Arts in Public Places (AIPP) Conservation Manager (WMS1) / Internal Only

Description

Schedule: The typical 40-hour work week may need occasional adjusting in order to meet the customer need. Office hours are typically between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.
This position is assigned to our Olympia location; however, hybrid/teleworking is an option with supervisor approval.

Who We Are:

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. Our mission is to be a catalyst for the arts, advancing the role of the arts and the creative economy in the lives of individuals and communities throughout the state. We are a vibrant agency with friendly, knowledgeable staff serving diverse populations and striving to increase equity and access in the arts for all Washingtonians.

We encourage you to visit arts.wa.gov to gain insight into our mission and strategic plan.

The Opportunity

Art in Public Places (AIPP) program purchases and cares for artworks in state buildings, colleges, universities, and schools throughout Washington. The State Art Collection includes more than 5,000 artworks, located where people study, work, and live. The Collection includes a wide range of materials, sizes, and styles.

In this role, we are looking for a seasoned conservation professional with a master’s degree in art conservation, material science, or closely allied field and two years of relevant work experience. Eight years of highly relevant professional experience may be considered a substitute. 

You will act as ArtsWA’s materials expert, setting standards and policies for, and authoring texts about art materials, fabrication, and conservation. You will manage a team of five conservation technicians that perform conservation and maintenance on public art across Washington. You will be responsible for determining artwork conservation priorities and applying complex analysis for the unique features of individual artworks and sites. You will prepare and develop plans for the art conservation capital budget funds, as well as state general funds that support your team.

Duties

Main Responsibilities include:

Act as the agency expert for material science-based standards for artwork care.

Author and administer essential policies and guidelines.

Manage capital budget expenditures for artwork conservation and maintenance.

Direct hiring, onboarding, training, and ongoing feedback and direction for conservation team.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• Master's degree in art conservation, material science, or a closely allied field, and two years of relevant professional experience (such as an assistant conservator position at a conservation studio). 
  • Eight years of highly relevant professional experience and/or apprenticeships may be considered a substitute for a degree and experience as outlined above.
• Experience planning, tracking, collaborating, and consulting with a variety of public agencies or private stakeholders about complex projects occurring concurrently.
• A minimum of two years of experience supervising and training teams.
• Experience performing material science research, preparing reports, summaries, and recommendations for historical records and higher-level staff decisions. Ability to read and interpret technical and engineering drawings/documents.
• Advanced knowledge of a variety of art materials, including durability and compatibility issues; fabrication methods; agents of deterioration; and an ability to troubleshoot problems with mechanical and electrical equipment.
• Advanced knowledge of conservation ethics and theory.
• Must be able to travel statewide, including overnight stays. Must be able to drive and have a valid driver's license.
• Physical demands and abilities: 
  • Work at heights over eight feet.
  • Stoop, bend, and kneel.
  • Wear a respirator or tolerate a powered air respiratory system (PAPR). 
• Legal Requirement: This position requires ongoing safety training and forklift, pallet jack, and scissors and boom lift operation certification.

PREFERRED

• Experience presenting to diverse audiences on complex, technical topics.
• Experience with professional art handling and safe artwork storage and transportation methods.
• Experience with artwork rigging and installation/de-installation; welding, construction, and carpentry; and operating boom, scissors, and/or forklifts, gantries, power and shop tools and other equipment and machinery requiring constant attention.
• Working knowledge of diverse artwork fabrication techniques.
• Experience working with paints, solvents, and similar products, and around artworks that may give off dust or off gas (taking all due precautions prescribed by OSHA regulations).
• Computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Planner), art collections management database systems, Adobe Photoshop, Sketchup or other 3D modeling software, and the Internet; communication skills (written and oral); attention to detail; ability to meet deadlines and successfully complete multiple projects across longer and varying periods of time with only general supervision.
  

Supplemental Information

How to Apply:
Interested? We would love to hear from you! Click “Apply” at the top of this page to start your application. You can save the application and come back to it, if needed. Be sure to complete the application fully to include a full work history and responses to the supplemental questions. 

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A cover letter that addresses how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting.
• A current resume, detailing experience and education; and 
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

NOTE:  By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.  A resume will not substitute for completing the “duties summary” section or supplemental questions of the application.  Please do not “refer to resume” for detail, or your application may be disqualified.