[Taxacom] Open position for Collection Manager, Flowering Plants - Field Museum

[Matt Von Konrat]

Dear colleagues,

Field Museum is searching for a Collections Manager for Flowering Plants.

Below is the full position description that can also be accessed here:
https://careers.hireology.com/fieldmuseum/704821/description

Please make enquiries to this email: collectionscentersearch at fieldmuseum.org
<http://collectionscentersearch@fieldmuseum.org./>

Thank you,
Matt von Konrat
Collections Manager, Flowering Plants

The Field Museum <https://careers.hireology.com/fieldmuseum>


Chicago, IL


Full Time
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Field Museum is hiring a Collections Manager to manage its world-class
Flowering Plants collections as well as subsidiary collections that
includes Gymnosperms and Economic Botany.

The Collections Manager reports to the Head of Botanical Collections and
will manage day-to-day activities in the Flowering Plant collection
including management of staff. The Collections Manager will work jointly
with curators to set long and short-term priorities for the Flowering Plant
collections and will also interact with other collections areas, research
scientists, exhibition developers, and education staff. The Collections
Manager will have opportunities to pursue research for up to a maximum of
20% of their work time and seek funding for collections improvements and
specimen-based research projects. The successful candidate will be
evaluated on the ability to promote, study, build, care for, and ensure
accessibility to the great wealth of specimens in the collection.

The Field Museum's Searle Herbarium is the fifth largest in the Western
Hemisphere and houses 2.5 million accessioned flowering plant specimens,
including nearly 40,000 types. Representation is worldwide, but
particularly strong in tropical Central and South America. The Central
American material is overall one of the world's finest single collections
with special strengths in Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. The South
American collections are quite extensive housing the world's best overcall
collections of Peruvian plants as well as important strengths in Brazil,
Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. A good representation in North American
taxa is found, especially for Missouri and Illinois. In addition the Field
Museum curates an extensive collection of approximately 2000 dried fruits,
large seeds, bark and other plant parts that generally are not accommodated
on herbarium specimens. The gymnosperm collection consists of approximately
12,000 collections, 1000 cones and 41 types. Field Museum also curates an
extensive Economic Botany Collection of over 12,000 specimens, uniquely
representing plant products and artifacts that complement the more
traditional herbarium collections. The Type Photograph Collection also
consists of more than 75,000 negatives dating back to the 1930's.

We are especially interested in candidates with a vision for making
collections accessible through digitization and the next frontiers in
natural history collections. Digitization efforts in the flowering plant
collection are ongoing, with over 600,000 currently available online. The
collection is a major research resource for the national and international
scientific communities. Containing unique material of special historical
and ecological significance, the collection is world-class in size as well
as taxonomic and geographic scope. Candidates with demonstrated leadership
abilities and experience are especially encouraged to apply.

Applications must include Cover Letter and a CV to be considered. The
review of applications will begin on January 10th, 2022.

Duties and Responsibilities

   - Managing digitization tasks including imaging specimens,
   georeferencing, species inventory, and development and evaluation of
   workflows and standards to ensure best practices
   - Incorporating new material into the collection, preparing, sorting,
   identifying, and cataloging specimens
   - Tracking and reporting metrics of collection use and growth
   - Managing the flowering plant collection budget with the Head of
   Botanical Collections
   - Coordinating an active loan program and on-site use of the collection
   by researchers
   - Participating in the museum’s public programming and promoting the
   mission of the museum and its fundraising goals
   - Supporting the museum’s commitment to increasing diversity, access,
   and inclusion across its programs
   - Training, mentorship, and supervision of staff, interns, and
   volunteers in the collection
   - Developing funding proposals to complete special projects and further
   the maintenance and development of the collection

Qualifications

   - Masters in Biology (with an emphasis in flowering plants) with at
   least 3 year's collections experience; Ph.D. (with an emphasis in flowering
   plants) desirable. A well-versed background in Botany is required,
   including familiarity with other herbaria and research;
   - Knowledge of taxonomic principles and herbarium collection management;
   - Strong organizational skills necessary to keep collections accessible;
   - Ample experience with collection databases, imaging systems, and data
   aggregators is required, as well as a strong history of managing
   digitization projects;
   - Working knowledge of international and domestic regulations for the
   shipment of specimens and requirements for packing loans;
   - Strong history of building and managing a diverse team of staff,
   interns, and volunteers.

Important Note: In order to protect the health and safety of our community,
employees, guests, and their families from COVID-19, the Field Museum is
requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to
provide proof of that status in order to maintain employment. Requests for
exemptions from employees with qualifying medical conditions or sincerely
held religious beliefs that prevent them from receiving a COVID-19
vaccination will be considered.


The Field Museum is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We
strive to create a working environment that is free of sexual, racial, and
ethnic discrimination, and one that promotes human dignity and mutual
respect among all staff. As such, it is the policy of the Field Museum to
hire without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex,
sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

The Field Museum strives to ensure that our career website and recruiting
process are accessible to all. If you are unable or limited in your ability
to use or access our online application, or if you require a reasonable
accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any
pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee
selection process, please direct your inquiries to
accessibility at fieldmuseum.org.
-- 

Matt von Konrat, Ph.D., FLS

Head of Botanical Collections, Gantz Family Collections Center

Adjunct Curator & McCarter Collections Manager (Bryophytes & Pteridophytes)

pronouns: he/him/his


O: 312.665.7864

Field Museum

1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive

Chicago, IL 60605

fieldmuseum.org


<http://fieldmuseum.org>