Collections Officer

Job Summary

The City of Pickering is seeking a dedicated and motivated individual to join our team in the role of Collections Officer.

The Pickering Museum Village is home to over 10,000 artifacts which represent our community from earliest habitation to 40 years prior to the current date. The Collections Officer will work with the Conservator to inventory, catalogue and preserve these artifacts for future generations.

Primary Responsibilities

·         The Collections Officer will work with senior staff to develop a plan for how to organize, inventory, tag and pack the collections that will move from the Conservation Building to the new storage facility in PHCC. The Collections Officer will work with senior museum staff to develop a process to inventory 4 heritage buildings on site. S/he will provide regular updates as to the status of the inventory.

·         Conduct inventories of 4 buildings on site, including photographing objects as needed, basic condition reporting and ensuring database is up to date.

·        The Collections Officer will communicate project plans, problems and adjustment to staff. S/he will work with a team to understand how programs, events or other priorities at the museum may impact the project plan. The Collections Officer will report on progress so that all staff are kept informed.

·        Document artifact information, perform related research, photograph artifacts and update collections records in the database. The Collections Officer will conduct research, minor cleaning and photography of artifacts. Documenting, inventorying and tracking artifact moves will be part of this project. The Collection Officer will write recommendations for deaccession and a final report as part of this project.

Education and Experience

·        Post-secondary education in Conservation, Museums or demonstrated work experience.

·        6 months’ experience (volunteer and course work eligible) in Collections and Conservation work, including cataloguing, identifying pests, damage and performing artifact cleaning.

·        Experience in packing and moving collections an asset.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

·        Knowledge of Past Perfect 5.0 is an asset.

·        Ability to work independently is essential.

·        A strong knowledge of health and safety, especially in working with the possibility of pests and organic waste. Basic occupational health and safety required. Demonstrated ability to identify and mitigate hazards is required.

·        This position requires physical exertion to pack artifacts. An ability to lift up to 25 lbs is required.

·        Ability to work effectively to complete the project in the time provided is essential.

Important Information:

This position is funded in part through the Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage program, and all applicants must be registered in the YCW candidate pool and meet the current YCW-BCH eligibility criteria. An individual may be eligible for an internship if they:

·        Are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident or have refugee status in Canada (non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent status are not eligible).

·        Are legally entitled to work in Canada.

·        Are between 16 and 30 years of age at the start of employment.

•         Are willing to commit to the full duration of the work assignment.

·        Will not have another full-time job (over 30 hours a week) while employed with the program.

·        Are unemployed or underemployed.

·        Are a college or university graduate.

·        Are not receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits while employed with the program. 

Note: Priority will be given to graduates that have not previously participated in YCW internship programs.

Qualified candidates may complete an online application form where you will be required to upload your resume and cover letter (PDFs only). We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, personal information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act and is used for the purpose of candidate selection.