Position Description:  The National Music Museum (NMM) at the University of South Dakota invites applications for a Conservator, a twelve-month position to commence July 1, 2015.  The successful candidate, working in close collaboration with the NMM’s curatorial staff, will conduct technical examinations and assess the condition of musical instruments and other artifacts in the Museum’s collections.  Working within a policy of minimum intervention, the Conservator will execute conservation treatments to stabilize the condition of objects and undertake restoration, when desirable, with continuous record keeping.  The Conservator will teach in the Museum’s graduate program in the History of Musical Instruments, participating in the development and execution of the curriculum.  The Conservator will publish, present, and actively participate in professional organizations, especially pertaining to advances in preservation and conservation.  With an expanded museum complex in the planning, the Conservator will be an important team member in that transition, adhering to best practices for the relocation and storage of the Collection.

 

Qualifications:  Masters degree (or post-secondary certification) in conservation or musical instrument restoration required.  A minimum of seven years of conservation experience (with at least five years post-degree) preferred. Three years in a supervisory role desired.  Previous working knowledge of musical instrument materials and technology is required. Experience in using collection management software is desired.

 

Rank and salary:  Conservator.  Salary commensurate with experience.

 

Application Procedures:  Applications will only be accepted online at https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu.  Submit through this website a letter of application and curriculum vitae.

 

Submit a digital portfolio containing three treatment reports of diverse media, including assessment, proposal, and execution of projects (with photo documentation) to:

Jessica Fischer, Dean’s Office

College of Fine Arts

Conservator Search Committee

University of South Dakota

414 E. Clark Street

Vermillion SD 57069

 

Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin Jan. 21, 2015 and continue until position is filled.

 

The National Music Museum:  The National Music Museum is a partnership between the University of South Dakota and the 501(c)3 National Music Museum Inc.  Housed in the historic Carnegie Library building on the campus of the USD, the NMM is home to more than 15,000 American, European, and non-Western instruments, from virtually all cultures and historic periods.  Approximately 8% of this collection is on public display.  As well as being a prominent cultural attraction for visitors from around the world, the NMM is also a leading institution for organological research and hosts national/international conferences.  The NMM’s resources also include a specialized library and extensive archives, with special emphasis on the American music industry. NMM faculty/staff are leading, well-published scholars in their fields. Graduates of the Masters program in the History of Musical Instruments hold positions with other major musical instrument collections, museums, and libraries, both in the U.S.A. and abroad.

 

The University of South Dakota:  Located in southeast South Dakota, USD is the flagship liberal arts institution for the State of South Dakota (enrollment 10,000+) and is composed of the College of Fine Arts, College of Arts and Sciences, Schools of Business, Education, Law, Medicine, and Graduate School.  the University of South Dakota is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty, staff, and student body.  Information about the National Music Museum, and further details about this position, may be obtained through our website: https://nmmusd.org

Job Requirements

Qualifications:  Masters degree (or post-secondary certification) in conservation or musical instrument restoration required.  A minimum of seven years of conservation experience (with at least five years post-degree) preferred. Three years in a supervisory role desired.  Previous working knowledge of musical instrument materials and technology is required. Experience in using collection management software is desired.