigned to Exhibits:

• Coordinates installation of temporary permanent, and traveling exhibits, including care of all works, exhibit design, and security.
• Assists curatorial staff with research and writing related to developing temporary exhibits and collections based programs.
• Assists exhibits staff in curating annual exhibits.
• Supports exhibition research, development, and planning: completes and tracks exhibition paperwork including checklists and interdepartmental coordination.
• Supports in copy-editing and proofreading all exhibition materials.
• Coordinates transportation and insurance requirements for traveling exhibitions.
• Coordinates distribution of exhibition marketing materials, such as press releases, local news listings and university outreach.

When assigned to Collections:

• Supports research on collection materials and/or artifacts in coordination with collections and curatorial staff.
• Maintains and improves collection storages across Museum sites.
• Maintains and updates object records in collection management database.

Knowledge of: 

• Promoting, public relations, fundraising, and customer service methods and communication techniques.
• Record keeping principles and practices.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Safety practices in a museum setting.
• Basic procedures and techniques of budget development and maintenance.
• American material culture history, preferably Southern California History.
• Professional principles and ethical standards regarding museum collections care and management.
• Collections management relational databases.
• Exhibition development, including intellectual content, interpretive techniques, and physical design.
• Contemporary art, local and global cultural trends.
• Museum education techniques, including varied learning styles of museum audiences, and state curriculum standards.
• Current and emerging museum education trends.

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing with diverse populations.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with other employees, volunteers, officials, and the public.
• Interact and engage with the public in a professional and courteous manner.
• Use a variety of simple hand tools and perform light to moderate manual work.
• Climb ladders and stairs.
• Operate office computer and utilize spreadsheet, word processing, and other applicable software programs.
• Ability to operate City vehicle occasionally.

Minimum Requirements

Education
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in U.S. or California History, Museum Studies, Art, History, Anthropology, or closely related field.
 
NOTE: Proof of successful completion of a Bachelor’s Degree must be provided by way of attachment to your online application or as an email attachment sent to the Hiring Agency Representative at, or before, time of the reference check process. Acceptable forms of proof include Unofficial Transcripts, Official Transcripts, Photos and/or Photocopies of Institutional Degree/Certifications. Failure to provide the required documentation at, or before, time of the reference check process will result in disqualification.Experience
Two years of museum experience, including collections management, exhibition development, public education programs, volunteer programs, and/or museum education. 

Licenses

• Valid Class C California driver’s license at time of appointment.
• Acceptable driving record at the time of appointment and throughout employment.

Desirable

• Prior experience working with public schools.
• Ability to read and speak Spanish.
• Prior project management experience.
• Prior art handling and installation experience.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Occasional bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, and twisting.
• Frequent reaching, climbing, standing, and walking.
• Occasional climbing on a ladder up to twelve (12) feet.
• Continuous sitting for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination.
• Movement of arms to reach and have dexterity of hands to grasp and manipulate objects.
• Utilize smell, sight, hearing, speaking, reading, writing, and math ability to exchange information.
• Ability to see with normal vision and visual range with or without correction.
• Ability to hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
• Lift and carry up to fifty (50) pounds without aide.
• Push and pull light to moderate amounts of weight.

How to Apply 
Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" link at the top of this announcement. If this is the first time applying for a position using governmentjobs.com you will be prompted to create a new user account, otherwise log in with your user name and password. Your application and responses to any supplemental questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position. It is suggested that your application include the following:
 

• List any relevant experience and education that demonstrates that you qualify for the position.
• List all periods of employment for at least the past 10 years, beginning with your most recent or present employer (including, if applicable, all employment with the City of Ontario).
• Separately list each position held, including different positions with the same employer.

A resume may be attached to your application but will not substitute for the proper completion of your application. Applications that are not properly completed may be rejected.

NOTE: Transcripts from colleges, universities or technical schools outside of the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report will result in your application being rejected and you will not be able to continue in the selection process for this position.

Supplemental Questions
To complete your application for this position you will be prompted to respond to supplemental questions. This information will be used as part of the application screening and selection process and is designed to help you present your qualifications for this position. This may include a selection step in which your application and supplemental questions are reviewed and scored by a panel of raters familiar with this position.

Incomplete responses, false statements, omission, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Your responses should be consistent with the information provided on your application.

Please provide succinct, concise, descriptive, and detailed information for each question. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.

Email Notices
Email is the primary way that the Human Resources or Hiring Department will communicate with you. Please check your email account (including the SPAM folder) on a regular basis for any emails related to the application or selection process. Emails from the city of Ontario will come from "@ontarioca.gov" or "governmentjobs.com." If you change your email address after submitting your application please visit governmentjobs.com and update your profile.