Jobleads-US is hiring: Media Arts Conservation Intern in San Francisco

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

SCHEDULE: Full Time, 35 hours/week, June 16 - August 15, 2025, approximately 5 days working onsite

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

The Elise S. Haas Conservation Department is charged with the preservation, conservation, research, and display of modern and contemporary artworks, and in the exploration and documentation of artists’ practice. Eight staff members (conservator, director, and preparator) work collaboratively in a shared studio space for five conservation disciplines (electronic media, objects, paintings, paper, and photography).

The art of our time necessitates new models of care for preservation and access, and SFMOMA conservators work collaboratively both intra- and inter-departmentally to address new challenges presented in unorthodox materials and emerging art-making methods. The scope of work encompasses activities across the preservation space to include treatment of art objects, documentation, exhibition installation, storage/ packing and transportation of artworks, environmental control, tracking acquisitions and outward loans, policy writing, and holistic care for the collection. The department cares for the Artist Materials Collection, representing the physical manifestations of artists’ practices and is displayed and housed on the in the center of the Conservation studio.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The intern will assist the conservation team to create a cohesive practice that can capture critical information of artwork’s lifecycle from accession, conservation to installation in a museum environment. The position will focus on organizing, archiving, digitizing, and sharing conservation records and documentation within the conservation team and across the museum.

PROJECT PLAN

Over the 9-week program, the Conservation Intern will:

1. Engaging in conversations with conservators to understand different needs and workflows for documentation.
2. Assisting with archiving and organizing conservation records and documentation from artist interview recordings to video documentation of complex installation.
3. Collecting and digitizing critical records (such as installation instructions) and make them available to other stakeholders within the museum.
4. Participating in cross departmental meetings to gain a better understanding of museum’s existing workflows so that they will be able to help identify potential knowledge gap and needs.
5. Assisting the team to create photo and video documentation as needed.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Contemporary art conservation requires collaborations from multiple disciplines and the conservators also work closely with the artist or artist studio. The experience will provide an opportunity for the intern to bridge the knowledge gap between conservation, registration, and curatorial. It will provide an overview of conservator’s roles in acquiring, preserving, and installing contemporary art. From artist interviews to video documentation, the intern will learn how conservators utilize different documentation tools to gain critical information. They will contribute to the planning of information retrieval for long-term collection stewardship.

ADDITIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMING

The Summer 2025 Internship will offer 9 weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

1. Applicants must be currently enrolled in school or a recent graduate. SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.
2. Interest in modern and contemporary art and its care.
3. Foundational understanding of standard conservation terminology, practices, and materials and ability to communicate clearly in writing and conversation.
4. Familiarity with preventative conservation practices.

**Current SFMOMA employees are not eligible to apply for the Summer 2025 internship.**

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Completed application via SFMOMA's job site.
2. Resume.
3. Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest. Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.
4. Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or former employer.
5. College transcript: Transcripts can be unofficial but need to be legible.

Application Deadline: March 14, 2025

You do not need separate letters of recommendation for each intern application - please just let each of the recommenders know which internships (up to 3) you're applying to and we'll review those two letters across all of your internship applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal or state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at talent@sfmoma.org.

#J-18808-Ljbffr