DAC Imaging Project Specialists (June-July 2013)

Description

Two Davison Art Center Imaging Project Specialists will prepare images and metadata in connection with rapid digital photography of original prints for a fixed term of six weeks beginning June 17, 2013, working 36 hours per week. These temporary positions report to the DAC Manager of Museum Information Services, who directs the project. All work will take place at the Davison Art Center. The term of work will commence June 17 and entail 36 hours each week (Monday–Thursday, 8:30–12:30 and 1:00–6:00; no work on July 4 or on Fridays), through July 25, 2013. Pay range will be $18.00–$25.00 per hour, based on experience and qualifications.

Responsibilities include:

• Work in a precise, efficient, and collegial manner as part of a small team of project employees, collaborating closely with a fellow Imaging Project Specialist, the Imaging Project Photographer, and undergraduate employees.
• Process images (rotate, crop, etc.) following standard DAC workflows with great consistency and attention to detail.
• Check certain cataloging metadata for photographed objects against published standards and follow procedures for handling or referring any apparently needed updates.
• Embed metadata, including descriptive metadata from the DAC’s collection management system, into image files; update that system’s information about those image files; and perform other standard procedures with metadata.
• Confirm the quality of images and associated metadata.
• Execute standard procedures to prepare images for DAC Collection Search and DAC Open Access Images online.
• If and as may be requested as the project proceeds, flexibly shift to performing other project functions.

Minimum Qualifications
B.A./B.S., ideally in a related arts, humanities, or technical field. Ability to work with extreme attention to procedural detail and to the quality of images and metadata. Ability to work collegially in a small team with ambitious production goals. Familiarity with standards-based metadata work, and a willingness to learn and apply such community standards in locally directed ways. Experience with color-managed image processing in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and/or other software. Ability to work efficiently in Mac OS X.

Competencies:

• Functional/technical skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills/savvy
• Teamwork/collaboration
• Integrity and trust
• Organizational skills
• Time management

Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree or some Master’s coursework in museum or library studies, or in information or imaging science, or equivalent professional experience. History of work with reproductive images of original prints, rapid-capture workflows, technical image metadata, and/or handling of matted works of art on paper. Experience using a museum collection information system, ideally EmbARK. Familiarity with museum cataloging authorities such as the Union List of Artist Names. Ability to lift art storage boxes weighing as much or more than 40 pounds may be useful, but is not required. A history of involvement with a technically engaged professional community in the cultural heritage sector would be a plus, as would a reading knowledge of Italian and/or French in an art historical context.