The Tennessee State Museum is looking for a highly motivated museum professional with strong leadership and museum preparatory skills, a background coordinating exhibition fabrication, installation, maintenance, and storage, and experience supervising exhibition staff and contract vendors. This person should have a passion for museums, flexible attitude, and the ability to work collaboratively with a team.
Under the direction of the Director of Exhibitions, the Assistant Chief of Exhibitions will work closely with exhibition project teams on the design, fabrication, installation, and de-installation of temporary, traveling, and permanent exhibitions for the new facility opening October 2018. This talented and goal-oriented person would play a key role in creating memorable visitor experiences.
Main responsibilities include; working collaboratively with designers, curators, content developers, preparators, registrars, and outside vendors to create immersive, story-driven spaces; developing institutional procedures and standards for all aspects of exhibition installation/deinstallation including unloading/loading crates, unpacking/packing art and artifacts; preparing and installing artworks, graphics, and gallery technology; upkeep and maintenance of all exhibition galleries; producing planning schedules and other documentation.


RequirementsA strong candidate will have experience in all phases of the exhibition development process, good knowledge of exhibit fabrication techniques and museum design materials, excellent framing and art handling skills, high level of fluency with MS Office, strong organizational and communication skills (verbal, written, and illustrative), and ability to work in a collaborative environment. Exhibition design skills and ability to use Adobe CS Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Sketch-Up is a plus.
Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and experience equivalent to five years in one or a combination of the following: 1) professional museum or historic site work; 2) paraprofessional museum work in exhibit preparation; 3) professional experience in the instruction or research in art, history, or museum science; 4) professional library experience; or 5) professional experience in fundraising or promotional marketing activities; the above experience must include at least two years of professional museum work, supervision of paraprofessional museum staff, professional post-secondary instruction in art, history, museum science, professional fundraising, or promotional marketing.
Substitution of Education for Experience: Graduate coursework credit received from an accredited college or university in art, history, museum science, library science, anthropology, education, industrial design, advertising, architecture, business administration, or marketing may substitute for the required experience, on a year-for year basis, to a maximum of two years, there being no substitution for the required specific experience (e.g., 36 graduate quarter hours in one or a combination of the above listed fields may be substituted for one year of the required experience). OR Experience equivalent to four years of paraprofessional museum experience in exhibit preparation with the State of Tennessee including two years supervising museum staff, or four years of professional museum work with the State of Tennessee.
Position posted 5/2/18 and will be available through 5/22/18.
Pursuant to the State of Tennessee’s Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State’s policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person’s race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.