Herpetology Curatorial Assistant
Position Overview
The Curatorial Assistant will work in collaboration with the Collection Manager for the physical care, maintenance, and preservation of the amphibian and reptile collections at the Biodiversity Institute’s Herpetology Division. This position involves daily collection maintenance and care duties such as cataloging specimens new to our collection, entering primary data into the Division’s Specify relational database and linking of specimen records to ancillary media, monitoring and conducting comprehensive checks on the status and organization of the fluid, tissue, and dry collections, implementing modern storage techniques within the collection, and processing of incoming and outgoing specimen research loans.
Per the State of Kansas, student employees may hold concurrent appointments not to exceed maximum appointment and hours worked levels. However, concurrent student appointments must be of matching FLSA designation (exempt/salaried or non-exempt/hourly).
Per the State of Kansas, student employees may hold concurrent appointments not to exceed maximum appointment and hours worked levels. However, concurrent student appointments must be of matching FLSA designation (exempt/salaried or non-exempt/hourly).
Job Description
Collections and data management and conservation (75%)
Collection acquisition (25%)
- Assist Collection Manager to ensure long-term integrity and preservation of the physical collections, associated data, and collection-storage environment.
- Participate in the monitoring of status and organization of the fluid, tissue, and dry collections.
- Help maintain collection database; digitize specimen data, records, and information.
- Maintain collection-care protocols
- Process specimen loans, exchanges, and gifts; maintain appropriate digital records of these activities.
- Participate in annual reviews of outstanding specimen loans, specimen return reminders, and recalls of overdue loans.
Collection acquisition (25%)
- Work with Collection Manager to organize and prepare specimens to be accessioned and cataloged in the collection.
- Work with Collection Manager on the staging of newly accessioned specimens and the digital capture of associated data for their integration into the collection and collection database, respectively.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Enrollment in Master’s degree program in Museum Studies.
- During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: 1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or 2) be pre-enrolled in upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or 3) be enrolled in summer session or 4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in Natural History collections.
- Experience with relational databases.
Additional Candidate Instructions
A complete application consists of the online application, cover letter, and resume. Only complete applications will be considered.
To ensure consideration apply before the application review date 12/09/2024.
To ensure consideration apply before the application review date 12/09/2024.
Contact Information to Applicants
Dr. Ana Motta
apmotta@ku.edu
apmotta@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
$18.00/hr
Work Schedule
10 hours/week
Anticipated Start Date
Monday January 13, 2025