About the Department

Founded in 1924, the American Wing is the only western collecting area of The Met's seventeen curatorial departments to regularly blend art and design in our more than 75 galleries. With a collection of roughly 20,000 works by African American, Asian American, Euro-American, Latin American, and Native American makers-ranging primarily from the mid-17th to early -20th century, with select contemporary expressions-the American Wing represents one of the largest and most comprehensive holdings of North American artistic expression in the world. These dynamic collections include paintings, sculptures, drawings, furniture, textiles, regalia, ceramics, basketry, glass, silver, metalwork, jewelry, as well as historic interiors and architectural fragments, produced by highly trained staff and self-taught artists, both identified and unrecorded, comprising an expansively defined American art department housed within a global museum.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

As the Research Associate for Native American art, you will support the Associate Curator of Native American Art in the research and documentation of The Met's Native American holdings. You will contribute to ongoing collection and exhibition development as well as assist with various related administrative duties, including bibliography and database work. You will also collaborate with the American Wing's NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) Coordinator and Community Liaison to assist in planning community visits and related activities.

This is a position with an established end-date or time frame. Time frames will begin upon hire: 1 Year, with the possibility of renewal.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

Curatorial

• Investigate and document diverse works to be featured in loan exhibitions and collection installations, including provenance, bibliography, and exhibition-history research

• Create and maintain checklists and associated files

• Draft and edit content for exhibitions and publications in collaboration with curator

• Assist curator in interfacing with various Museum departments involved in project development and realization, including Exhibitions, Registration, Conservation, Design, Digital, Editorial, Communications, Development, and Education

• Assist curator with provenance research for potential purchase and gift acquisitions, as well as incoming and outgoing loans for exhibitions

• Prepare PowerPoint materials for lectures in support of projects; deliver gallery talks and tours as needed

• Coordinate and assist with procurement of rights for images, video, music, and other content for exhibitions and related publications

• Assist with on-site gallery installations

• Other duties as assigned

NAGPRA-Related

• Assist NAGPRA Coordinator & Community Liaison with provenance research as needed

• Assist with logistics of community visits and repatriation arrangements as needed

• Assist with data entry of information resulting from consultations, community visits, and other communications as needed

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• M.A. in Native American Art History, Native/Indigenous Studies, Museum Studies, or Anthropology

• Advanced knowledge of Native American art and culture

• Familiarity with NAGPRA compliance and repatriation protocols, also the Duty of Care under new regulations published on Jan. 12, 2024

• Past experience in curatorial museum work

• Familiarity with research resources

• Familiarity with relational databases for museum collections management, TMS preferred

• Highly organized and detail-oriented

• Independent research skills

• Past experience working with Native American Nations, Tribes, Pueblos, Organizations, and communities

• Demonstrated commitment to ethical stewardship of Native American and Indigenous communities

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

• Proven ability to work well both independently and as a member of a team

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• Pay Range: $72,000.00 - $74,000.00 / Annually