What are the responsibilities and job description for the Collections Manager- Vertebrate Paleontology position at Los Angeles County Museum Of Natural History Foundation?
Regular Full-Time
Los Angeles, CA, US
The Natural History Museum of LA County (NHMLAC) seeks a Collections Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology. NHMLAC’s Vertebrate Paleontology (VP) collection contains over 150,000 catalogued specimens, primarily from California, the southwestern United States, and northwestern Mexico. They include representatives of every class of fossil vertebrates, but fossil mammals from the Cenozoic form the bulk of the collections. Because of the extensive exposures of marine rocks in Southern California, our collections also include large and diverse holdings of fishes, sharks, whales, pinnipeds, and other marine vertebrates. The VP department is one of four paleontological collecting departments at NHMLAC, with the Dinosaur Institute (responsible for Mesozoic tetrapods), Invertebrate Paleontology, and Rancho La Brea (responsible for collections and excavation at La Brea Tar Pits). The four departments maintain a collaborative relationship and share some space and facilities.
The Collections Manager will oversee the day-to-day operations of the VP collection, including processing incoming and outgoing loans, cataloguing and integrating new specimens, maintaining and improving specimen records in NHMLAC’s EMu database, conserving and organizing specimens, managing physical improvements and digitization projects, and facilitating the use of the collection by researchers. They will hire, train, and supervise volunteers, students, and interns engaged in collections work. They will collaborate with other collecting departments to manage shared space and facilities, maintain high standards of collections care, and uphold NHMLAC’s policies, and will support the needs of other NHMLAC departments through collection access and subject matter expertise.
NHMLAC’s values—adventurous, inclusive, authentic, and intentional—guide our work and visitor experience, committing us to foster a welcoming, safe and respectful workplace environment where innovation and collaboration thrive and every team member can contribute their unique perspectives to advance our mission. NHMLAC seeks candidates who are aligned with our values and priorities, and are passionate about connecting science with the vibrant and diverse communities we serve throughout Los Angeles.
The position is available May 1, 2025 and has an annual salary of $69,000. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Cares for the VP collection on a day-to-day basis, including organizing and conserving specimens, preparing or processing specimen loans, processing new acquisitions, and facilitating collections visits. Proposes, develops, and implements plans for collection growth and improvement.
Provides documentation for the collection, including cataloging and accessioning, entering/updating database records, inventorying, and enhancing documentation through digitization. Responds to requests for information about the collection and shares collection records through external repositories.
Participates in education and other public program activities of the Museum including but not limited to collection tours, supporting exhibitions, and participation in public museum events. Handles inquiries from the public.
Stays current with the research field related to the collection including trends and techniques in collections management, collection-based research, fossil preparation and conservation, digitization, biodiversity informatics, government regulations, and documentation. May lead or participate in ongoing or original research related to the collection.
Trains, supervises, and manages collections personnel, including interns, students and volunteers.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
A bachelor’s degree in an applicable field (such as biology, paleontology, geology, or anthropology) and least two years of technical experience in the management, organization, care, and/or conservation of natural history specimens/collections, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Relevant knowledge and experience may have been gained through work as a student or professional. We expect qualified applicants will have either a substantial history of museum work or a bachelor’s or graduate degree in a related field and some museum work experience, but we encourage applicants in their cover letters to explain how their particular combination of education and experience qualifies them for the position.
Working knowledge of the geological time scale and major groups of fossil vertebrate animals.
Experience with the preparation, organization, and management of paleontological collections, and with community standards and existing best practices in these collections.
Experience with collections database software and common principles of biodiversity informatics.
Experience writing reports, grants, professional correspondence, and/or technical workflows.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
At least three years of experience in collections management.
Knowledge of major groups of Cenozoic mammals and fishes; ability to identify and curate paleontological specimens of mammals and fishes
Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication. Experience effectively presenting information to and responding to questions from individuals or groups, including the general public and scientists.
Experience supervising a diverse team of staff, volunteers, and students.
Basic knowledge of international, federal, and state regulations governing the collection and use of fossils in museums.
Working knowledge of external data repositories such as GBIF, iDigBio, PBDB, and MorphoSource.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, access and inclusion work.
OTHER INFORMATION
Annual salary for this position is $69,000.00. This is a full-time, regular, exempt position with excellent benefits.
The primary location for this job is at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, in Exposition Park in Los Angeles. Some offsite travel will be required.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
To apply, submit a current CV, a cover letter describing how your experience, knowledge, and interest qualify you for this position, and the names and contact information of three professional references through the Museum’s employment site at https://nhm.org/careers-our-museums/careers-natural-history-museum.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Applicants and employees are invited to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made to assist them to perform the essential functions of the position they seek or occupy. The incumbent must be able to perform this job safely, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health or safety of him/her/themself or others.
Please contact jobs@nhm.org for any application inquiries.
Salary : $69,000
