Assistant Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Our Mission

The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to inspire curiosity about, and enjoyment and understanding of, the visual arts by collecting, conserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of outstanding quality and historical importance and is one of four programs of the J. Paul Getty Trust. The Museum operates two facilities, the Getty Villa in Malibu, which exhibits its collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, and the Getty Center in Brentwood, which displays its collections of European art: Medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, drawings to 1900, and photography to the present day (including non-European works). The Museum mounts approximately 25 temporary exhibitions a year across its two sites; maintains an annual permanent gallery improvement program, and offers wide-ranging and ambitious programming for its visitors.

The Opportunity

The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks a qualified Assistant Curator with expertise in European Decorative Arts to join the Department of Sculpture and Decorative Arts. Reporting directly to the Senior Curator of Sculpture and Decorative arts, the Assistant Curator will assist in developing, displaying, maintaining, and managing the decorative arts collection within their area of expertise, working collaboratively with colleagues and under the guidance of senior curators. This is a full-time position within the curatorial team responsible for the Getty's collection of European sculpture and decorative arts from the Middle Ages through 1900. The successful candidate will have a strong academic background and an established record of publications in European decorative arts of these periods. Ideally, the candidate would be a specialist in French or Italian decorative arts dating from 1650-1800. Responsibilities include developing engaging displays and interpretive materials for the collection during the redesign of the permanent galleries, conducting research and scholarly study of artworks, maintaining and updating the online catalogue, proposing exhibitions and research projects, recommending acquisitions, and collaborating with museum colleagues, scholars, dealers, and auctioneers. The ideal candidate will be passionate about connoisseurship and archival research, committed to shaping the future of the collection through thoughtful display, gifts, and acquisitions, and eager to work as part of a team. They will collaborate closely with other curators in the department, colleagues across the Museum, and programs throughout the Getty, and demonstrate a strong dedication to the Museum's mission of public engagement and outreach.

• Applies advanced knowledge of art history and art education to curatorial assignments of moderate complexity
• Performs scholarly research on the Decorative Arts collection
• May develop gallery installations and organize smaller exhibitions in collaboration with contributing departments
• Travels and networks internationally to develop partnerships with other museums
• Publishes and lectures in area of specialization
• Manages day-to-day operations of assigned collections, including consultation with conservators, inputting information in the database, updating the information for the online collection pages, answering inquiries about the collection, giving collection tours for educators, docents, scholars, and the general public
• May research and propose acquisitions and donations for the collections in collaboration with curators and participate in the preparation of acquisition proposals
• Collaborates in research projects; serves as a resource to scholars, visitors and staff and develops relationships with outside institutions and professionals to foster cross-institutional initiatives
• Contributes to the development of interpretive programming, including public and educational programs, digital media and social media
• Other duties as assigned
• Foster and maintain good working relationships with colleagues from other institutions in the U.S. and abroad as well as with the scholarly community, dealers and collectors

• Master's degree in art history, art or art education OR 2-4 yrs of curatorial experience OR Ph.D.
• Fluency in at least one foreign language (modern or ancient) required
• Competent to work in most curatorial functions

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for Getty, without the need for current or future visa sponsorship.

• Demonstrated experience with art historical research and writing
• Proven interest in the field
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills
• Ability to communicate and distill information for diverse audiences in print and online
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and collaborate with teams across disciplines
• Excellent knowledge of collection management and digital asset management tools, in particular the TMS database system

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan - with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.