Job ID: 324832
Job Title: Bell Museum – Herbarium Collections Manager
Job Code: 9740
Location: Twin Cities
Empl Group: Acad Prof and Admin
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Qualifications
Essential Qualifications:
1. M.Sc. Degree in botany, plant systematics, plant ecology, or related fields.
2. Knowledge of herbarium practices and procedures.
3. Experience with specimen digitization and databases. Ability to learn new programs and platforms.
4. High level of organization and attention to detail.
5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
6. Ability to train and lead a team of volunteers and students.
Preferred Qualifications:
1. Ph.D. Degree in botany, plant systematics, plant ecology, or related fields.
2. A minimum of one academic year of demonstrated herbarium curatorial experience.
3. Knowledge of plant, algal, lichen, or fungal taxonomy and nomenclature.
4. Familiarity with upper midwest flora.
5. Previous experience of public outreach activities.
About the Job
Position Overview:
This position is responsible for the management, preservation, accessibility, and outreach activities of the University of Minnesota Herbarium (MIN) in the Bell Museum. The duties include:
1. Specimen acquisition, research and classroom loans, exchanges inventory and record keeping, and collection conservation (pest control, specimen repair, etc.).
2. Support specimen databases and digitization projects.
3. Support the use of the collection in specimen-based research by faculty, staff and students.
4. Arrange appointments for visitors; providing orientation to new visitors, assisting visitors, and developing and implementing visitor and usage policies.
5. Train and lead a team of students and volunteers working with databases, specimen curation and scientific outreach projects.
6. Provide taxonomic expertise through plant identification services and responding to information requests from the University, government agencies, and the public.
7. Promote the visibility of the herbarium collection through public engagement activities such as tours, presentations, and assist with relevant Bell Museum programing.
Major Areas of Accountability:
Collection Management – 60%
General collection management:
1. Maintain standard operating procedures for use and improvement of the herbarium collections.
2. Arrange for proper storage of specimens, including the use of appropriate archival materials, climate control, and pest control.
3. Perform specimen identifications, update records according to current nomenclature, and maintain type collections.
4. Process and maintain records of loan requests for research, classroom instruction, and exhibitions in accord with standard operating procedures.
5. Arrange for repairs of specimens, cabinets, and other herbarium equipment.
6. Evaluate the quality and appropriateness of submitted specimens and catalog new accessions.
7. Facilitate specimen exchange and curatorial projects.
Database management:
1. Maintain standard operating procedures for use and improvement of collections databases.
2. Oversee quality control, improvements and expansions of specimen records in the collections databases including digitization.
3. Coordinate publication of herbarium collections databases to regional, national and international data portals.
4. Coordinate maintenance and repair of database infrastructure with information technology specialists.
Training:
1. Train and support users of collections databases including curators, students, researchers and volunteers in specimen digitization, data entry, editing and access.
2. Train curatorial assistants, students, researchers and volunteers in curatorial procedures and best practices in handling specimens.
3. Train and share protocols for specimen collection, preparation and storage with students, researchers, professionals, and the general public.
Outreach – 30%
1. Provide taxonomic expertise through species identification services and respond to information requests from researchers, agencies, and the public.
2. Participate in regional, national and international efforts to document and preserve biodiversity.
3. Coordinate tours of the collections with Bell Museum staff for school groups, University courses, organizations and the public.
4. Promote the visibility of the herbarium collection through public outreach activities such as tours, presentations, and through Bell Museum programming.
Service – 10%
1. Serve on relevant Bell Museum, CFANS, and University committees.
2. Provide service as requested by the professional botanical community.
About the Department
The mission of the Bell Museum is to ignite curiosity and wonder, explore our connections to nature and the universe, and create a better future for our evolving world.
For over 140 years, the Bell Museum has collected, preserved, interpreted, and displayed the natural history of Minnesota as the state’s official natural history museum. As the museum prepares to open a new museum building in summer 2018, its role is expanding to become the gateway to the sciences at the University of Minnesota. While natural history remains a bedrock for the Bell, astronomy and space science, health and medicine, the environment, and other subject areas afford the Bell opportunities for new partnerships and the development of new experiences for public science engagement.
Original posting / application information: Visit the U of M Jobs page and search for Job ID# 324832