Job Description
About Fashion Institute Of Technology The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), part of the State University of New York and an internationally renowned college of art, design, business and technology with a strong emphasis on liberal arts, invites nominations and applications for an Associate Curator of Costume. Job Description The Associate Curator of Costume works closely with other museum staff on developing, researching and organizing exhibitions. In addition to work on exhibitions in the museum's History Gallery and Special Exhibitions gallery, they collaborate with faculty in FIT's School of Graduate Studies, helping to plan an annual exhibition with graduate students. Other tasks include assisting with gallery tours and classroom visits, research and writing for museum publications and grants, and building and maintaining the museum's costume collection. Essential Functions Exhibition Development & Curatorial Research Work closely with the Director/Chief Curator, Senior Curator of Costume, Curator of Costume, and Museum staff to develop, research, organize, curate, and co-curate exhibitions for the Fashion and Textile History Gallery and Special Exhibitions Gallery. Perform extensive research on exhibition themes; conceptualize exhibitions using the Museum's permanent collections of costumes and accessories; select objects for exhibition, press, and publication; and maintain exhibition checklists in The Museum System. Write exhibition-related content, including proposals, press releases, brochures, didactics, label copy, web content, video scripts, and books as needed. Graduate Studies Exhibition Collaboration Collaborate with faculty in FIT's School of Graduate Studies to plan the annual graduate student exhibition, including assisting with exhibition topics, related coursework, student assignments, and project deadlines. Review and refine preliminary curatorial content, including object checklists, exhibition text, research, design plans, and educational programming suggestions. Guide students and faculty in presenting exhibition decisions to Museum and Graduate Studies staff for advisement and approval. Educational Programs, Tours & Classroom Support Lead exhibition tours and history of fashion tours for visitors and students. Assist with classroom visits and support educational use of the Museum's costume study collection. Coordinate with the Education and Collections Assistant to inventory, update, maintain, and supervise the use and condition of the costume study collection. Museum Publications, Grants & Scholarly Support Write for Museum publications as needed. Perform photo research and assist in obtaining rights and reproductions for publications. Research and apply for institutional grants and awards under the supervision of the Senior Curator of Costume to support exhibition projects. Collections Management & Costume Collection Maintenance Collaborate with the Senior Registrar to perform regular costume collections maintenance. Assign object locations in The Museum System for new acquisitions; reorganize objects to support future collection growth; inventory objects; and update locations not listed in The Museum System. Research new acquisitions for cataloging and valuation. The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of the position; other duties may be assigned consistent with the classification of the position. Requirements Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Fashion or Design History. Minimum of 5-7 years of appropriate museum experience, including curating or co-curating exhibitions. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree preferred. 7+ years of appropriate museum experience, including curating or co-curating exhibitions. Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Thorough knowledge of fashion and design history. In-depth understanding of how to analyze fashion. Understanding of accredited museum policies and procedures. Excellent time management skills and ability to meet multiple simultaneous deadlines. Cultivating and maintaining professional relationships and working as part of a team. Experience curating or co-curating museum exhibitions. Experience with handling of museum fashion objects in a conservationally-sound manner. Skills in researching, writing, and publishing about fashion (peer-reviewed articles and/or books).