Museum Assistant

Job Title: Museum Assistant - Student

Hours of Work: 35 hours/week; 9:00am to 4:30pm - may include weekends

Hourly Wage: $19.00

Placement Date: May 6 - August 25, 2024 (funding dependent)

Position Overview:

Located in Sidney, B.C. the Sidney Museum and Archives (SMA) is a local historical museum and archives that preserves objects and records of significance to the people of Sidney and the Saanich Peninsula more broadly. The Museum hosts an annual cycle of both travelling and internally-developed exhibitions in addition to offering special events, workshops, and other programming activities open to the public. The SMA is in the midst of a transition period with a new and motivated staff team and ongoing projects working towards the implementation of a new collections management database, updating records of museum and archives collection inventories, and revitalising permanent historical displays. This creates an excellent and exciting opportunity for aspiring or emerging museum professionals to gain experience in museum practice with a half-century old collection.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Museum Assistant will be responsible primarily for initiating the revitalization of the Museum’s permanent gallery displays as well as assisting in the development of a new temporary exhibition to be installed in autumn 2024. This curatorial work will involve identifying areas for improvement in the Museum’s permanent displays, developing floor plans, conducting research, producing interpretive text, and working with the collection to identify objects for display. The Museum Assistant will additionally be supported in developing a tour program to accompany the new permanent gallery design. Moreover, the Museum Assistant will gain meaningful experience in assisting with collections management work, school program development, gift shop development and coordination, exhibition installation and take-down, and the development and implementation of pop-up displays. In addition to the above, the Museum Assistant will assist in the daily operations of the museum, providing guidance to volunteers, and provide regular progress reports to the Sidney Museum and Archives’ Board of Directors.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills:

The ideal candidate for the Museum Assistant role with the SMA will possess the following qualifications, knowledge, and skills:

• Currently enrolled in an accredited program of study, preferably in the fields of Museum Studies, History, Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, or Cultural Resource Management. Applicants enrolled in other programs of study will be considered depending on the candidate’s relevant professional and lived experience;
• A thorough attention to detail and well-honed organisational skills;
• Strong written and verbal communicative skills;
• Experience conducting and compiling historical research;
• Existing familiarity with museum standards and best practices including collections management, exhibit design, and interpretive content development considered an asset;
• The ability to work both independently and as a member of a team, as well as having the ability to work with individuals of diverse ages, identities, and backgrounds.

Note: Applicants identifying as a member of a group historically underrepresented in the GLAM sector are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Criteria:

As this is a position funded by the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCWHO) program, only applicants who meet the below eligibility criteria will be considered:

• Are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada (non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status are not eligible);
• Are legally entitled to work in Canada (have a valid social insurance number);
• Are between 16 and 30 years of age inclusively at the start of employment; and
• Are a currently enrolled high school, college, CEGEP, or university student.

Note: Priority will be given to students who have not previously participated in the YCWHO employment program.

This position is considered a position of trust and the successful candidate will be required to have a police information check as a condition of employment (Not required as part of the application process).

Please submit a cover letter and resume (in PDF format) to employment@sidneymuseum.ca

Competition will remain open until the position is filled. We appreciate all applications, however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Job Type: Fixed term contract
Contract length: 16 weeks

Salary: $19.00 per hour

Expected hours: 35 per week

Schedule:

• Day shift

Application question(s):

• Have you reviewed the eligibility criteria listed in the job description and can confirm your eligibility for this position? This is a strict eligibility requirement.

Education:

• Secondary School (preferred)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 2024-04-19
Expected start date: 2024-05-06