Research Associate

About the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity.

About the Department

The Department of Painting and Sculpture of Europe stewards a collection that comprises nearly 3,000  works of art dating from the 12th through the early 20th century, with a particular strength in  Impressionism, which comprises some 600 paintings. The department strives to produce original  scholarship and engage diverse audiences by contextualizing its collection within an expansive and  evolving history of art.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the chair and curators, the research associate assists with research, writing, and  content production for the departmental collections, exhibitions, gallery rotations, and reinstallations;  conducts art historical and art market research; investigates ownership, publication, and exhibition  histories for objects; prepares materials for advisory committee meetings; maintains and updates object  database records; supports the departmental goals in publishing research about the collection online;  and responds to research-related inquiries from scholars, peers, and the public.

Responsibilities

Research

Provides curatorial research support for  the departmental collections, exhibitions, loans,   acquisitions, and gifts; investigates ownership, publication, and exhibition histories for objects; produces  labels and interpretive content, and exhibition-related materials; conducts art historical and art market  research about and related to objects in the permanent collection, loans, and potential acquisitions;  produces and ensures accuracy of information presented in the galleries, online, and in the  departmental object files and records; and fields requests and inquiries from scholars, peers, and the  public.

Curatorial support      

Supports the curators in various  capacities, both research and administrative.  Updates museum database and object files with research findings; as needed, assists with metadata  tagging in museum database; participates in the departmental efforts to publish all objects online with  comprehensive information.  Supports the research for  and the preparation of materials for advisory  committee meetings. Supports various aspects of developing and implementing exhibitions, rotations,  reinstallations, and projects. Other duties as assigned.

 Audience outreach

As needed, gives gallery tours  and lectures on the departmental collections and   exhibitions; and participates in scholarly symposia and conferences related to collection and exhibition  research.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in art history or related subject required
• Minimum of two years of museum experience required
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google suite required; ability to learn museum-specific  collection database systems
• Knowledge of foreign languages as appropriate to areas of specialty preferred (Dutch, French,  German, Italian, or Spanish)
• Familiarity with or specialization in departmental fields preferred  
• The successful candidate should:
• be highly detail-oriented and organized;
• demonstrate initiative;
• embrace the museum’s commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable institution;
• have an open-minded and collaborative approach to working and communicating with  all colleagues across the museum;
• and have strong research, writing, communication, multitasking, project management,  and organizational skills.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer; must be able to remain in a  stationary position 90% of the time.
• Occasionally moves about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a copy machine  and printer.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, ability to adjust focus, and the  ability to sustain prolonged visual concentration.
• Occasionally handles art.

Compensation & Benefits

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package:  

•  Hiring Range

The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons. 

• Benefits          
• PTO Overview 
• Job Classification: Full time exempt
• Employment Category: Full time staff
• Grade Level: 6

If you are accessing this listing from a third party, not all links to salary and benefits information may work. Please visit our career page at saic/artic.edu/employment for complete information

Application Instructions

Please submit your resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.

Union

This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31.

Accessibility

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:

Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at  apply_help@artic.edu.