Job Title:
Preventative Conservator
Reports To:
Head of Collections
Senior Registrar and Collections Manager
Location:
IMMA, Military Road, The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Kilmainham, Dublin 8 with travel to offsite stores as required.
Key Terms:
The role is offered on a permanent full-time contract subject to an agreed probationary period and is pensionable.
Candidates should note the Irish Museum of Modern Art complies with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and guidelines on Public Sector pay and conditions of employment and entry level will be at Point 1 of this Grade.
The Salary is in accordance with the 1st point of the PPC as at 01st March 2023
Scale: € 33,812, 35,714, 36,788, 38,884, 40,763, 42,580, 44,391, 46,164, 47,955, 49,696, 51,492, 52,692, 54,403,56,127
Role Purpose
Reporting day to day to the Senior Registrar and Collections Manager, the Preventive Conservator will play an important role in supporting the ongoing care of the diverse collection of modern and contemporary art at IMMA.
The Preventative Conservator will work closely with the IMMA Collections team and collaborate with all IMMA departments to ensure the highest standards of collections care and management are maintained across all collections in IMMA’s care.
The Preventative Conservator will be based at IMMA’s, Royal Hospital Kilmainham site but will be required to work at IMMA’s offsite stores in the greater Dublin area and will be responsible for practical and advisory preventative conservation at both sites.
IMMA is currently partaking in the Heritage Council’s Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI) and the Preventative Conservator role will be important in assisting to develop a new, long-term, sustainable Care of Collections Strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Key responsibilities to be undertaken based on priorities agreed with HOD and subject to the needs of the Department/ Programme.
· Manage the monitoring of and report on environment, lighting, pollutants and pest control in collection storage areas and galleries.
· Report environmental issues in stores and galleries to relevant staff and to Operations, liaising with the Operations Executive and monitoring tickets logged and escalating where necessary until resolution.
· Liaise with IMMA’s environmental monitoring system suppliers to plan annual calibration of monitors, supervise install of new monitors when necessary; report issues and troubleshoot problems.
· Review IMMA’s pest management in stores and galleries in liaison with the Facilities Supervisor
· Conduct condition reports for incoming and outgoing IMMA Collection loans and IMMA Collection exhibition installs and deinstalls as required.
· Arrange and schedule specialist conservation treatments or reports, photography and framing as required for IMMA Collections.
· Carry out remedial conservation on IMMA Collections from time to time, as requested.
· Act as artwork courier for IMMA Collections as requested.
· Work with the Senior Registrar and Collections Manager, alongside the Head of Security in ensuring that an active disaster response plan is in place for the Collection in storage and on display and contributing to the overall Museum disaster response plan and related risk management.
· Assist with development and implementation of the Collections Care Strategy with the Head of Collections and the Senior Registrar and Collections Manager, as required.
· Assist the Head of Collections and Senior Registrar and Collections Manager with IMMA’s application for Museum Standards Programme for Ireland in regard to preventative conservation and collections care.
· Assist with the development and review of preventative conservation policies and procedures.
· Work with the Collections team to plan annual programmes of Collections display, research, preservation and access.
· Assist in the training of staff on techniques for the care of collections, by way of presentations and reports.
· Travel nationally and internationally, when required, to condition check IMMA Collection artworks on loan to other organisations.
· Work with the Time-Based Media Artwork (TBMA) Conservator, Senior Registrar and Collections Manager and other IMMA staff to ensure TBMA are cared for to the same collection management standards as other Collection works. This may include:
Ø Rehousing of physical TBMA components (e.g., slides, film, tapes, discs, certificates) in archival materials and in appropriate climate conditions.
Ø Liaising with the IMMA IT Department and TBMA conservator to ensure the safe storage, access, and backup of all digital TBMA components.
Ø Supporting TBMA conservator with other preventive conservation activities including artist interviews and artwork documentation.
Other Responsibilities
General
· Keep Preventative Conservation industry knowledge up-to-date.
· Actively participate in and seek out learning and development opportunities regarding leadership and team skills and apply learning to carry out the Preventative Conservator role effectively.
· Be open and accepting of necessary change, learning and innovation; change behavioural style or method of approach when necessary to achieve a goal.
· Maintain a professional and friendly environment with visitors, colleagues and supervisors.
· Take leadership, direction, and training from management and ensure that you fully understand the company policies and operations procedures.
· Ensuring adherence to HR requirements and procedures.
· Ensure that you are familiar with all computer systems.
· Communicate with your Manager on any issues that relate to the museum and ensure that the name of IMMA is not brought into disrepute.
· Be highly motivated to succeed and driven at all times.
· Complete all necessary tasks and fulfil all commitments made to your team, colleagues and manager on time and without supervision.
· Managing one’s time and resources to ensure that work is completed by correctly prioritising information and tasks.
· Be a positive ambassador of IMMA and promote IMMA at all times.
Health & Safety
· Maintain a working environment in line with Health & Safety legislation.
· Attend Health and Safety training as required.
· Adhere to all policies and procedures including safety guidelines.
· Maintain a safe and clean work environment that will assist the museum to ensure that employees and visitors have the ability to visit and work in our museum safely.
· Recognise risks in operational and museum activities and then proactively apply the right measures and processes to control and manage those risks.
· Report any locations of potentially dangerous materials to your Manager.
· Report all accidents and incidences to your Manager.
· Ensure that the security of the museum is maintained in terms of the security guidelines.
Key Deliverables
· Conduct a Care of Collections situation review as per MSPI guidelines by Q4 2023.
· Carry out condition checks and file condition reports for IMMA artworks prior to loan and display and within 2 weeks following return to storage.
· Prioritise IMMA works for conservation treatment and new storage solutions with the Senior Registrar and Collections Manager by Q4 2023.
· Rehouse physical TBMA components in archival materials by Q2 2024.
· Regular and effective monitoring and reporting on environment, lighting, pollutant and pests for storage and display areas.
· Develop an Integrated Pest Management plan across all IMMA sites by Q2 2025.
· Develop further the IMMA Care of Collections Strategy with the Head of Collections and Senior Registrar and Collections Manager by Q2 2024.
· Maintain and update preservation and conservation records on the Collections Management System in a timely fashion.
· Manage IMMA’s environmental monitoring system to ensure that IMMA collections are stored and displayed in the best possible conditions.
Skills and Experience Required
· Hold an honours degree or post graduate degree in object conservation in paintings or paper, a part of which included Preventive Conservation and three years preventive conservation experience (or equivalent).
· A knowledge of museum collections and experience managing collection care in a museum or similar institution.
· Knowledge of Integrated Pest Management and its application in a museum or similar institution.
· Experience of carrying out artwork condition reports and conservation treatments.
· Experience of working across multiple museum (or similar institution) departments and supervising contractors.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills, reporting concisely to others on complex topics following analysis of key data.
· Experience of using environmental monitoring systems and the Microsoft Suite of programs including Word, Excel and Outlook
· The ability to plan and work on own initiative.
· Ability to work with colleagues across the museum and share knowledge and skills.
· A practical approach to problem solving alongside the ability to prioritise workload.
Applicable Competency Framework: https://www.publicjobs.ie/documents/Executive_Officer_Competencies.pdf
This role profile is a guide to broad areas of responsibility and accountability and should not be regarded as a comprehensive listing. The role profile may be reviewed in the light of new structures and / or the changing needs of the Museum. All employees are required to be compliant with IMMA’s screening, security and Garda vetting procedures.Note:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Duration: This is a fulltime Permanent Contract of Employment.
The salary is at the full-time superannuated rate of €33,812 per annum, which is referenced to Executive Officer (EO) Standard Scale Point 1 PPC (as at 01st March 2023.
Scale: € 33,812, 35,714, 36,788, 38,884, 40,763, 42,580, 44,391, 46,164, 47,955, 49,696, 51,492, 52,692, 54,403,56,127
Location: The Preventative Conservator will be based at IMMA’s, Royal Hospital Kilmainham site but will be required to work at IMMA’s offsite stores in the greater Dublin area and will be responsible for practical and advisory preventative conservation at both sites. IMMA has a blended working policy in place.
Annual Leave: Annual leave will be 23 working days pro rata per year. This leave is based on a five-day working week and is exclusive of public holidays.
Outside working hours: The successful candidate must be flexible and available to work occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends (as required).
How to apply: Applicants should submit one attachment containing a cover letter and Curriculum Vitae by email, outlining how they meet the required criteria to human.resources@imma.ie
Closing date: Applications to be submitted no later than 5pm 11th June 2023.
Interviews: June 2023
Applications will be shortlisted based on the required criteria for the role.
IMMA is an equal opportunities employer and we value equality, diversity and inclusion and we recognise the benefits it can bring to IMMA and enhance staff and visitor experiences. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the applications process please email Fiona.brady@imma.ie
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: From €33,812.00 per year
Benefits:

• Bike to work scheme
• Company pension
• Employee assistance program
• On-site parking
• Sick pay
• Store discount
• Wellness program

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application question(s):

• •At least three years preventive conservation experience (or equivalent).
• A knowledge of museum collections and experience managing collection care in a museum or similar institution.
• Knowledge of Integrated Pest Management and its application in a museum or similar institution.
• Experience of carrying out artwork condition reports and conservation treatments.
• Experience of working across multiple museum (or similar institution) departments and supervising contractors.

Education:

• Bachelor's (preferred)

Experience:

• Preventative Conservation Exp or equivalent: 3 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 28/05/2023
Reference ID: PREVENTATIVE CONSERVATOR/IMMA