Curator of Anthropology Collections

The Cornell Department of Anthropology invites applications for a full-time Lecturer/Senior Lecturer position (rank will be based on experience) curating the Cornell Anthropology/Cornell Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies (CIAMS) collections. We seek a curator whose practice demonstrates an engagement with ongoing conversations about the decolonization of collections, collecting practices, and the discipline more broadly and who seeks to extend current concerns with heritage, survivance, repatriation, and reparations into the context of a large teaching and research collection. The collections include almost 20,000 items assembled from many parts of the world, ranging from stone tools from the Lower Paleolithic to 21st century ethnographic materials. Responsibilities include: ongoing care and preservation of the collection; upgrading and maintaining the catalogue, database and tracking system; photographing and digitizing the collections and making them available through the relevant web portals; ensuring that the Anthropology/CIAMS Collections continue to comply with NAGPRA and repatriation requirements; and determining the needs of the permanent collection. Responsibilities will also include joining the current curator in presiding over the packing, moving, and storage/maintenance of the Collections during the Collections’ upcoming move from McGraw Hall and then setting up the new Collections space in Olin Library. In addition to these curatorial duties, the position entails teaching and advising anthropology and archaeology students. The normal teaching load would be one course per year. The curator will have outreach responsibilities including making the collections available for visits or use by faculty, alumni, donors, classes, and community organizations. The curator will also facilitate requests for loans and write grants for conservation and other specialized projects. 

Interested applicants are expected to have a Master’s degree, PhD preferred (commensurate with teaching and advising expectations) as well as curatorial experience. We are particularly interested in applicants who can demonstrate a commitment to bringing collections into the classroom and into our community engagements, including new media and multimodal engagements.

Electronic submission of applications is required.  Interested applicants should submit the following to Academic Jobs online:

1. A cover letter detailing qualifications, interests, and experience;
2. A full curriculum vitae;
3. We ask applicants for all faculty positions to share their experiences and/or approaches (past, current, or future) to fostering learning, research, service, and/or outreach in a diverse community. Applicants may choose to submit a stand-alone statement or embed the information in other parts of their application materials.
4. The names of three references (to be contacted pending advancement in the search)

Pay Range: $49,700 - $164,000 Actual salary offers in the College of Arts and Sciences will be based on education, experience, discipline, and relevant skills.