Job Posting: Conservator, Time-based Media – M+ (Hong Kong)

Conservator, Time-based Media (Ref: 15140) (based in Hong Kong)
A cornerstone of the West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ is Hong Kong’s new museum for visual culture, encompassing twentieth and twenty-first century art, design and architecture, and moving image from Hong Kong, China, Asia, and beyond.
Since 2012, M+ has been presenting diverse public programmes and exhibitions, and is amassing a permanent collection, in the run-up to the scheduled 2019 public opening of the museum building designed by Herzog & de Meuron with TFP Farrells and Ove Arup & Partners HK.
In July 2016, M+’s public programmes and exhibitions will move into the M+ Pavilion, a 300 sq.ft. exhibition space located in the District that will act as its primary site until the opening of the museum in 2019.
As part of the development of the M+ team, we are seeking to rapidly build up our Conservation team to deal with the preventative and remedial conservation of the growing M+ Collection. The team will encompass various disciplines amongst which painting, objects, paper, photography and time-based media.  For more information about this role, the M+ collection, team and building development, please go to: http://enews.westkowloon.hk/career/conservators.pdf
Reporting to the Senior Conservator, you will be an integral part of a growing conservation team that will be responsible for:

  • contributing to the preservation of the M+ collection by participating in a wide range of traditional conservation activities such as producing condition reports and treatment proposals, providing expert opinions on the condition of proposed acquisitions and works planned for loans and exhibition, conducting environmental monitoring and IPM, and ensuring preventive maintenance necessary for time-based media works in the collection;
  • playing an integral role to the development of conservation policies, procedures, protocols and workflows within the museum;
  • conducting specialised research on the materials and techniques of artists represented in the collection;
  • participating in extended conservation / preservation efforts such as developing guidelines for storage and display, best practices for conservation treatment, procedure and the proper care and handling of time-based media works;
  • playing a leading role in advising and training staff in best practices for the care, handling, display, storage, packing and shipping of time-based media works;
  • ensuring all other conservation elements such as mount making, environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, collections emergency preparedness and purchase of laboratory supplies, are considered and to the highest possible standard;
  • playing a fundamental role in supporting the planning for the conservation lab of the Conservation and Storage Facility (CSF) of the future museum and engaging as necessary in conservation and preservation-related special projects; and
  • supervising conservation volunteers or interns as required.

You should:

  • possess a master degree in conservation from a recognised college / university, or a diploma / certificate in conservation from a recognised conservation training programme specialized in time-based media;
  • have at least 5 years of practical postgraduate experience working with time-based media works; institutional / museum experience is preferred;
  • have proven experience treating a wide range of works to a high standard with full consideration of practical and ethical issues;
  • be able to address all preservation needs of works that include video, audio, software-based, electronic, installation, performance and other types of time-based media art including migration strategies;
  • be capable to assist with collection care activities such as assessments for new acquisitions, facilitation of loans, cataloging of active and obsolete equipment and creation of installation instructions as well as dealing with the installation and maintenance of time-based media works on display. Experience with complex contemporary installations is desirable;
  • be able to use diagnostic tools to examine condition and document the construction of time-based media art objects;
  • be able to provide specialist advice for storage, transport and installation of works for display;
  • be knowledgeable / interested in modern and contemporary art, architecture and design, photography and film preservation, including materials and techniques, and demonstrate expertise in diverse conservation techniques and theories; familiarity and experience with cultural materials in South East Asia would be advantageous;
  • be an innovative and enthusiastic team player with strong critical thinking and problem solving skills;
  • be able to work in a fast paced and continuously challenging environment;
  • be proficient in MS Windows and / or Apple OS platforms; and
  • have strong oral, written and interpersonal communication skills in English and preferably in Cantonese or Mandarin.

For interested parties, please submit your application along with your CV on or before 13 May 2016 via online application http://www.westkowloon.hk/careers or by mail quoting the reference number, name of the position, expected salary and your availability to:
Ms Agnes Chan
West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
29/F, Tower 6, The Gateway
9 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Data collected will only be used for job application processing. Applicants not being invited for interview within 4 weeks from 13 May 2016 may assume their applications unsuccessful.
All related information will be kept up to 24 months and all personal data will be destroyed afterwards.
For more information
http://www.westkowloon.hk or contact
Ms Agnes Chan at (852) 2200-0013