Associate Director and Head of Preservation and Conservation Division
Harry Ransom Center
The University of Texas at Austin
The Harry Ransom Center seeks a national leader in conservation to provide direction for the Center’s conservation initiatives and to manage the preservation and conservation activities of one of the finest humanities research libraries and museums in the country. The Head of the Preservation and Conservation Division has responsibility for the preservation of approximately 42 million manuscripts, 1 million rare books, and 5 million photographs, as well as sound and moving image recordings, paintings, decorative arts, and textiles, among other material types.
The Head of the Preservation and Conservation Division oversees three labs dedicated to book, paper, and photograph conservation, as well as a preservation unit. He or she will supervise six conservators, one conservation technician, and one administrative assistant, as well as interns, student employees, and volunteers. The Head of the Preservation and Conservation Division will implement best conservation practices while also being committed to innovation and to fostering a culture of continuous improvement. He or she will serve on the Ransom Center’s senior leadership team and represent the Center within the national and international conservation community and locally with campus and city constituencies. Continuous funding for the Ransom Center’s conservation initiatives is supported by the MacDonald Trust for Preservation and the Elizabeth Olds Endowment.
The Head of Preservation and Conservation:
- Manages the Center’s Preservation and Conservation Division, supervising staff, overseeing departmental activities, and managing the departmental budget and grant administration.
- Consults with the Center’s curators, librarians, and archivists to establish conservation priorities, balancing institutional priorities with the needs of our active exhibition and loan programs.
- Investigates new strategies and technologies to address challenges to long-term preservation and access.
- Conceives of and develops funding proposals for project-based initiatives that further the Ransom Center’s collection care goals.
- Serves on the Ransom Center’s senior leadership team.
- Maintains an effective disaster recovery plan and conducts periodic training and drills to ensure the Center’s preparedness for a variety of threats to the collections.
- Advises the Ransom Center Director and the Building Manager on maintaining an optimum preservation environment for the diverse formats of materials housed by the Center. Represents conservation priorities in long-range space planning and capital improvement projects.
- Cultivates a culture of innovation and continuous improvement and fosters the ongoing growth and professional development of the Center’s highly skilled conservators.
- Trains, advises, and educates the Center’s staff about the proper handling of collection materials.
Required Qualifications:
- ALA-accredited MLS or Master’s degree in conservation of library and archival materials or equivalent experience.
- Five or more years of experience leading a conservation lab or program with evidence of increasing responsibilities, including supervisory experience.
- Demonstrated knowledge of conservation principles, practices, and procedures and knowledge of standards and systems for the recording and management of conservation documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with curators, librarians, archivists, and other colleagues and excellent interpersonal communication skills.
- Record of successful service within the national conservation community.
- Experience giving presentations to diverse, public audiences and excellent speaking, writing, and presentation skills.
How to Apply:
For further information and to apply for the position, please see job posting number 15-05-04-01-0385: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/hr/jobs/nlogon/150504010385.
Security sensitive; conviction verification will be conducted on applicant selected. The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. The University of Texas at Austin is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to diversity at all levels. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.