Conservator (Assistant Rank)

Conservator (Assistant Rank) Posting Number req24835 Department Arizona State Museum Department Website Link Medical Sub-Speciality Location Main Campus Address Tucson, AZ USA Position Highlights

The Conservator is a full-time faculty position (Continuing-Eligible Academic Professional at the Assistant rank) functioning in the Research Division of the Arizona State Museum (ASM) at the University of Arizona (U of A). The incumbent serves as Head of the Conservation Laboratory and is responsible for the preservation of cultural property and heritage by creating and disseminating conservation knowledge and providing expertise in the physical care and conservation of the collections housed at ASM through professional conservation activities supported by research and education (including examination, documentation, analysis, treatment and preventive care). The incumbent maintains a research program, pursuing external funding and publishing in scholarly outlets, and may prepare or contribute to exhibits. The incumbent also consults with members of other ASM divisions regarding care for and the display of objects, as well as the assessment and preparation of collections eligible for repatriation, including identifying the presence of pesticides on objects. Other duties include service on ASM and U of A committees, as well as service to the incumbent’s profession through museum and/or conservation organizations; pursuing grants and other forms of external funding to support collections conservation; the supervision of staff, students, and/or volunteers; and participation in ASM's educational outreach initiatives, including community presentations, tours, and workshops designed for a variety of learners. The incumbent may engage in formal, university (classroom) teaching, however, this is optional. The incumbent may also supervise student internships and independent studies and serve on student committees for honors theses, master’s theses, doctoral comprehensive examinations, and dissertations.

Arizona State Museum (ASM) is the oldest and largest anthropological research facility in the Southwest, with expansive collections that are exceptional resources for the teaching, study, and understanding of the region’s 13,000-year human history.

Note: University faculty ranks (Assistant, Associate, Full) do not directly translate to position titles used within the field of conservation. Although this position is at the Assistant faculty rank, ASM is seeking a conservator with, at minimum, the experience and the skill set of of someone referred to as an Associate Conservator within the field of conservation.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please .

Duties & Responsibilities

Academic Professional Activities

Management of the Conservation Laboratory:

• Manages the long-term and daily activities of the Conservation Laboratory, including evaluating laboratory facilities, inventory, equipment, and procedures, and monitoring and maintaining safe working conditions and security.
• Plans, schedules, manages, budgets for, and evaluates preservation and conservation programs and projects.
• Supervises staff, students, and/or volunteers within the lab.
• Prepares budget and capital equipment requests for laboratory operations.
• Develops, maintains and implements policies, procedures and standards for activities that involve preservation (the activities that protect collections by minimizing chemical and physical deterioration and damage and that prevent loss of informational content), and conservation (preventive care and interventive treatment of objects guided by the professional Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for Conservation).
• Maintains records and documentation, including condition surveys, condition reports for loans, conservation treatment reports, and technical study reports related to repatriation.

Physical Care of Collections:

• Determines priorities for preservation and engages in activities that protect the collections or individual artifacts from harm.
• Assesses conservation needs of all ASM collections including, but not limited to, preventive conservation, examination, condition assessment, materials characterization, risk assessment, documentation, and interventive conservation treatment.
• Advises on optimum environmental standards for the preservation of the collections in all areas where artifacts are located. Makes recommendations related to temperature, relative humidity, lighting, environmental stability, and air cleanliness based on established professional standards, the regional climate, and sustainability.
• Leads or collaborates on preventive conservation initiatives, including collections condition assessments, pesticides studies, storage upgrades, rehousing projects, environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, and emergency preparedness and response.
• Collaborates with the Head of Operations in investigating and implementing improvements to ensure that ASM facilities meet museum preservation standards.
• Conducts conservation-related activities in support of internal exhibitions, including condition assessments, environmental needs assessments, interventive treatments, documentation, mount-making, handling and installation, and an evaluation of security, as well as environmental monitoring for the duration of exhibition.
• Conducts conservation-related activities in support of loans for external exhibitions, including condition assessments, environmental needs assessments, interventive treatments, documentation, mount-making, preparation of guidelines for handling and installation, packing for shipping, and possible couriering.
• Conducts conservation-related activities in support of the repatriation of collections, pursuant to NAGPRA, in coordination with the Head of Collections and the Repatriation Coordinator.
• Advises and assists the Head of Collections in the establishment, implementation, review, and revision of the Collections Division’s collection management policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, and priorities.
• Maintains a current knowledge of relevant laws, policies, laboratory safety standards, museum standards, and ethical issues to advise the Collections Division as it acquires, uses, lends, borrows, and disposes of collections.

Research and Creative Activities

• Conducts and publishes research that contributes to new conservation knowledge and practices, new interventive treatments, new material or technical knowledge of ASM’s collections, or new standards for museum facilities.
• Pursues grants and other forms of external funding to support research on and care of the collections.
• May participate in exhibit development by contributing intellectual and other creative content.

Teaching and Other Educational Activities

• Participates in ASM's educational outreach initiatives, including community presentations, tours, and workshops designed for a variety of learners.
• Contributes guest lectures in courses at U of A and other institutions of higher learning.
• May teach courses in a U of A department or interdisciplinary program and supervise student internships and independent study.
• May serve on student committees for honors theses, master’s theses, doctoral comprehensive examinations, and dissertations.
• Communicates conservation needs, ethics, policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, and priorities to ASM employees, students, volunteers, and visiting researchers.
• Advises ASM employees with curatorial authority on best practices for the physical care of collections and provides regular training that promotes the proper care of the collections.

Service and Outreach

• Serves on ASM and U of A committees.
• May serve as a member of the U of A Historic Preservation Committee.
• Answers questions and provides verbal and written advice and assistance to the public regarding preservation and conservation matters.
• Participates in committee work for or contributes other service through professional museum and/or conservation organizations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent certification in Conservation with specialization in objects conservation.
• Five or more years of demonstrated treatment experience in objects conservation, beyond education or training.
• Demonstrated research experience related to preservation or conservation of anthropological object collections.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Conservation with specialization in the conservation of anthropological object collections.
• Demonstrated experience working for and/or in collaboration with Indigenous peoples of North America.
• Demonstrated capacity to obtain grants or other forms of external funding for research on or the care of object collections.
• University teaching experience.

Rank Assistant Tenure Information Continuing-Eligible (CE) FLSA Exempt Full Time/Part Time Full Time Number of Hours Worked per Week 40 Job FTE Work Calendar Fiscal Job Category Faculty Benefits Eligible Yes - Full Benefits Rate of Pay DOE Compensation Type salary at full-time equivalency (FTE) Type of criminal background check required: Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive) Number of Vacancies 1 Target Hire Date Expected End Date Contact Information for Candidates James Watson | Open Date 12/23/2025 Open Until Filled Yes Documents Needed