Job Description

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC) honors Survivors and victims of the Holocaust by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference. The Museum activates this mission through world-class exhibitions, public programming, and educational initiatives to equip audiences with knowledge, skills, and courage to take a stand for humanity. Today, IHMEC is the third largest Holocaust museum in the world and second largest in the country, impacting hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, law enforcement and community members annually. As a world leader in connecting the history and lessons of the Holocaust, we inspire visitors to become Upstanders, who speak out for what’s right – turning powerful lessons of history into positive actions today.

Revenues are derived from major special events, corporate and individual giving, visitor receipts, gift shop revenues, and major grant fundraising – foundation, family, and government.

THE POSITION

Position Title: Associate Curator of Exhibitions and Collections

Reports To: Chief Curator of Exhibitions and Collections

Working under the supervision of the Chief Curator of Collections and Exhibition, the Associate Curator of Collections and Exhibitions provides support and expertise in the exhibition planning, research, organization, and presentation of the Museum’s core and special exhibitions, online exhibitions, and collection development and stewardship. The Curator works with the Chief Curator and SVP of Education and Exhibitions to carry out IHMEC’s overall objectives in the areas of exhibition programs and access and preservation of the Museum’s permanent collections.

The Collections and Exhibitions Department consists of the Senior Vice President of Education and Exhibitions, the Chief Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, the Director of Exhibition Design, the Senior Registrar, Exhibition Preparator, and the Media Technology Specialist. The Associate Curator of Collections and Exhibitions works closely with the other team members in the Education, Development, Operations, and Marketing departments, as well as other colleagues inside and outside the Museum. The duties of this position are complex in nature, and the ideal candidate must be experienced, professional, positive, proactive, highly organized, an excellent problem solver, and have the energy and ability to balance multiple tasks. The position requires strong communication skills and the ability to motivate and engage a wide variety of colleagues and outside partners.

The Museum houses five permanent exhibition areas including the Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition, Make a Difference: Harvey L. Miller Youth Family Exhibition, Take a Stand Center, which includes our Survivor Stories Theatre and fine-art gallery, and The Richard and Jill Chaifetz Family Virtual Reality Gallery, and the Spagat Family Voices of Genocide Exhibition. The Museum’s special exhibition galleries present a robust and varied schedule of travelling exhibitions, and the organization has a portfolio of travelling exhibitions it loans to outside institutions. The Museum houses a collection of over 35,000 artifacts and actively collects from throughout the Midwest. 

SPECIFIC KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Associate Curator of Collections and Exhibitions key responsibilities:

• Provide administrative and ideation support to Collections and Exhibition teams in the augmentation and update to Museum’s core exhibitions, including updating exhibition historical content according to current scholarship.
• Carry out research in the Museum collection of historical documents, artifacts, photos, films, and other materials with the goal of rotating objects in the core Holocaust exhibition.
• Develop exhibition scripts, labels, and other texts, including fact checking research.
• Work with other staff members to produce travelling and special exhibitions which challenge and engage audiences with new and emerging Holocaust scholarship.
• Contribute to digitization efforts and online publication of collection records, including identifying project needs, editing, and curatorial approval.
• Recommend and develop collection-related content for Museum social media, website, education initiatives, and academic publications providing images, historical information, and interpretation.
• Translation work when possible.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

THE PERSON

Education | Experience

• Advanced degree required in at least one of the following fields: Holocaust or genocide studies, European history, museum studies, or related field
• Minimum of 5 to 7 years of experience in a museum, gallery, or arts organization
• Proficiency in research languages such as German, Yiddish, Polish, and Hebrew preferred.
• Knowledge of museum best practices.
• Experience with collections management databases.
• Knowledge of material culture methodologies.

Knowledge | Skills | Abilities

• Strong writing, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Self-starter demonstrating initiative, flexibility, and resourcefulness
• Excellent communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, collaboratively, and effectively with others under pressure amidst shifting priorities, managing time, staying organized, and meeting deadlines effective.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Positive, enthusiastic, creative “can do” attitude with a track record of seeing projects through from start to finish.
• Ability to maintain a can-do attitude with all responsibilities.
• Strong desire to be a leader and key representative of the Museum.

OTHER INFORMATION

Salary and Benefits

• Salary Range is $78,000 - $82,000
• Generous benefits, including medical/vision/dental coverage, paid time off, and retirement plan contributions, among other industry-leading benefits. 

Committed to Diversity

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. People of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Physical Requirements

May need to climb up and down stairs; to bend, stoop, and lift or move materials and retrieve files; to pull/push, lift, and carry up to 25 pounds; spend considerable time on feet; and to reach both above and below shoulder height.

Learn More

Visit our website, engage in virtual experiences, and learn more at ilholocaustmuseum.org.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume.

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