Inventory Technician

Description

The Preservation Society of Newport County is a non-profit museum founded in 1945 to preserve and protect the architectural, cultural, and social heritage of Newport County, Rhode Island. Our collections preserve and interpret three centuries of American history and culture, from the colonial era through the twentieth century. We care for and operate eleven historic properties dating from 1748 to 1902, as well as thirteen additional historic structures including carriage and stable houses, greenhouses, a Chinese-style tea house, a 17th century burial ground, and more than 88 acres of landscape. Housed within our properties is a collection of more than 60,000 decorative and fine art objects including paintings, sculpture, furniture, ceramics, glassware, works on paper, textiles, and archives that document significant events in American cultural and social history.

To ensure the best standards and care of this collection the Preservation Society has invested in an off-site Collections Care Facility in Rhode Island to store permanent collection pieces not on view. An inventory of our collection storage areas identified for re-location to this new facility has been underway for two years but is not yet complete. We seek to hire two (2) Inventory Technicians to continue this inventory work and prepare objects for the upcoming mov

The Inventory Technician will work as part of a team of two to complete our inventory of objects in collection storage and assist with re-locating them off-site to a newly created Collections Care Facility. The Inventory Technician will report to the Collections Manager, with additional supervision by the incoming Collections Move Registrar. An inventory workflow has been developed by our current Collection Technicians, whom the Inventory Technicians will work alongside. A move plan is currently being developed for the relocation off-site, which the Inventory Technician will play an integral part in.

The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, work well as part of a team, maintain a high attention to detail, be meticulous and organized, and be able to track their progress on various projects. This is an in-person position and will require frequent travel between our properties in Newport County and South County Rhode Island. The job period is for two (2) years with the possibility of renewal for an additional year.

Requirements

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES

• Conduct an inventory and maintain collection storage areas. 
• Object labeling and documentation photography.  
• Condition checks of objects and spaces, maintaining a log of these checks. 
• Working with our collections database Re:Discovery Proficio to update object locations.  
• Rehousing objects for storage according to best practices. 
• Implementing preventive conservation procedures.
• Occasional specialized care of objects to prepare them for travel under the supervision of Conservation Staff.
• Assisting in tracking and documenting object moves to off-site storage. 
• Carry out the mapping plan for storage within the Collections Care Facility.  
• Follow prescribed safety and health rules, regulations, and practices.
• Perform other related duties as required or directed.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• BA or BFA (MA preferred) in Museum Studies, Historic Preservation, Art History, Studio Art, History, or a related field.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Familiarity with Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint. 
• Familiarity with working on an iPad and filling out survey forms.
• Experience with collection databases.
• Experience handling fine and decorative art.
• Knowledge of museum numbering systems. 
• Experience with condition reporting and the corresponding nomenclature. 
• Experience with object rehousing for storage.  
• Experience with using a HEPA vacuum.  
• Experience working with power and small hand tools.  
• Basic photography skills. 
• Basic sewing skills. 
• Valid driver’s license with clean driving record.