Position: Curator of Education and Engagement

Deadline: Open Until Filled (Review of Applications will begin on November 10, 2025)

Pay Grade: Open Rank (30E-32E)

CONTEXT OF JOB:

Are you a passionate and collaborative educator who is dedicated to interdisciplinary teaching and object-based learning? Join the Museums in the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press as the Curator of Education and Engagement.

In this role, you’ll develop and lead educational initiatives for the Museums and work to strengthen the academic role of the Museums on campus. You will serve as the primary liaison with university faculty and regularly lead class sessions involving the art collections. You will also collaborate on the development of educational programs involving both the art and mineral collections. This role requires occasional evening and weekend hours.

The University’s Museums, part of the Library, Museums and Press, includes exhibition spaces dedicated to art and minerals. Focus areas of the art collections include the art of the United States with significant representations of African American art; modern and contemporary Indigenous art; photography; European printmaking; sculpture; contemporary and modern art; and examples of work by regional artists including art by alumni and faculty of the University. The University also houses a renowned collection of minerals, as well as meteorites, gems, and carvings, in our Mineralogical Museum.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Teaching and Faculty Outreach

• Frequently lead or co-facilitate discussion-based class sessions in the museum galleries or study rooms.
• Assist faculty in selecting artworks for class sessions and installations in the Museums study rooms.
• Facilitate faculty access to Museums exhibitions and collections, collaborating with collections staff as necessary.
• Collaborate with curator(s) and faculty on the development of student-curated exhibitions.
• Serve as a liaison between Museums and the University faculty.

Programming and Visitor Engagement

• Develop and manage innovative educational programs around collections and exhibitions in multiple campus locations including Old College Gallery, Mechanical Hall Gallery and the Mineralogical Museum in Penny Hall.
• Develop programs and strategies to introduce the campus community to the Museums.
• Collaborate with curator(s) and designer(s) to create engaging and accessible interpretive materials, such as wall texts, gallery guides, or multimedia content.
• Work with museum staff to train student workers on exhibition content and visitor engagement strategies.
• Build and maintain relationships with Library, Museums and Press colleagues and a diverse range of faculty, staff, and community partners.

Other

• Contribute to Museums data collection and assessment program.
• Engage actively with the broader museum community through conferences, workshops, and/or professional networks.
• Maintain awareness of evolving pedagogical approaches, accessibility standards, and visitor engagement strategies.
• May mentor and/or supervise staff, graduate students, or undergraduate students Perform other job-related duties, including serving on Library, Museums, and Press committees and task forces, as assigned.

APPOINTMENT:

• This position will be filled at one of three levels depending on candidate experience.
• Appointment in rank based on relevant professional experience (Senior Assistant Curator, pay grade 30E; Associate Curator, pay grade 31E; or Curator, pay grade 32E). This position is part of the librarian career ladder governed by the University of Delaware Library Rank and Promotion System which guides professional development and advancement.
• The level of consideration and associated responsibilities will be confirmed prior to interview scheduling. 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Masters degree in Art History, studio art, museum education, a related discipline with a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience, including teaching undergraduate students in an academic or museum setting Strong knowledge of art history and visual literacy, with the ability to interpret and teach from original works of art.
• Ability to make interdisciplinary connections and foster engagement with a variety of collections, including artworks, minerals, and material culture objects.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, both working independently and collaboratively in a team-based environment. 
• Supervisory experience, preferred. 
• Ability to work during evening and weekend hours, as needed.

General information: The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press (Library) is committed to student success, scholarly research, and inclusive excellence. The Library collaborates with strategic campus partners to achieve these priorities, as well as with national professional organizations including the Association of Research Libraries, Center for Research Libraries, Coalition for Networked Information, Council on Library and Information Resources, Digital Library Federation, OCLC Research Partnership, SPARC, HathiTrust, the National Digital Stewardship Alliance, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM, Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, the American Alliance of Museums, and the ACRL Diversity Alliance.

Benefits: One of the best benefits packages in the nation, including 25 vacation days, 18 sick days, generous 403(b) retirement plan, tuition remission for dependents and spouses, and course fee waiver for employees. Full information about University of Delaware benefits is available at: www.udel.edu/benefits/.