POSITION: Bloomberg Philanthropies Collections Fellow for the Mississippi Museum of Art

REPORTS TO: Director of Collections Management and Registration

STATUS: Full-time, two-year grant funded position (July 2024 – June 2026)

Job Summary   

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Collections Fellow for the Mississippi Museum of Art is an organized, diligent, and engaged professional looking to deepen their knowledge and experience in collection management, art handling, object research, data entry, and curatorial best practices. The Collections Fellow will aid the Director of Collections Management and Registration and the Assistant Curator of the Permanent Collection in advancing MMA’s digital collections strategies, an initiative made possible with the support of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Program.  This two-year grant funded position will begin July of 2024 and will culminate in June of 2026.

Essential Functions  

Role #1: Digitization and Object Research

• Assist in photography and digitization of collections-related materials
• Enter and review data in the collection database, The Museum System (TMS)
• Research objects found in the collection
• Support cross-departmental research projects for exhibitions, public programs, and the permanent collection

Role #2: Collection Management Support

• Collaborate in daily collections tasks such as creating detailed condition reports, cataloging, and inventorying recent acquisitions, and physically moving artworks in Museum storage to enhance preservation
• Assist with installation and deinstallation of works in the permanent collection and special exhibitions
• Other duties specific to the department as needed

Competency

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in History, Art History, Museum Studies or Humanities, or relevant experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite products (Word, Outlook, and Excel)  
• Experience in museum work shown by academic studies, internships, summer programs, or employment  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Master’s degree or current degree candidate in History, Art History, Museum Studies, or humanities related field encouraged to apply but not required
• Experience with or eagerness to learn industry standard collections software, such as TMS
• Ability to contribute to team-centered work
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include occasional weeknights, extended days, weekends, and holidays 
• Detail-oriented, organized, prompt, and reliable 
• Willingness to actively learn about diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) practices
• General understanding and appreciation of art and art history
• Strong written and verbal skills

$35,000 - $38,000

Expected Hours of Work

• Exempt - This is a full-time position for 40 hours a week, primarily between Monday through Friday. Some evenings and weekends will be necessary to support Museum events and programs. 

Physical Demands and Work Environment  

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Some duties may require long periods of movement.
• Ability to lift and move up to 15 pounds.
• Work may be performed both indoors and outdoors in different weather conditions.

About the Mississippi Museum of Art 

The Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The Museum is a private not-for-profit and is not a department or agency of the state or federal government. 

The Mississippi Museum of Art is more than an art museum in Jackson, Mississippi. It is a museum of Mississippi – a museum that connects Mississippians to our culture, our history, our communities, and to each other. It is a museum informed by the legacy of our past and emboldened by a vision of a future without division. 

We believe it is our responsibility to the community to explore and examine every facet of the Mississippi story. The Mississippi Museum of Art is committed to curating a shared space for every Mississippian – a brave space where we can all find wonder, peace, and a voice.  

We pride ourselves in being a visitor and community-focused art museum and garden in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. The Museum employs a collaborative staff that works to ensure the exhibitions, programs, operations, and community outreach fulfill the mission, vision, and core values of the institution. We are committed to building a culture of inclusivity that includes continued professional development opportunities at all levels of the Museum.  

Mission 

The Mississippi Museum of Art connects Mississippi to the world, and the power of art to the power of community.  

Vision 

Committed to honesty, equity, and inclusion, the Mississippi Museum of Art is a leader in engaging art, artists, and participants in the critical work of reckoning with the past, connecting with each other in the present, and envisioning a future without division.  

Core Values 

·         Warm Welcome + Inclusion. The Museum will model open hospitality for all people and will demonstrate inclusiveness at all levels of its operations and programs.  

·         Honesty + Diversity. Honoring diverse viewpoints, histories, and lived experiences, the Museum will be a place for honest conversations that respect difference in the service of increased understanding and empathy.  

·         Local Relevance + National Distinction. The Museum pursues deep investigations into Mississippi’s cultural history and produces programs of high quality and relevance that attract new national partners seeking to explore the relationship between Mississippi and the world.  

·         Artworks + Artists. Museum programs will honor the primacy of artistic objects as sources of meaning and will include, when possible, meaningful opportunities for participants to have personal experiences with visual artists.  

·         Excellence + Equity. Museum programs, exhibitions, and collections will place artistic value as critical, while simultaneously dismantling traditional hierarchies of genre and style. 

·         Trust + Authority. The Museum values academic scholarship and accuracy; and, at the same time, it trusts the voices of people who have lived experiences that deepen the meaning of its exhibitions. 

Employee Values 

A successful member of the Museum’s team will be mission-driven, welcoming, inclusive, respectful, empathetic, ambitious, will bring a level of excellence to their work, have a high respect for artists and artistic integrity, and will collaborate within their department and with other departments.  

To apply for an opportunity to be a part of our dynamic team, please send your cover letter and resume to careers@msmuseumart.org.