Preparator Position, Telfair Museums - Savannah, GA

Position: Preparator
Department: Curatorial
Reports to: Chief Registrar
Date Written: 3/5/2024
Job Classification: Full-time, exempt


DESCRIPTION
• The Preparator works closely with the Chief Preparator, Chief Registrar, Associate Registrar, and
Curators for all phases and aspects of exhibition design, from the initial concept to implementation
and finished installation. The Preparator handles art objects, installs and de-installs exhibits, fabricates
needed props and crates, organizes storage space, implements packing and shipping, and does
condition examination when needed, as well as other duties related to the care, movement and
recording of art objects in the permanent collection.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Collaborate with Chief Preparator in the installation and de-installation of all art within the museum.
• Work with the curatorial team, guest curators, and/or artists to design temporary exhibitions and
installations. Utilize Sketchup 3D Modeling Software to create scaled three-dimensional layouts and
develop installation ideas.
• Develop installation plans and find solutions to the unique challenges of each exhibition. Design and
build special mounts, pedestals, or furniture as needed. Procure special materials or equipment for
unique installations. Mat and frame artworks as necessary.
• Work with the registrars to ensure a safe and secure environment for the art and visitors during the
span of an exhibition. Maintain a cleaning schedule and maintenance check of all the galleries.
• Pack, crate, transport, and store artwork in accordance with sound museum practices, ensuring the
safety and security of the art.
• Work with the Registrar to ensure a safe and secure environment for the art and objects in storage.
• Install artwork in all media, weights, and dimensions. Understand the nature of each artwork, its
particular requirements, and execute the installation accordingly with the appropriate hardware and
materials. Utilize sound museum practices when handling art from transportation to installation to
storage.
• Apply vinyl graphics to walls and windows for exhibitions and other projects.
• Monitor operations of all exhibitions, including electronics, audio/visual and computer-driven
components.
• Communicate with the Graphic Designer in the development and installation of supporting materials
for an exhibition, including vinyl lettering, text panels, etc.
• Light each exhibition to appropriate levels according to the requirements of lending institutions and
the conservation standards of different materials.
• Work with the Education department to support educational programs. Design and build displays and
interactive materials.
• Work with the Director of Special Events to ensure the Museum is appropriately arranged for special
events and all artwork is appropriately secured.
• Maintain the efficiency and cleanliness of preparators’ workings spaces and galleries and make
improvements as necessary.
• Maintain an inventory of exhibition furniture, mounts, and A/V equipment and find solutions to their
storage and organization.

NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• The ideal candidate will be communicative, open to new ideas, and welcoming of constructive
criticism.
• Shows initiative and proficiency at problem-solving.
• Must be a self-starter, resourceful and comfortable working in a small team environment where both
self-sufficiency and teamwork are essential.


ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
• At least three years working as a museum preparator or similar experience
• Knowledge and experience with museum standards of for packing, crating, handling, and installing
artworks of all sizes and mediums
• Possession of a valid driver’s license
• Ability to physically lift and move heavy objects (up to 75lbs) and be able to stand, kneel, or squat for
extended periods of time
• Comfortable working at high elevations up to 45’ in the air on ladders, scaffolding, or lifts
• High attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and deliver work on time
• Skill with power and hand tools and equipment used in moving and rigging heavy objects
• Flexible, collaborative, and positive attitude.


PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Competency with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Illustrator
• Experience using Sketchup 3D Modeling Software for exhibition layout
• Carpentry skills including working in construction or a fabrication shop
• Proven verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated experience with audio/visual installation
• Experience with rigging techniques and processes


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Ability to perform various functions such as standing, sitting, walking across uneven surfaces, climbing
stairs, lifting, seeing in varying light conditions, and participating in some physical activities. Ability to
lift heavy objects (up to 75 lbs) and work at high elevations on various platforms.


SALARY AND BENEFITS:
• Telfair Museums offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits.
• Salary: Dependent on Experience, salary range $40,000-$50,000/year
Please provide the following as part of your application:
• Complete resume, list of 3 references with contact information and relationship, and salary
expectations
• A cover letter addressing both your interest in Telfair Museums and your qualifications for this position
Application:
• Indicate “Preparator” on the subject line of the email or in the body of the cover letter
• Applications in electronic format preferred, and accepted at hr@telfair.org
• Mailed applications: Telfair Museums, Attn: HR, PO Box 10081, Savannah, GA 31412
• Position open until filled


ABOUT TELFAIR MUSEUMS
Telfair Museums offers compelling expressions of visual culture — embracing three unique buildings and three
distinct collections that bridge three centuries of art and architecture. The museum develops awareness,
understanding, and appreciation of the arts and serves as a dynamic cultural center connecting people of all
ages and backgrounds.


Telfair Museums is the oldest public art museum in the South, founded in 1883 through the bequest of
prominent local philanthropist Mary Telfair, who left her home and its furnishings to the Georgia Historical
Society to be opened as a museum. Today, Telfair Museums consists of three unique buildings: Telfair
Academy and the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, two National Historic Landmark sites built in the
early 19th century, and the contemporary Jepson Center for the Arts.


Designed in the Regency style by English architect William Jay, the Telfair Academy houses 19th- and 20th-
century American and European art, including paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and decorative arts.


Highlights include fine examples of American Impressionism and Ashcan School Realism, with major paintings
by Childe Hassam, Frederick Frieseke, Gari Melchers, Robert Henri, George Bellows, and George Luks. The
Telfair Academy is also home to Sylvia Shaw Judson’s iconic Bird Girl statue, made famous in the Jack Leigh
photograph on the dust jacket of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.


The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters is considered one of the finest examples of English Regency
architecture in the country. In addition to the historic house museum and decorative art ranging from the late
18th to the early 19th century, the site includes rare intact urban slave quarters and a lovely parterre garden.
The site underwent an award-winning reinterpretation in 2018, providing audiences with a broader
understanding of how slavery impacted urban life in and beyond the home.


The Jepson Center, designed by acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie, is devoted to temporary exhibitions and
today’s art and home to the Telfair’s Kirk Varnedoe Collection, a cornerstone of the museum’s contemporary
holdings. The collection features works on paper by some of the most pivotal artists of the past 50 years,
including Jasper Johns, Chuck Close, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, and
Richard Avedon. Other contemporary artists include Carrie Mae Weems, Helen Levitt, Sam Gilliam, James
Brooks, and many notable Georgia artists.


Telfair Museums’ permanent collection of paintings, works on paper, photography, sculpture, and decorative
arts contains over 4,500 objects from America, Europe, and Asia, dating primarily from the 18th to 20th
centuries. Telfair provides a range of educational initiatives, including youth and family programming, school
tour programs, preplanned field trips for Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools fourth and eighth graders,
youth classes, and summer camps. Telfair offers adults a variety of virtual and onground classes and
workshops, ranging from drawing and painting classes with established local artists to workshops related to
current exhibitions and exhibition opening lectures. Telfair welcomes approximately 225,000
visitors each year.