Libraries - Exhibitions Designer & Collections Manager, Bridwell - Dallas, United States - SMU

Description

About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

SMU Libraries is seeking a dynamic and flexible colleague to serve as the Exhibitions Designer and Collections Manager for Bridwell Library's Special Collections, capable of handling the specific needs of museum-grade collections. The candidate must be an inventive problem solver, with an intuitive imagination that facilitates innovative and effective designs for exhibitions of books and other cultural artifacts, in collaboration with exhibition curators. The candidate will also be detail-oriented and possess a strong understanding of museums and/or libraries, to undertake the responsibility and care for maintaining, storage, transfer, and stewardship of various collections and physical items at Bridwell Library.

Bridwell Special Collections—charged with being a premier rare book library—is ideal for the study of the book as art and artifact. Its collections encompass everything from ancient artifacts to modern and contemporary artists' books, including medieval manuscripts, over 1100 incunabula, livres d'artiste, fine press, and miniature books. Manuscript and rare book holdings support broad areas of study, including history, mythology, philosophy, parapsychology, literature, exploration, the abolitionist movement, art, the book arts, and more. Cornerstone collections include an extensive assortment of historic bibles, supported by numerous additional theological and ecclesiastical materials.

Bridwell Library is SMU's principal library location for the fields of theology and religious studies and serves Perkins School of Theology. Bridwell Library Special Collections is home to several premier collections related to church history, theology, biblical studies, and art, and serves as a major research institution for North Texas.

SMU is a nationally ranked private research university in Dallas, TX, with eight degree-granting schools. SMU Libraries includes six libraries on the main campus and one library at our satellite location in Taos, NM. SMU Libraries and the SMU campus is dedicated to diversity and inclusion. We seek to hire a person who shares our values of a diverse and equitable workplace based on teamwork with a proactive and positive approach in all that we do.

Essential Functions:

Education and Experience:

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's is required.

A minimum of 1 year of experience in in museum, libraries, or related field is required.

Experience with general exhibition design (lighting, displays, adaptive spaces) is required.

Experience with woodworking, display/set design, relevant handcraft, special collections, archives, cultural artifacts, collections management and student supervision is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with woodworking, display/set design, relevant handcraft

Knowledge and experience with special collections, archives, cultural artifacts

Experience with collections management and student supervision

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills.

Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills.

Physical and Environmental Demands: