Curator of Exhibitions and Student Engagement

UCR ARTS encompasses the California Museum of Photography (CMP) and the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts (Culver Center), and is part of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS) at UCR. Situated three miles from UCR's main campus, the CMP and the Culver Center are located in adjacent historical buildings in downtown Riverside. The CMP promotes understanding of photography and visual media by providing access to one of the most comprehensive photographic resources in America. As a vital extension of the university, UCR ARTS provides faculty and students with hands-on opportunities for innovative teaching, original research, and interdisciplinary learning. // Founded in 1973, the CMP is one of the most significant photography museums in the United States. The CMP stewards more than 500,000 photographs and photographic artifacts and is nationally recognized for its commitment to photography and lens-based media as fields of artistic, historical, and critical inquiry. As part of a leading public research university, UCR ARTS supports undergraduate and graduate teaching, faculty research, and public scholarship through exhibitions, collections access, publications, and academic programs. The museum collection is a cornerstone of this mission, offering exceptional opportunities for object-based learning, research, and critical engagement with the history of photography. The Curator of Exhibitions and Student Engagement balances three equally weighted areas of responsibility: (1) management and development of collections; (2) facilitation of student- and faculty-driven research and exhibitions; and (3) development of academic programs, including lectures, symposia, and related interpretive initiatives. The role aligns with the Senior Museum Scientist classification, requiring independent judgment, advanced curatorial expertise, and leadership within a complex academic museum environment. This position requires working some weeknights and weekends to support programs and exhibitions. The appointment is a 100% full-time position for 3 years. This position is funded by a private foundation and is contingent on receiving funding. The position may be extended or end based on funding. The salary range for the Curator of Exhibitions and Student Engagement is $79,000.09 - $127,123.89 annually, However, the expected budgeted pay scale for this position is $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 annually. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs. Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff. As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements. \n \nCollection Management - Provide professional stewardship of the photographic collections in collaboration with the Senior Curator and Collections Manager. - Contribute to accessioning, cataloging, documentation, and intellectual organization of the collection in accordance with museum best practices and UC policies. - Participate in collections planning, including identifying priorities for acquisitions, deaccessions, and long-term care. - Conduct and support collections-based research, including provenance research, contextual analysis, and preparation of interpretive materials. - Facilitate access to the collections for internal and external researchers, coordinating study visits and responding to scholarly inquiries. - Contribute to collections-related grant proposals, reports, and compliance documentation as assigned. Student and Faculty Research & Exhibitions - Serve as a primary liaison between UCR ARTS and academic departments to support curricular use of the collections. - Collaborate with faculty to integrate collections-based research, print viewings, and exhibition projects into undergraduate and graduate coursework. - Mentor students in curatorial research, exhibition development, and professional museum practices. - Curate or co-curate exhibitions drawn from museum collections, including student- and faculty-driven projects, in collaboration with curators and exhibition staff. - Contribute to interpretive content for exhibitions and programs, including wall texts, publications, and digital resources. - Support the planning, interpretation, and installation of exhibitions, working closely with preparators, registrar, and collections staff. - Supervise and guide student employees, interns, and volunteers engaged in collections and exhibition activities.Academic and Public Programs - Working closely with the Director of Education and Public Programs, develop and organize academic programs that activate the collections, including lecture series, symposia, panel discussions, and visiting artist or scholar presentations. - Collaborate with campus partners to align programming with departmental curricula, research initiatives, and interdisciplinary priorities. - Participate in public engagement initiatives that extend the educational impact of the museum collections beyond the university. - Represent UCR ARTS in academic and professional contexts, as assigned.Additional Professional Responsibilities - Contribute to strategic planning for exhibitions, collections use, and academic initiatives in collaboration with UCR ARTS leadership. - Participate in departmental committees, working groups, and cross-unit initiatives related to collections, exhibitions, and academic engagement. - Assist with grant development, donor cultivation, and stewardship activities. - Contribute to assessment, reporting, and documentation of exhibitions and academic programs, including preparation of materials for internal review and external stakeholders. - Support communications and outreach efforts by providing content expertise for publications, websites, and promotional materials. - Stay current with developments in photographic scholarship, museum practice, and academic engagement, and apply this knowledge to ongoing work. Supervision and Collaboration - Receives general direction from the Senior Curator. - Works closely with Senior Curator, Director of Education and Public Programs, Head of Exhibitions, Collections Manager, Registrar, preparators, and education and communications staff. - May supervise Museum Scientists, student employees, interns, and volunteers on a project or ongoing basis. - Collaborates extensively with faculty, students, and campus partners.\n \nExcellent verbal and written communication skills.Excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills appropriate to scholarly, academic, and public audiences. Adherence to deadlines and strong follow through. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.Proficient in Microsoft Office products (on both Mac and PC).Ability to achieve cross-functional teamwork and a strong desire to function in a team environment.Extensive knowledge of the history of photography from the nineteenth century to the present, including historic photographic processes, techniques, and materials.Thorough knowledge of museum standards, collections management practices, and professional and ethical guidelines.Record of sustained collaboration with faculty and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.Demonstrated leadership in developing lecture series, symposia, publications, or similar academic programs.Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the ability to engage critically with the histories of representation, power, and exclusion embedded in photographic collections, and to advance inclusive, ethical, and accessible approaches to collections care, exhibitions, research access, and programming\n \nThorough knowledge of museum standards, collections management practices, and professional and ethical guidelines. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.Excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills appropriate to scholarly, academic, and public audiences. Adherence to deadlines and strong follow through. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office products (on both Mac and PC). Ability to achieve cross-functional teamwork and a strong desire to function in a team environment. Extensive knowledge of the history of photography from the nineteenth century to the present, including historic photographic processes, techniques, and materials.Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the ability to engage critically with the histories of representation, power, and exclusion embedded in photographic collections, and to advance inclusive, ethical, and accessible approaches to collections care, exhibitions, research access, and programming Record of sustained collaboration with faculty and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. Demonstrated leadership in developing lecture series, symposia, publications, or similar academic programs.