Associate Research Scientist, Museum Environment [End Dated]

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As the Associate Research Scientist, you will conduct analysis, research, and documentation to improve the Museum and wider preventative conservation field’s understanding of how indoor temperatures and humidity parameters affect works of art. Working within the Preventative Conservation Science Laboratory, you will develop a detailed report on the fields current state of knowledge. You will help identify gaps, risks, potential impacts and propose further research opportunities to advise the museum on gallery condition best practices.

This is a position with an established end-date or time frame.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Collect, research, evaluate and review existing documentation and research on the effects of temperature or humidity variation on all types of artworks.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to research, develop, and advise on improving the Museum’s environment.
• Develop, propose, conduct, and document research aimed at improving the field’s knowledge on the topic of the affects of temperature or humidity variation on all types of artworks.
• Establishes and implements sensor calibration protocols for analytical and environmental test equipment.
• Develops, maintains, and utilizes databases and guidance documents to document and disseminate test results, advising the Museum on best preventive conservation science practices.
• Write progress reports, summary reports, standard operating procedures, annotated bibliographies, and publishable manuscripts on related topics and activities.
• Publishes significant findings in peer reviewed scientific literature.
• Supervise and collaborate with interns and fellows.
• Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ph.D. in analytical chemistry, materials science, related disciplines, or equivalent experience (required)
• 2-4 years of experience in air quality testing, building environment monitoring, materials degradation studies, or preventive conservation research (required).
• Experience working in museum environments, specifically, either with or in proximity of art objects (preferred).
• Experience in photochemistry, spectroscopy, environmental chemistry, air quality monitoring, corrosion science, or preventive conservation science (required).
• Experience testing and evaluating museum environment factors such as temperature, humidity, light, dust, pollution, or vibration levels (preferred).
• Experience implementing advanced statistical analysis methods on scientific data (preferred).
• Strong command of both written and spoken English (required)

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• Pay Range:$105,000.00 – $110,000.00 / Annually
• The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected].

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

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