Description

                                                            The Menil Collection- Employment Opportunity

Title:  Assistant, Associate, or Objects Conservator

Department:  Conservation

Reports to: Director of Conservation

Status:  Full-time; exempt from overtime

Work location: Onsite

Number of Vacancies: 2

Annual salary:            Assistant Objects Conservator            $63 - 68,000

                                    Associate Objects Conservator            $73 - 78,000

                                    Objects Conservator                           $82 - 97,000

Application deadline:   

Application review for these positions will begin on March 30,2026, and continue until the positions are filled.

The Menil Collection in Houston, Texas, is seeking to hire two objects conservators at the Assistant, Associate, or Conservator level to join the Department of Conservation.

Philanthropists and art patrons John and Dominique de Menil established the Menil Foundation in 1954 to foster greater public understanding and appreciation of art, architecture, culture, religion, and philosophy. In 1987, the Menil Collection’s main building opened to the public. Today, the museum’s art buildings and green spaces are nestled within a residential neighborhood in central Houston. On a 30-acre campus, visitors are invited to explore the Menil’s main museum building, Menil Drawing Institute, Cy Twombly Gallery, and Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall. The museum’s holdings include more than 25,000 works. The Menil continues to build on the visions and philosophies of its founders, with new acquisitions intended to keep the museum vibrant, intellectually curious, and relevant in an ever-changing world.

The Conservation Department consists of a Director of Conservation, five full-time Conservators specializing in paper, paintings, and objects, a Conservation Imaging Specialist, a Matter/Framer, an Andrew W. Mellon Conservation Fellow, a Paper Conservation Technician, and two support staff. The department is housed within the Menil Collection’s purpose-built conservation studios, which include shared and dedicated space for the conservation of paintings, objects, and works on paper, as well as for framing, analysis, and imaging. Since its founding in 1987, the Menil Collection Conservation Department has distinguished itself through its publications on treatments and materials research. Of particular note is the department's ongoing commitment to working with living artists, including the establishment of the Artists Documentation Program (ADP), which interviews artists and their close associates to better understand their materials, working techniques, and views on conservation and the long-term preservation of their works.

General Responsibilities

The Objects Conservators are responsible for the care and preservation of objects, outdoor sculpture, installations, and time-based media artwork in the care of the Menil Collection. The collection includes significant holdings of antiquities, art from Africa and Oceania, and modern and contemporary art.  At all levels, the Objects Conservators will undertake research, preventive care, general maintenance, and conservation assessment and treatment. All work must be performed in accordance with the American Institute for Conservation’s Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.

Specific Duties

1.       Maintain objects on view and in storage by regularly monitoring the objects and their environments and performing regular cleaning.

2.       Respond to incidents involving damage or potential damage to objects and communicate with departments across the museum to mitigate future risk. 

3.       Prepare objects for exhibition or loan through assessments, reports, and treatments. Schedule artwork movements, request photography, and coordinate mount making for objects as needed. Determine exhibition, handling, storage, and packing requirements for objects in the collection.

4.       Assess the condition of objects acquired by the Menil Collection.

5.       Serve as Conservation Department liaison for selected Menil Collection temporary exhibitions.

6.       Assist with installations and de-installations as needed.

7.       Represent the Conservation Department on select internal committees and working groups.

8.       Perform occasional domestic and international courier duties.

9.       Investigate and advise on equipment purchases and provide input on the Objects Conservation budget.

10.   Select non-exhibition-driven treatment or research projects in consultation with the Director of Conservation and Curators and create project budgets.

11.   Engage with artists, studio assistants, or estates to document working practices, materials, and installation parameters for the Artists Documentation Program (ADP).

12.   Attend professional meetings, give lectures, and publish papers.

13.   Assist in the general maintenance and upkeep of the Conservation studio.

14.   Participate in public outreach efforts, including the Menil Collection's public and membership programming and social media.

15.   Work with departments across the museum to continually improve procedures and policies that promote collaboration and consistency.  

Depending upon experience level and expertise, additional duties may include:

1.       Serve as an accountable project lead on significant projects such as research symposia, grants, or workshops.

2.       Coordinate time-based media working groups, and work collaboratively across museum departments to refine and implement workflows related to the care, documentation, registration, storage, and display of time-based media. 

3.       Maintain time-based media belonging to or on loan to the museum through regular fixity checks, research, and documentation.

4.       Work collaboratively with Exhibition Design and Collections Management to procure, manage, and install time-based media display equipment.

5.       Research obsolescence risks for artworks and communicate with other museum departments as needed to stockpile supplies, address obsolescence, and coordinate decision-making for long-term care of time-based media  
 

Requirements

Qualifications

1.       A Master's degree from a recognized art conservation program with a specialization in Objects is required, along with substantial practical experience (see levels below) and the ability to develop and undertake innovative treatments. 

                 a.       Assistant Conservator: 0-5 years post-graduate experience.

                 b.       Associate Conservator: 5-8 years post-graduate experience

                 c.       Conservator: 8+ years of post-graduate experience

2.       To support the needs of our diverse collection, a broad knowledge of materials and techniques is expected.

3.        Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
4.        Proven experience collaborating in a team environment.
5.       Strong interpersonal and organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and work independently are essential.

Benefits

The position comes with a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation and sick time, medical and dental insurance, life insurance, AD&D, and LTD coverage. Employees may also participate in the Menil's 401(k) plan and receive an employer contribution equivalent to 5% of wages earned after one year on the job.

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter, which includes the hiring level being sought, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references, which may be submitted electronically: 

https://tally.so/r/3y12ZB

The Menil Collection is an Equal Opportunity Employer and seeks diversity in its workforce. The Menil is committed to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.