Temporary Museum Technician, Yale University Art Gallery

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Hourly Range

$31.83

Overview

Restores, maintains, and prepares objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. Designs and constructs museum exhibits, frames, housing, mounts, display cases, and lighting, ensuring artistic effort and scientific accuracy. Performs minor conservation treatments and recommends professional intervention when necessary. Instructs and oversees support staff in the handling, moving, packing, and unpacking of works of art. Coordinates logistics for safe transportation of artworks and maintains inventory of supplies and tools. Acts as a liaison between curators, conservators, and other museum staff to meet project requirements and ensure adherence to museum standards. Provides technical support for exhibitions, monitors environmental conditions, and ensures the safety and preservation of the collection.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with strong attention to detail and accuracy, and proven experience working successfully in a team setting while performing rotating tasks.
2. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrating the ability to organize work, collaborate effectively, and communicate problems clearly to supervisors.
3. Experience using a variety of hand tools with extreme accuracy and handling fragile, heavy objects with care and delicacy; familiarity with archival materials and best practices in warehousing.
4. Good organizational and record-keeping skills, with proficiency in computer literacy, particularly with Microsoft Office applications.
5. Valid driver's license and willingness to be trained on and use powered industrial vehicles (PIVs) and OSHA-approved safety equipment.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Two years of experience monitoring building systems and familiarity with valve and damper actuators, pressure transducers, and air quality monitors. Experience working in a museum environment managing building systems and preservation issues.
2. Experience with exhibition installations and deinstallations, fabricating exhibit furnishings, and working with materials such as wood, metal, and acrylics.
3. Experience with CNC fabrication, CAD, Adobe, and project management software.
4. Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts (B.F.A.) or a related field with experience in studio art or conservation.
5. Current training certification as a Building Operator for Johnson Controls Metasys building management system.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Designs and/or constructs museum exhibits, frames, housing, mounts, display case, lighting, theatrical sets and theatre costumes through use of specialized woodworking, metal working, welding, carpentry, electrical, glazing, draping, patterning and stitchery techniques. 2. Fabricates and reproduces specimens, backgrounds and structures, ensuring artistic effort and scientific accuracy. Mats, frames and unframes works of art. 3. Performs minor conservation treatment (mending small tears, surface cleaning) and recommends conservator attendance when necessary. Maintains facility, climate control systems, exhibits, costumes, collections, and workshop tools and machinery. 4. Oversees and instructs support staff. Installs and disassembles exhibits and sets. Prepares collection for exhibition. Handles, moves, packs and unpacks works of art for exhibits, storage and loan utilizing specialized methods and materials. 5. May act as courier for artwork. Orders material and supplies. Develops time and cost estimates. Monitors budget and other financial material. Communicates with designers, exhibit originators, conservators and curators to provide and obtain information. 6. May conduct research related to construction activities. Inputs to and retrieves information from museum collection management database and other computerized systems. 7. Performs clerical functions incidental to construction activities.

Required Education and Experience

Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and a high school education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate’s degree; or little or no work experience and a Bachelor's degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.

Job Posting Date

02/05/2026

Job Category

Technician

Bargaining Unit

L34

Compensation Grade

Labor Grade D

Compensation Grade Profile

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Temporary / Casual (Fixed Term)

Work Model

On-site

Location

1111 Chapel Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

The hiring rate of a role is determined in accordance with the provisions outlined in the respective collective bargaining agreement.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through  their hiring department.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.