What are the responsibilities and job description for the Conservator position at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Job Description
The Conservator exists in order to assist the Church History Department in its purpose to help God’s children make and keep sacred covenants. The incumbent succeeds by appropriately applying conservation principles and methods to a wide variety of collection items, artifacts, and electronic media. This work includes but is not limited to conservation treatments, establishing environmental, storage, and housing standards, defining, and executing preventative preservation measures including global implementation of those standards. Ensuring safe access of collection items by staff, exhibit and display teams, and patrons. In some cases, this may include restoration or repair. Conservators act as advocates for the collection and collection care and serve the department by ensuring that records and artifacts will be available for future use.
Conservators work closely with members of the collections care team, global support teams, archivists, curators, and/or librarians to ensure proper care and use of the collection. As approved, conservators also provide professional assistance to General Authorities of the Church. This is an individual contributor position.
Responsibilities
Work may include, but is not limited to:
QUALIFICATIONS
Church employees find joy and satisfaction in using their unique talents and abilities to further the Lord’s work. From the IT professional who develops an app that sends the gospel message worldwide, to the facilities manager who maintains our buildings— giving Church members places to worship, teach, learn, and receive sacred ordinances—our employees seek innovative ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. They are literally working in His kingdom.
Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law.
Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.
The Conservator exists in order to assist the Church History Department in its purpose to help God’s children make and keep sacred covenants. The incumbent succeeds by appropriately applying conservation principles and methods to a wide variety of collection items, artifacts, and electronic media. This work includes but is not limited to conservation treatments, establishing environmental, storage, and housing standards, defining, and executing preventative preservation measures including global implementation of those standards. Ensuring safe access of collection items by staff, exhibit and display teams, and patrons. In some cases, this may include restoration or repair. Conservators act as advocates for the collection and collection care and serve the department by ensuring that records and artifacts will be available for future use.
Conservators work closely with members of the collections care team, global support teams, archivists, curators, and/or librarians to ensure proper care and use of the collection. As approved, conservators also provide professional assistance to General Authorities of the Church. This is an individual contributor position.
Responsibilities
Work may include, but is not limited to:
- Working independently to perform conservation treatments
- Defining, and executing preventative preservation measures including global implementation of those standards.
- Ensuring safe access to collection items by staff, exhibit and display teams, and patrons.
- Performing research and scientific analysis
- Training, developing, and mentoring associate conservators, interns, and Collection Care staff.
- Occasional travel possible
QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in an affiliated field (including physical science, anthropology, archaeology, history, art history or studio arts)
- 5 years of hands-on conservation experience or equivalent combination of education and experience..
- Capability to effectively communicate conservation needs with business partners, other conservators, and institutions.
- Strong working knowledge of museum, library, and archives best practices, policies, and procedures.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate appropriately and effectively at a professional level with leadership, multiple internal/external partners, and staff in written and oral forms.
- Must have a mature commitment to established professional practices as indicated in documents such as the "Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of AIC".
- Good knowledge of preservation philosophy, materials, equipment, best practices and methods.
- Strong affiliation with professionals in the preservation field.
- Computer literate and have computer skills sufficient for writing reports and keeping records, as well as competency in the use of catalog systems and databases with a demonstrated ability to learn new programs and tools related to the work.
- Knowledge of and interest in material culture, history, and/or art history.
- Capable and willing to training other employees and volunteers in conservation and collection care related actions.
- Must be able to pass a thorough background check
- Able to be stationary for long periods of time and work with computer equipment
- Capable of lifting 50 pounds.
- Current resume
- Cover letter
- Advanced degree in conservation and certificates
Church employees find joy and satisfaction in using their unique talents and abilities to further the Lord’s work. From the IT professional who develops an app that sends the gospel message worldwide, to the facilities manager who maintains our buildings— giving Church members places to worship, teach, learn, and receive sacred ordinances—our employees seek innovative ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. They are literally working in His kingdom.
Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law.
Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.
