The Art Institute Of Chicago - Chicago, IL
posted about 2 months ago
Full-time - Entry Level
Chicago, IL
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
About the position
The Technician for Collection and Loans + Applied Art of Europe at The Art Institute of Chicago plays a crucial role in managing and caring for the museum's extensive collection of applied arts. This position involves working across two departments, assisting with art movement, installation, and maintenance, while ensuring compliance with museum policies and best practices. The technician collaborates with various stakeholders to facilitate gallery rotations, exhibitions, and the safe handling of artworks, contributing to the museum's mission of sharing its collections with the public.
Responsibilities
- Assist with art movement and preparation for gallery rotations, reinstallations, and exhibitions in both the Applied Arts of Europe and Collections and Loans departments.
- Collaborate with curators, collection managers, and other staff to schedule and execute art installations and movements.
- Perform systematic location checks of storage areas and update the museum database accordingly.
- Support the maintenance of galleries, including dusting and checking environmental conditions.
- Assist with packing and unpacking of artworks for exhibitions and storage, ensuring proper care and handling.
- Adhere to safety protocols and assist with security procedures in galleries and storage areas.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Minimum 2 years experience handling works of art, including 3-dimensional art objects required.
- Minimum 2 years packing experience in a museum, gallery, or commercial art-handling company required.
- Demonstrated knowledge of safe and current best practices for art handling.
- Experience working with small and/or delicate, fragile pieces demonstrating exceptional manual dexterity.
- Excellent competence using a wide variety of hand and power tools.
Nice-to-haves
- Understanding and experience of rigging methods or mount installation preferred.
- Ability to operate a forklift or other heavy equipment with onsite training and certification.
Benefits
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid holidays
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
