Aspen Gallery Operations Technician

Join the Legacy of Excellence at M.S. Rau - Aspen

For more than a century, M.S. Rau has been recognized as one of the world's premier dealers of exceptional fine art, antiques, and rare jewelry. While the objects we handle are extraordinary, it is our people who make the difference. We believe in accountability, teamwork, and taking pride in doing difficult work exceptionally well. If you're looking for a career where precision matters, teamwork is essential, and every day presents a new challenge, we'd like to meet you.

Now Hiring: Aspen Gallery Operations Technician

The Aspen Gallery Operations Technician is a hands-on, highly versatile member of our Operations team responsible for helping keep the Aspen Gallery safe, functional, organized, and beautifully presented. Art handling is the primary focus of this role, including the safe movement, installation, packing, transportation, and presentation of museum-quality fine art, antiques, furniture, and other high-value objects. The position also supports gallery lighting, performs minor non-electrical maintenance and repairs, and serves as the primary on-site resource for routine facility needs. Because this position works remotely from our primary Operations team in New Orleans, we are looking for someone who is dependable, technically capable, comfortable working independently, and knows when to take initiative and when to escalate an issue.

What You'll Be Doing

As an Aspen Gallery Operations Technician, you will:

• Safely handle, move, install, deinstall, pack, transport, load, and unload fine art, antiques, furniture, and other valuable or fragile objects. 
• Install artwork using appropriate hardware, tools, equipment, and professional art-handling techniques. 
• Receive, inspect, unpack, stage, and prepare artwork for incoming and outgoing inventory. 
• Prepare artwork for shipment using appropriate archival materials, packing methods, and crating techniques. 
• Support client deliveries and installations, gallery resets, merchandising changes, exhibitions, events, and special projects. 
• Maintain gallery lighting by aiming, focusing, repositioning, and adjusting fixtures to properly present artwork, jewelry, antiques, and other merchandise. 
• Replace and troubleshoot user-serviceable lighting equipment and components within the scope of the position. 
• Perform minor maintenance and presentation repairs, including basic carpentry, painting and touch-ups, wall patching, hardware adjustments, and furniture assembly. 
• Monitor the gallery for maintenance, appearance, organization, and safety concerns and address routine issues as appropriate. 
• Serve as the primary on-site Aspen contact for routine facility needs, coordinating with the Director of Operations, Facilities Manager, approved vendors, contractors, and service providers. 
• Maintain tools, equipment, vehicles, packing materials, storage areas, and workspaces in a clean, organized, safe, and ready condition. 

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent. 
• Valid driver's license with a satisfactory driving record. 
• 3+ years of experience handling, packing, transporting, or installing fine art, antiques, high-value merchandise, or similarly fragile objects. 
• Proficiency with hand and power tools, ladders, installation hardware, and material-handling equipment. 
• Strong mechanical aptitude and experience performing basic repairs, installation, maintenance, or fabrication work. 
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to protecting valuable and irreplaceable property. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a fine-art gallery, museum, auction house, art-logistics, luxury retail, or similar environment. 
• Experience with gallery, museum, theatrical, or display lighting, including working knowledge of LED technology. 
• Experience with basic carpentry, painting, wall repair, fabrication, furniture assembly, or other light maintenance. 
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Art, Art History, Museum Studies, Conservation, or a related field.

Work Environment

This is a physically active, hands-on role performed primarily within the Aspen Gallery, with work also occurring in client homes, loading and storage areas, vendor locations, event spaces, and other off-site locations. Employees regularly work with valuable, fragile, oversized, and one-of-a-kind artwork and use ladders, hand and power tools, dollies, carts, material-handling equipment, lighting equipment, packing materials, and company vehicles. The position requires frequent standing, walking, bending, climbing, reaching, lifting, and safely maneuvering artwork, crates, furniture, and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds independently, with heavier objects moved using assistance or appropriate equipment. Some work may occur outdoors or in varying weather and temperature conditions. 

Schedule

This is a full-time position. The Aspen Gallery operates year-round and experiences significant seasonal business demands. Employees will generally work a 40 hour per week schedule based on gallery and operational needs, which may include weekends and holidays. During peak periods, gallery operations may occur seven days per week. Occasional early mornings, evenings, extended hours, overtime, schedule changes, and overnight travel may be required to support client appointments, installations, deliveries, gallery events, facility needs, inventory projects, training, and other business requirements.

Compensation

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $35.00 to $50.00 per hour, depending on experience, qualifications, demonstrated technical expertise, and internal equity.

Benefits

M.S. Rau offers a comprehensive and flexible benefits package that fits you and your family's needs. Benefits are focused on the health and wellness, financial well-being, and work-life balance of our employees. We offer:

• Vacation, Sick and Holiday Pay
• Medical, Dental and Vision 
• Life Insurance 
• Short- and Long-Term Disability 
• Critical Illness, Accident and Hospital Indemnity Insurance 
• Flexible and Commuter Spending Accounts 
• Lifestyle Spending Account 
• Employee Assistance Program 
• Wellness Program 
• Special Employee Pricing on Mobile Lines 
• Access to Discounted Travel Services 
• 401(k) with Company Match 

Other Duties

The preceding functions have been provided as examples of the types of work performed by employees assigned to this job classification. The omission of specific statements or duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind work assignments and to make reasonable accommodations so qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the position. 

EEO Statement

M.S. Rau provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age (40 or older), national origin, marital status, handicap or disability (including pregnancy), perception or history of handicap or disability, ancestry, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training. EEO is the Law links in English and Spanish.