Registrar Fellow

The Registrar’s Office within the Registration and Collections Management department reports to the Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Conservation. Registrars work closely with Collections Management, Conservation, and Curatorial staff to meet the goals and mission of the Museum.

Under the general direction of the Director of Registration and Collections Management, the Registrar Fellow will receive training and participate in the daily running of an active Registrar’s Office entrusted to preserve and keep safe works of art lent from and to the MFA, Boston.

The Fellow will be introduced to a broad overview of various work in the areas of acquisitions, exhibitions, tours, and outgoing loans. Supervised by the Director but working directly with the entire Registrar staff, the Fellow will assist with all aspects of administration to gain a clear understanding of the planning and communications required for executing and documenting loans at the Museum. The Fellow will learn different aspects by assisting each Registrar in a variety of tasks during the run of the fellowship.

The Fellow will assist with communication, documentation, and exhibition administration, including schedule planning, courier arrangements, and gallery supervision while installing or de-installing exhibitions. Additionally, the Fellow will receive training in TMS (The Museum System), the collections management database. The Fellow will complete a research project in an area of interest, participate in conferences, and train as a courier. These skills will be applicable to a future career in museum work and/or collections management. The fellowship will provide opportunities to contribute to a dynamic culture of research and museum practice through developing a research project and participating in cross-departmental fellow convenings.

This position is a one-year term. 

Essential Functions:

• Register, catalogue, document, and record artworks both on loan to and owned by MFA in the collections database.

• Perform data entry, assist with the keeping of permanent records for exhibitions and loans, and create and maintain lender/donor/borrower records.

• Carry out special projects as assigned, such as assisting with exhibitions and researching information regarding objects currently on loan to the Museum.

• Prepare documents for accessioning and other miscellaneous projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Enrollment or completion of a graduate-level program (Art History or Museum Studies concentrations preferred)

• Professional attitude and respect for confidentiality of work and the protection of sensitive information

• Accurate clerical and word-processing skills are essential; training in use of the Museum’s database system will be provided

• Clerical, office, or library experience desirable

• Keen attention to detail and excellent proofreading skills

• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as collaboratively

• Ability to execute, with caution and good judgment, some physical work, including but not limited to placing dollies under crates, carrying boxes and objects of approximately 20 lbs, and standing on shipping dock for extended periods

• Commitment to the Museum’s values of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Accessibility

Salary and Schedule:

Salary: $50,538

Full-Time, 35 hours per week

One-year term

This position is affiliated with the United Auto Workers Union.

Application materials must be received by May 23, 2025. For consideration, please submit letter of interest and résumé using the online portal. Additionally, one letter of recommendation must be sent to conservation@mfa.org by the respective author indicating clearly the applicant’s name and the Registrar Fellow position. Please contact conservation@mfa.org with any questions.

The MFA is an equal opportunity employer. The community and audience we serve is diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in our workplace. Toward that end, the MFA does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment or promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, handicap or disability, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.