Collections Manager
Details
Classification: Full-time, Regular
Location: Milpitas, CA
Position Summary
The position maintains and advocates for the integrity, safety, and order of CHM’s physical object collection, whether in storage or on exhibit. They assist the Director of Collections with the custodial responsibilities for the approximate 41,000 physical objects in storage, and provide documentation, stewardship, and access to this collection. The incumbent is also responsible for supporting additional activities including physical object-based grant projects, cataloging physical objects at the warehouse, condition reporting incoming and outgoing loan objects, and assisting with installing and deinstalling exhibition artifacts. This position is primarily based at the Museum’s collection storage warehouse in Milpitas, and the museum in Mountain View.
Responsibilities
- Master and maintain CHM-enhanced Nomenclature hierarchy
- Coordinate with Facilities to schedule warehouse forklifting to access and store artifacts
- Operate warehouse scissor lift to access objects & to replace earthquake straps after forklifting
- Manage warehouse portion of annual collections move, and accurately update locations
- Manage physical object research requests, both internal & external, in-person & remote researchers
- Provide access & supervision to CHM’s 1401 Restoration Team when pulling spare parts at the warehouse
- Catalog large artifacts received at warehouse
- Provide access to Special Collections stored at warehouse
- Physically un-pack/crate & re-pack/crate incoming loan objects
- Assist with installing & deinstalling loaned objects from exhibits
- Assist with transportation of loaned objects between warehouse & museum
- Physically meet/work with art handlers/shippers at warehouse & museum
- Confirm availability/condition of outgoing CHM loan objects at warehouse
- Assist with pulling outgoing CHM loan objects from display at the museum, as needed
- Condition report and photograph outgoing CHM loan objects
- Prepare and pack CHM loan objects for transport
- Physically meet/work with art handlers/shippers at warehouse & museum
- Replace & record monthly pest traps and dataloggers at the warehouse
- Perform opening & closing security walkthroughs at warehouse - address issues/submit tickets
- Assist with quarterly exhibit cleanings
- Pull CHM artifacts being considered for exhibition from storage at warehouse for review
- Assess/create exhibit object mounts
- Assist with installing & deinstalling exhibit objects
- Transport CHM exhibit objects between museum, archive, & warehouse
- Return CHM exhibit objects to home locations at warehouse, update locations in CMS
Qualifications and Skills
The professional background, experience, and technical skills required for success in this role.
Required
- Master’s degree in museum studies from an accredited university with 2+ years progressive hands-on experience working with physical museum objects
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience with artifact collections management, record-keeping, artifact storage systems, handling, and packing
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience with IPM, security, and mitigating risks to collections in general
- Highly organized, creative, & curious, with excellent attention to detail & time management skills
- Photography and photo editing skills
- Strong interpersonal communications skills, working both independently and collaboratively with a diverse group of people, and possessing a sense of humor
- Experience working with large artifacts, ability to efficiently and safely use a pallet jack, cataloging, artifact handling, collections moves, and working in storage facilities
- Experience as a frequent user of a CMS, with a passion for maintaining accurate locations
Preferred
- Experience strapping large artifacts to pallets
- Experience using PEM2 dataloggers and eClimate Notebook for environmental analysis
- Familiarity with computer, technology or electronics artifact collections and preservation requirements
- Mount making – brass and acrylic
- Safe and efficient operation of a scissor lift & hand tools – power & manual
Work Arrangement
Location, Schedule, Travel, and Working Conditions
- Hours: This is a full-time position - 40 hours per week
- Work Location: This is a hybrid position requiring the candidate to be onsite 4 days a week (80%).
- Schedule: Standard 8 hours per day.
- Flexibility: Duties may include occasional weekend work.
- Other Requirements: Staff in this position must travel occasionally between the Museum’s three locations in Mountain View, Fremont, and Milpitas. A valid CA driver’s license and reliable transportation are required
Benefits
- Fully sponsored Medical, dental, and vision benefits
- Partially sponsored Health dependent costs
- Health Savings Accounts (HSA) with employer contributions
- 403(b) retirement plan with 1:1 employer matching
- Generous PTO (Paid Time Off) benefits
- Fully sponsored Life and Disability Insurance
- Employee Discounts in museum store and onsite café
Compensation
Commensurate with experience.
Salary Range: $70,000–$85,000 annually
About CHM
At the Computer History Museum our mission is to decode technology—its computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity. From the heart of Silicon Valley, we share insights from our research, our events, and our incomparable collection of computing artifacts and oral histories to convene, inform, and empower people to shape a better future.
At CHM, we believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success. We provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Our Values
At CHM, we strive to create a culture that is collaborative, caring, and fun, where we hold ourselves accountable, look for the best in each other, and learn together. These are our values: integrity, inclusiveness, innovation, communication, curiosity.
How to Apply
Are you ready to become a part of our team? To be considered for this position, applicants must include a cover letter and resume and three professional references to [email protected]. Please be sure to add the job title (exactly as it is spelled out in this site) that you are applying for in the subject line of your email.