Paleontology Collections Assistant

The Paleontology Collections Assistant (PCA) will be focused on the digitization, reorganization and rehousing of the Wannagan Creek fossil collection.

Should assistance of volunteers become possible, the Paleontology Collections Assistant (PCA) would also serve as their supervisor for the project.

The PCA will also actively participate in outreach stemming from the Wannagan Collection virtually, and if possible in-person as well.

This a temporary position funded through June 2025

Job Duties and Responsibilities :

• Organize the Wannagan Creek fossil collection, moving specimens within the collections vault as needed.
• Transcribe data from specimen labels and documents.
• Manage paleontology specimen database, including creating new data fields as needed.
• Specimen photography.
• Creating cavity mounts.
• Rehousing objects using archival-grade materials.
• Evaluate specimens’ need for further preparation and triage the work in coordination with the Paleontology Lab Manager and Fitzpatrick Chair of Paleontology.
• Should volunteers be allowed to assist, train and supervise them to help the project.
• Participate in regular social media posts utilizing the fossils of the Wannagan collection.
• Participate in any outreach opportunities through SMM, focused on material from Wannagan.
• Ordering relevant supplies as needed.
• Make storage cradles for large fossils using fiberglass and other traditional methods, as well as training volunteers to assist with this.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Competencies :

• Communication : Expresses oneself clearly in conversations and interactions and ensures that information is shared with others who should be informed.
• Collaboration : Develops, maintains, and strengthens partnerships with others inside or outside the organization with a mutual commitment to an equity focus.

Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, and trust; ability to handle highly confidential information.

Customer Service : Demonstrates an understanding of the SMM mission by ensuring that their own interactions with internal and external stakeholders consistently support the mission.

Intuitive mindset, creative aptitude, and effective use of discretion and independent judgment; able to look beyond the assigned task and consider tangential and collateral connections, problems, opportunities, and possibilities.

Fostering an Inclusive Community : Contributes to a museum environment and people that reflect and respond to communities' diverse needs and cultures (internal and external).

Models and advocates just, anti-racist, equity-focused, and inclusive collaborations in all of the Museum’s endeavors.

Results Orientation : Focuses on providing a best-in-class experience through work outcomes by meeting personal and organizational work objectives.

Minimum Qualifications :

• Education : Bachelor’s degree in earth science, museum studies, or other related field.
• Experience : Must have a valid driver's license. Proven and demonstrated experience working in a museum collection and / or with fossils.

Proven and demonstrated experience in communicating paleontology to the public.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Master’s degree valued but not required.
• Professional experience working in museum paleontology collections is valued but not required.
• Cultural competency and experience working with diverse communities.
• Willingness to be open and respectful of all backgrounds.
• Fluency in language(s) other than English valued (Hmong, Somali, Spanish).

Certifications : N / A

Physical Requirements : Be able to lift up to 10 lbs. and sit for long periods.

Work Environment : Collections setting working with the paleontology curator, lab manager and museum volunteers. Periodic outreach at SMM, but also within the community including local travel

Starting Compensation : $40,495 - $43,832 / year (Grade 4)

Duration : This a temporary position funded through June 2025

We exist to turn on the science and inspire learning, inform policy and improve lives. We envision a world in which all people have the power to use science to make lives better.

We value science as an essential literacy and strive for inclusion inside and out so that our museum and our people reflect and respond to the diverse needs and cultures of our community.

It is the museum’s policy and practice to hire and promote qualified job seekers from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

We offer benefit packages to full-time and part-time employees.