Preventive Conservation Technician
Open To External And Internal CandidatesWho We Are
Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.
Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.
Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Giffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.
About the Position
The Preservative Conservation Technician carries out the day-to-day efforts ensuring the protection and preservation of Colonial Williamsburg’s cultural assets by implementing preventative conservation procedures. To accomplish this, the Preventive Conservation Technician is responsible for the overall collections care, cleanliness, and monitoring as assigned.
Essential Functions
- Perform regular, routine cleaning of collections and surrounding areas according to CWF conservation standards. Maintain records of work performed via checklists at each site.
- Inspect the conditions of the collections and buildings in assigned areas. Monitor environmental conditions (relative humidity, temperature, light levels) in storage and display areas. Set up and maintain sensors and recording instruments and compile permanent data records. Document conditions according to conservation department protocols.
- Carry out collections care and preventive conservation projects, meeting deadlines and quality standards as established by MPHR.
- Assist in administrative tasks such as ordering supplies and maintaining supply inventory.
- Use tools, chemicals, and equipment according to safety, conservation, and manufacturer guidelines.
- Maintain orderly shared work and storage areas. Maintain equipment backpacks and carts.
- Follow all safety and security procedures. Maintain familiarity of current SDS and other records as required. Participate in annual training as required.
- In the absence of the Supervisor, Preventive Conservation, provide guidance to other team members as needed.
- Assist with exhibition installation and preventive maintenance closings. Attend training for collection handling and moving.
- Assist with conservation treatment and documentation, object numbering, lab maintenance, and repair of reproductions.
- Fabricate storage systems, exhibition supports, and pack/move objects as needed.
- Ensure preventive conservation is addressed while monitoring contractors, special programs, events, receptions, filming, and other activities that involve Colonial Williamsburg’s assets.
- Maintain open, two-way communication between the Conservation Department and other departments whose activities may impact the collection.
- Participate in emergency preparation and recovery activities.
- Maintains awareness of state-of-the-art techniques in the preventive conservation field.
- Perform other duties as required.
Required and Preferred Education and Experience:
Required: High School diploma or GED. Three or more years of experience in handling, cleaning and/or caring for museum collections.
Qualifications:
• Ability to use hand tools and power equipment necessary for collections care in a museum setting.
• Ability to communicate effectively, including offering and following instructions.
• Ability to use a computer and to learn essential software use for email, report writing, data and image
collection, scheduling and other communication.
• Ability to work independently and member and/or leader of a team.
• Ability to make best use of time and limited resources, using facilities, materials, equipment, and
supplies efficiently, effectively and with reasonable and appropriate care.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as assigned, up to an eight hour shift