Research Associate, Modern & Contemporary (End Dated)

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The Modern and Contemporary Art department at The Met is devoted to the study, collection and exhibition of art from 1890 to the present. An era marked by seismic cultural, social and political shifts across the globe, artistic responses to these changes have shaped multiple modernities and diverse contemporary practices. The department is committed to foregrounding the interconnected and richly variegated narratives and experiences that inform the art of this period from around the world.

Historically focused on the art of Western Europe and North America, since 2012 Modern and Contemporary Art has greatly expanded and diversified its collections, especially through works by women and artists of color, with particular emphasis on acquisitions from Latin America, South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and African diasporas. Today, its holdings span a range of media, including paintings, sculpture, works on paper, design, decorative arts, and time-based media. The department presents rotating selections from its dynamic collections in its galleries and special projects throughout the museum.

This is a position with an established end-date or time frame. Time frames will begin upon hire: 16 Months.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As the Research Associate, you will be primarily responsible for conducting research and providing administrative support for two upcoming exhibitions, an exhibition focused on Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler in the fall of 2027 and an exhibition on a contemporary artist opening in the summer of 2027.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Conduct in-depth library and archival research on work to support the exhibition checklists; research provenance and exhibition histories of works on the checklist; regularly update and maintain research database for the exhibitions and accompanying catalogues;
• Organize meetings with other Met departments, including Design, Education, Editorial, Registrar, External Affairs, and Development, and coordinate agendas and follow-up/next steps;
• Maintain object checklists and files, and assist with lender correspondence exhibition agreements and other forms;
• Coordinate with registrars/departmental collections team on database updates regarding loans;
• Work with curators and Exhibitions department to assist in compiling information needed for Immunity from Seizure and Indemnification applications, as needed;
• Work with curators and Publications and Editorial Department to assist with all aspects of the exhibition catalogues’ production, including author identification, design, copy editing, securing images and rights, preparing captions and bibliographies, and corresponding with external authors;
• Research images and archival photographs, and assist in securing reproduction rights and correct credits/captioning;
• Work with curators, project managers, and larger team on all matters related to the exhibitions’ design and installation;
• Bring an open-minded and collaborative approach to working with all the stakeholders? Colleagues? involved in the projects both inside and outside of the museum;
• Assist with the composition of interpretive materials, including gallery labels, images/captions, digital content, or other assets, and the process of securing rights;
• Assist with grant applications and other fundraising opportunities, as needed;
• Assist with the build-out of the exhibitions’ web pages and other promotional materials/media, as needed;
• Assist in the organization and implementation of any programs, workshops, lectures, and/or symposia related to the exhibitions;
• Maintain image libraries; prepare PPT materials for lectures in support of projects; give walkthroughs and gallery talks as needed;
• Assist with gallery installations/deinstallations and working with couriers;
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in art history or related subject required.
• Previous art-historical research experience in a museum setting, with a working knowledge of Modern European and American art preferred.
• Reading skills in French, preferred.
• Excellent communication, organizational and writing skills. Proven ability to be an efficient, detail-oriented multitasker who can both work independently to meet deadlines and work collaboratively in teams.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Teams, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Abobe Photoshop, and fluency with The Museum System (TMS), and bibliographic software (e.g., Zotero) strongly preferred.

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• Pay Range: $72,000.00 - $74,000.00 / Annually
• The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected]. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

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