Postdoc Oppurtunity: Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship (Regular Full-Time)

Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship (Regular Full-Time)
Art of the Ancient Americas

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) announces a search for candidates for the Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship. This two-year fellowship in the museum’s Art of the Ancient Americas department will provide curatorial training and support scholarly research in connection with the permanent collection and related projects at LACMA. Striving to combine the strengths of academic art history and the art museum, this Fellowship is designed to attract exceptional emerging scholars to the curatorial field. The Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship supports the highest level of professional development, with opportunities to be fully integrated into all aspects of curatorial work, gain experience in research and cataloguing, exhibition organization, education and publications, conservation, public speaking, and provenance research. Major projects for the Fellow will include assisting in the preparation and installation of the department’s yearly rotation. During his or her first year the Fellow will work under the supervision of curatorial staff to research an aspect of the permanent collection for the following year’s rotation. He or she will work with related departments to prepare the rotation and associated programming. In addition, the fellow will assist curatorial staff with the research of upcoming exhibitions.

The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in pre-Columbian art history or related discipline. Candidates with field experience or familiarity with the region are strongly encouraged to apply. Proficiency in Spanish (reading and writing) is required. Excellent writing, organizational, and public speaking skills, together with a strong interest in the interpretation, care, and display of works of art, is essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively. The goal of this Fellowship is to provide opportunities for a talented scholar to learn how to translate their knowledge of ancient American cultures within the space of a museum. Graduates of the Fellowship program will be uniquely prepared to embark on curatorial careers.

The position starts in September 2015.  Compensation includes an annual stipend, benefits, and a travel allowance. Applicants must submit a cover letter that addresses interest in the Fellowship; a statement, not to exceed three pages, describing the applicant's research interests and their relation to the museum’s collections; a complete curriculum vitae; a published paper or other writing sample; and three sealed letters of recommendation.  All application materials should be combined in one envelope and must be received no later than June 15, 2015.  Hard copies only will be accepted.   

Please send application materials to:

Human Resources
RE: Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036