Horace W. Goldsmith Curatorial Fellow in Photography

Philadelphia, PA
Full Time
Mid Level
We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status. 


How You Will Contribute

The department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs (PDP) invites applications for the Horace W. Goldsmith Curatorial Fellowship. This endowed fellowship serves as preparation for an advanced career in a museum, providing professional mentorship and extensive firsthand experience with curatorial work in photography. Reporting to the head of the department, the fellow is a fully integrated member of PDP, providing input and support in areas relating to the interpretation, care, display, and growth of the PMA's collection of over 162,000 works on paper, with particular focus its photography holdings, which number around 26,000 and cover the history of the medium. In addition, the Goldsmith Fellow, in tandem with two other curatorial fellows, coordinates access to the department’s active study room, facilitating visits from classes, researchers, and community members.


Specifically, you will:
 
  • Manage an ongoing photography collections assessment with an eye to identifying duplicates and other candidates for deaccession
  • Assist curators with exhibition and publication planning, management, and implementation, including as lead organizer for one or more rotations from the permanent collection
  • Coordinate appointments and activities involving the Abigail Rebecca Cohen Study Room. This includes outreach, scheduling, art movement, record-keeping, and hosting visits for classes, scholars, and PMA staff.
  • Respond to inquiries about the collection
  • Prepare condition reports and preliminary research for new acquisitions, in consultation with paper conservators
  • Assist with other projects related to curatorial functions, as assigned by curatorial staff
  • Contribute to preparations for bi-annual meetings of the Prints, Drawings, and Photographs Committee, including writing acquisition justifications and presenting on assigned topics.
  • Perform a variety of departmental administrative tasks as needed
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Your background and experience include:
 
  • Master's degree in art history or an adjacent field
  • Graduate experience beyond an M.A. degree is preferred
  • A commitment to museum work with a demonstrated interest in photography
  • An ability to work collaboratively
  • An ability to multi-task and negotiate competing priorities while managing longer-term assignments
  • Prior experience in a museum environment or similar art institution

Position and Compensation Details
 
  • The salary for this position is $44,546.
  • This position is Full-Time, Exempt, and 35 hours per week.
  • This position is part of the AFSCME Local 397 bargaining unit.
  • This position reports to The Brodsky Curator of Photographs and Head of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
  • This position is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2025 and is for two years with possible extension for a third year
  • Physical requirements:
    • Able to remain stationary for extended periods of time, to utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery, or exhibit space, and to
access most public and staff areas of the museum campus
    • Able to move boxes with works on paper up to 25 pounds
  • Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

Institutional Requirements
 
  • Upholds the professional standards of the field, always acts in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the museum and protects and enhances its reputation and standing within the community of museums.
  • Adheres to the museum’s code of ethics and Employee Handbook and avoids any real or perceived conflicts of interest.
  • Shows respect for co-workers and visitors and an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of the museum’s staff, volunteers, and audiences.
  • Maintains confidentiality.
  • Adheres to all museum protocols, procedures, rules, and policies.


Application Timeline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.




What We Offer

Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:
 
  • Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
  • Discounted guest tickets for admission
  • Discounts on gift memberships
  • Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
  • Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:
 
  • Medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
  • Health savings or flexible spending account program
  • Retirement savings program with museum match
  • Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays

*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.
 
Share

Apply for this position

Required*
Apply with Indeed
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume or Paste resume
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.
Invitation for Job Applicants to Self-Identify as a U.S. Veteran
  • A “disabled veteran” is one of the following:
    • a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or
    • a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
  • A “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
  • An “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
  • An “Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Veteran status


Human Check*