Although it is now time for me to step down as President, colleagues and friends will have plenty of opportunities to see me around. WCG’s programming will take a short break over the summer, but I am looking forward to welcoming familiar faces and new faces to our meetings when they restart in the fall. Speaking of the upcoming schedule, please mark the following dates on your calendars:

• Saturday, October 31 (WCG event): A half-day “Preservation of Heirlooms and Family Archives” clinic will be organized in partnership with the Army Historical Foundation. This program will be hosted at the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. WCG’s call for volunteers will be released at the beginning of next season. 
• Monday & Tuesday, November 9–10 (Smithsonian event): An inaugural “Cultural Heritage Emergencies Summit” aims to provide a platform for cultural stewards in the DC region to examine preparedness strategies, discuss how to speed recovery, and strategize about how to save heritage that might otherwise be lost. This symposium will be held at the Arts & Industries Building in Washington, DC.

Another exciting announcement for me to share is that the Washington Conservation Guild will keep moving forward under the guidance of our new President, Sara Becker. I have enjoyed working closely with her over the past couple of years, and I will continue to support her leadership as I transition to Head of the Nominating Committee. If you or someone you know might want to join us as a new Board volunteer for the 2026/2027 Season, please feel welcome to send me an e-mail at nominating@washingtonconservationguild.org.

Yours in Service,

Keara Teeter (she/her)

Outgoing President, Washington Conservation Guild

The post Letter from the Outgoing President of the Washington Conservation Guild appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

Pay/Hours/Benefits: This is a full-time, salaried position with a pay range of $102,415.00 – $133,142.00 per annum. This is a trust funded position which does not confer competitive federal status to the incumbent. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, etc.

Institution/Working Address: Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20004.

Application Deadline: Application due by June 29th, 2026

Brief Description:

This position serves as an Objects Conservator within the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research with the responsibility to independently plan, coordinate and execute conservation examination, treatment, documentation, and preventative conservation activities in support of the National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) exhibitions, loans, acquisitions, and long-term collections stewardship priorities. The role functions as a principal technical advisor to curators, registrars, collections management, exhibition staff, and other stakeholders regarding the safe handling, packing, transport, storage, display, and environmental requirements of objects and develops recommendations that mitigate risk and ensure compliance with museum and Smithsonian standards. The incumbent is supervised by the Welch Head, Department of Conservation and Scientific Research. 

Contact Info/Link to Online Application: 

Museum Specialist IS-1016-12 – Washington, DC | National Museum of Asian Art Careers

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Pay/Hours/Benefits: The award will be a Firm-Fixed Price contract. The firm-fixed price shall include all direct and indirect costs necessary to complete the requirements as outlined in the SOW, over the course of 2087 hours, for the services to be completed by June 22, 2027.

Institution: Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20013-7012

Application Deadline: Bids are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday June 20, 2026.

Brief Description: 

This Request for Quote (RFQ) has been issued by the Smithsonian Libraries & Archives (SLA), Smithsonian Institution (SI), for technical professional conservation services in accordance with the following Statement of Work (SOW).

Contact Info/Link to Online Application: 

Questions regarding this Request for Quote must be submitted in writing to Katie
Wagner at wagnerkc@si.edu. By June 12, 2026. All questions having impact on the RFQ
will be issued to all vendors via email.

Quotes and supporting materials are due by 5:00 PM, June 20, 2026.
Responses should be emailed to:
Katie Wagner
Smithsonian Libraries & Archives
Phone: 301-238-1890
wagnerkc@si.edu

The post Contract Opportunity: Smithsonian Libraries and Archives appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

Pay/Hours/Benefits: This is a full-time, salaried position with a pay range of $121,785.00 – $158,322.00 per annum. This is a private funded position which does not confer competitive federal status to the incumbent. The selected candidate will be eligible for the federal government employee benefits package.

Institution/Working Address: National Gallery of Art, West Building. 6th St and Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565

Application Deadline: Application due by May 28th, 2026

Brief Description:

Duties for this position include:
Serve as the main point of contact for activities related to the display and care of the collection, specifically institutional loans through the Across the Nation (ATN) initiative.
Performs both major and minor conservation treatments on works of art, focusing on loans featured in the Across the Nation initiative.

Evaluate facility reports and assess works of art requested by other institutions for loan under the initiative, making recommendations concerning their fitness for travel. Inspect works of art on loan to the Gallery and carry out authorized treatments as needed.

Analyze works of art and produce technical analyses for inclusion in Gallery catalogs or publications related to the initiative. Ensure proper handling and storage of hazardous materials.
Advises and assists less experienced members of the staff, contract employees, fellows, and interns with treatment-related matters involving the Across the Nation (ATN) initiative.

Conducts research on artists’ methods and materials in support of conservation, especially as it relates to the Gallery’s collection and the Across the Nation initiative.

Contact Info/Link to Online Application: 

USAJOBS – Job Announcement

The post Paintings Conservator (National Gallery of Art) appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

Pay/Hours/Benefits: This is a full-time term-limited contract for one year, with the possibility to extend on an annual basis for a total of three, one-year terms. The position pays $27.50 per hour.

Institution/Working Address: The main work location will be at the C&O Canal National Historical Park’s headquarters in Williamsport, Maryland. Some travel to the Museum Resource Center in North Englewood, Maryland, and some locations throughout the park will be required. The C&O Canal includes 184.5 miles along the Potomac River and touches many communities. Mileage reimbursements are offered.

Application Deadline: For priority consideration all application materials must be submitted by May 22nd, 2026. However, applications will be considered until the position is filled so applications will be accepted past the aforementioned deadline as long as the position is open.

Brief Description:

The Museum and Archives Technician will assist the C&O Canal’s Museum Curator in managing a collection of approximately 170,000 items. All work follows National Park Service standards outlined in the NPS Museum Handbook, Vols. I– III, American Alliance of Museums standards, and applicable federal policies. The position reports to the C&O Canal Cultural Resources Program Manager, with the Museum Curator serving as the onsite technical advisor.

The C&O Canal preserves and interprets the story of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, one of the 19th century’s most significant engineering achievements. Constructed between 1828 and 1850, the canal runs 184.5 miles from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland, passing through urban neighborhoods, small towns, farmland, and undeveloped landscapes.

Primary Duties:
● Assess, arrange, process, catalog, and store archival materials; prepare finding aids
● Distinguish and separate materials that fall under Records Management and not museum archives
● Conduct cleanup and reconciliation of data migrated to the newly implemented Collections
Management System (CMS)
● Resolve legacy cataloging issues, including vocabulary consistency, terminology accuracy, and spelling
● Assist with image file management, metadata creation, and migration to the new Digital Asset
Management System (DAMS)
● Identify, catalog, and properly rehouse archeological documentation
● Process uncataloged museum objects and enter new records into the CMS
● Digitize museum objects through photography, scanning, and metadata application
● Participate in cross-divisional teams to support online exhibit development
● Conduct annual inventory of museum collections
● Perform basic conservation and integrated pest management duties
● Follow all safety protocols and environmental monitoring procedures
● Other duties as assigned, based on park needs and the technician’s expertise

Contact Info/Link to Online Application: 

Museum and Archives Technician | National Council on Public History

Required application materials are as listed:

● Statement of interest (up to 1,000 words) describing your interest in museum and archival
work and your qualifications
● Resume including educational background, professional experience, and relevant skills
● Contact information for three professional references

The post Museum and Archives Technician (C&O Canal National Historical Park) appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

Pay/Hours/Benefits: This is a full-time, salaried position with a pay range of $64,241 – $86,971.78 per annum. GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.

Institution/Working Address: The George Washington University Museum & The Textile Museum, The Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center (AFCCRC), 44930 Knoll Square, Ashburn, VA 20147.

Application Deadline: No deadline listed on the job advert.

Brief Description:

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum fosters the study and appreciation of art, history, and culture—both within the university and throughout the global community. The Textile Museum is an institution with a nearly one-hundred-year history, an established audience, and a respected collection of textile art representing six continents and five millennia. The conservation lab began practice in the late 1920s.

GW is currently seeking an Associate Conservator to join The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. The successful candidate will work within the conservation department and in close collaboration with other museum departments, including curatorial and exhibition production, collections management, education, communications, and advancement. Work is required at both the Foggy Bottom and Ashburn, Virginia Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center (AFCCRC) facilities.

The associate conservator’s main duties are in exhibition and outgoing loan preparation, and in preventive collections care. Supporting the museum’s priorities in emerging professional education, outreach, and collections-based research is also an important focus for the position.  

Contact Info/Link to Online Application: 

George Washington Employment Site | Associate Conservator

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March 28, 2026

On Saturday, March 28th, our members gathered for a morning full of hands-on exploration into the art of natural dyeing, working with marigold flowers to produce a range of vibrant yellow bandanas. Under the guidance of textile artist and instructor Fatima Janneh, we were introduced not only to the practical steps of the dye process, but also to the material properties that make plant-based dyes so fascinating.

We began with a discussion of what natural dyeing entails. Plant-based dyeing involves extracting pigments from materials such as flowers, leaves, bark, and roots by simmering them in water to create a dye bath. Common sources include onion skins, turmeric, beets, and marigolds—which produce yellows and oranges—as well as indigo and red cabbage, which can yield blues and purples under the right conditions. 

For this workshop, we worked with marigold flowers, which are particularly rich in pigments that produce warm, golden hues. However, Fatima also explained how other colors can be achieved. She noted that certain colors (especially “true” black and green) can be more challenging to achieve with natural dyes. Green, for instance, is not typically obtained directly from a single plant dye in a stable way; instead, it is often created through layering processes. An example of one common method is to first dye a textile yellow (as we did with marigolds), and then over dye it in an indigo bath. Indigo, unlike most plant dyes, requires a reduction process to become soluble in water, so once the fabric is dipped and then exposed to air, oxidation develops the blue color. When combined with the underlying yellow, the result is a range of greens.

It was emphasized that for a successful dye process—particularly on cellulose fibers like cotton, which do not readily bind with natural dyes in the way protein fibers such as wool or silk do—a number of additional materials, called mordants and modifiers, are required. It was also highlighted that synthetic fibers like acrylic are essentially plastic and  these polymers do not absorb plant dyes well at all, often resulting in little to no color uptake. This makes fiber choice an important first consideration in any natural dye process. Meanwhile, mordants such as alum help bind the dye to the fiber, improving both the intensity and longevity of the color. Modifiers, including substances like iron or vinegar, can be introduced during or after dyeing to shift the final hue; dulling, darkening, or otherwise altering the color in subtle or dramatic ways. Thus, our 100% cotton bandanas were pre-treated following these key steps prior to immersion dying:

1. Scouring (cleaning the textiles): This initial step removes any oils, residues, or impurities from the fabric that might prevent even dye absorption or cause unwanted staining.
2. Mordanting: This stage prepares the fiber to better accept the dye by creating sites within the material that can chemically bond with the pigment. For plant-based fibers, like cotton, this often involves the use of tannins followed by a mordant such as aluminum acetate. Unlike some processes, mordanting does not necessarily require heat and can be approached either scientifically (by calculating ratios based on the weight of the fiber) or more intuitively. Fatima shared that alum is commonly used for protein fibers like wool and silk, while aluminum acetate is generally preferred for cellulose fibers, like our bandana.
3. Chalk bath (calcium carbonate): This step helps to adjust the pH of the fabric and can influence how the dye ultimately appears. The bath can be warm but does not need to be especially hot to be effective.

While a pot of water was set to heat with an intuitive amount of marigold extract by Fatima to prepare the dye bath, we began designing our bandanas using a variety of tying techniques. Each member approached this step differently—folding, twisting, and binding the fabric according to their own creative instincts. Rubber bands and wooden clothespins were used to secure areas of the cloth that would resist the dye, ultimately shaping how the color would penetrate the fabric. These resist methods produced a wide range of patterns, from more tightly controlled geometric designs to loose, organic compositions.

With our pieces prepared, we submerged them into the marigold dye bath and allowed the color to develop for approximately 20 minutes per batch. Because of the size of the group, we worked in two rounds, which provided time to step back, observe one another’s processes, and talk more broadly about techniques, conservation, and related interests. For those aiming to achieve a deeper, more saturated yellow, some participants chose to dip their bandanas a second time, extending their total time in the dye bath to around 40 minutes. We wrote our names on a piece of tape with a Sharpie to easily identify our abstractly tied bandana throughout the process.

After sufficient soaking, the bandanas were removed and rinsed to remove excess dye and marigold residue. We then began taking off the pins and rubber bands to unwrap and reveal the finished patterns. Watching the transformation was one of the most satisfying parts of the workshop: everyone had created a completely unique design, often shaped as much by chance as by intention, highlighting the beautiful result of natural dyeing.

Throughout the process, Fatima shared lots of interesting factoids, offering encouragement to experiment while answering a wide range of questions from our members. Conversations moved easily between knitting practices and dye techniques, as well as the stability of natural pigments. We also talked about how everyday factors, like water and temperature, can really influence results. For example, water composition varies depending on geography; some places have higher levels of minerals or chlorine, which can subtly shift how colors develop and bond to the fabric. 

For those curious to keep experimenting, Fatima shared with us two resources she turns to for learning more about natural dyeing:

• The Art and Science of Natural Dyes: Principles, Experiments, and Results, written by a textile engineer and chemist Joy Boutrup and textile artist and practitioner Catharine Ellis
• The Canadian website Maiwa, where information about natural dyes, mordants and tannins, extracts, raw materials, additives, and more can be found. They have a school of textiles (offering courses and workshops), a journal, and a store.

This was a Washington Conservation Guild member event for the 2025-2026 season. Thank you to Fatima for sharing her knowledge, and to all of our members for participating. A special thank you to our host and treasurer Kaitlyn Munro Seymour for providing a space where we could be creative and a little messy!

By Daniella Briceño Villamil, Outreach/ Member Events Coordinator

The post Workshop Review: Natural Dye Workshop with Fatima Janneh appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM

ABOUT THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM 

The Walters Art Museum is among America’s most distinctive museums, forging connections between people and art from cultures around the world and spanning seven millennia. Located in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The museum’s campus includes five historic buildings and 36,000 art objects. 

Today, the Walters serves Baltimore and Maryland by embracing its role as educator and storyteller, using the collection as a vehicle of knowledge and cultural expression to support learning, dialogue, and community engagement. The museum is committed to public education, offering essential programs that help people to connect art to their lives. The Walters Visitor Promise aligns staff and volunteers across the museum to preserve and share the works in our care for future generations, partner with communities, and create welcoming, accessible experiences for visitors. The museum offers challenging and creative work opportunities by promoting collaboration and teamwork. 

OVERVIEW OF ROLE 

The Associate Book Conservator is responsible for the preservation and conservation of the Walters’ collections of manuscripts, rare books, and works of art on paper. They will join a team of conservation professionals with specialties in objects, paintings, preventive, and conservation science. They will work collaboratively across the Department of Conservation, Collections, and Technical Research to implement exhibitions, installations, rotations, programs, and other projects. This role reports to the Managing Head of Conservation and Technical Research. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepares, examines, treats, and documents the museum’s manuscripts, rare books, and works of art on paper collections for exhibition, loan, and acquisition.  
• Conducts condition surveys of the collection to establish treatment priorities; carries out emergency treatment on works that are actively deteriorating. 
• Works with the museum’s Conservation Scientist to perform technical studies and analysis on works in the collections to determine materials, methods of manufacture, and authenticity. 
• Determines causes of deterioration and develops appropriate treatment methodologies. 
• Participates in preventive conservation, including evaluating and making recommendations for display, storage and transport, and rehousing. 
• Evaluates, obtains, and maintains equipment and materials needed to carry out conservation treatment and preventive maintenance to professionally accepted standards. 
• Assists in writing grant proposals and oversees grant projects to address priority preservation needs. 
• Works in collaboration with Digital Production and Publication team to support ongoing digitization of the Walters’ book collection. 
• Coordinates work of contractors in support of book and paper-based materials in preparation for exhibition and loan. 
• Assists in mentoring fellows, interns, and volunteers entering the conservation profession. 
• Contributes to the professional conservation field through lectures, publications, and teaching. 
• Works in the Conservation Window, our public-facing space for engagement. 
• Acts as a courier for the Walters collection during transit. 
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• MA or MS in art conservation with a specialization in book conservation. 
• Minimum of five years working in a museum or library setting, inclusive of full-year graduate level internship. 
• Must have demonstrated experience with structural treatment of bound volumes, preferably manuscripts and rare books. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of treatment methods, materials, preventive conservation principles, and methodology. 
• Knowledge of art history and history of the book relevant to specialty. 
• Knowledge of ethical and practical professional standards. 
• Familiarity with analytical techniques, uses, and limitations. 
• Excellent conservation planning, documentation, decision-making, and manual skills for structural and aesthetic treatment; must have demonstrated experience with technical studies materials research as applied to area of specialty; good research, teaching, administrative, oral and written communication skills; skills in research and analytical techniques and interpretation appropriate to specialty. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Google platforms preferred. 

SCHEDULED SHIFT

Standard workweek is Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with periodic Saturdays to work in the Conservation Window. Event weeks are subject to different hours, as needed. Must have flexibility to work weekends and evenings and to travel as necessary. 

ANNUAL SALARY $77,813

The Walters Art Museum provides an excellent comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, prescription, vision, subsidized transportation and parking, museum membership, short term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, FSA (flexible spending account), 457b retirement, and free professional financial management counseling. This is a 100% onsite position and is part of the AFSCME-WWU collective bargaining unit. All employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The museum does not sponsor work visas.

The post Job posting: Associate Book Conservator appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

The Washington Conservation Guild is pleased to provide this slate of candidates for the 2026-2027 season. All positions will have the opportunity to renew for an additional one or two year term. Feel free to write in a candidate on your ballot if you feel another individual best represents your WCG priorities.

The ballot will be emailed to the membership and voting will occur only via this ballot (not in person or via mail). If you have any questions, please contact the Nominating committee at nominating@washingtonconservationguild.org.

Voting closes at 11:59 pm on Wednesday May 13, 2026.

Slate of Candidates

Candidate for President (two year term):

Sara Becker holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware’s undergraduate program in art conservation, minoring in art history and religious studies. She gained pre-program book and paper work experience at the Smithsonian American History Museum, Winterthur Library, and the National Park Service. In the fall of 2023, she graduated with distinction from West Dean College’s Master’s program in the conservation of books and library materials. Her MA thesis project investigated the ethics and values behind treating objects, particularly books, that have been damaged during armed conflict. This topic remains a great research interest of hers. Post-graduation she spent 2+ years at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC treating records for digitization, exhibit, and researcher use. She currently works at the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Center as a Post-Graduate Fellow in Book and Paper Conservation treating volumes from the Russian Bishop House in Sitka National Historical Park.

Sara has served on the Washington Conservation Guild Board for two seasons (2024-2026), first as the Social Media Chair, and then as Vice President. She looks forward to the opportunity to bring WCG into its 60th (!) year of hosting cultural heritage professionals to promote the exchange of experiences and innovation.

Candidate for Vice President (two year term):

Pamela Kirschner is a Wooden Artifact Conservator specializing in Frank Lloyd Wright finishes on furniture, wood paneling and exterior finishes on wood for almost thirty years and has a Master of Science degree from the University of Delaware/ Winterthur Museum Art Conservation program. She has served as Director on the boards of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy and the Washington Conservation Guild. She is a Professional Associate with the American Institute of Conservation (AIC) and has worked with historic sites and institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery and the New York State Bureau of Historic Sites. Pamela is currently a Preservation Specialist at the National Archives and Records Administration.

Candidate for Membership Secretary (two year term):

Alice Craigie is the Modern Painting Fellow 2022-2026 at The National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.  She completed her Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings at The Courtauld Institute of Art in 2019. Since, Alice has worked at Julia Nagle Conservation, London’s foremost modern and contemporary conservation studio, and Tate Gallery, London as Assistant Conservator. During her fellowship, she has undertaken practical conservation treatments, alongside a revised technical study of the twelve Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) paintings that form part of the Gallery’s Chester Dale collection.

Candidate for Recording Secretary (two year term):

Kevin Barni is the current Preservation Planner for New Castle County, Delaware. Over the course of his 15-year career he has undertaken preservation work throughout the Mid-Atlantic, with a brief stopover in New York City. He received both his B.A. in Art Conservation and M.A. in Historic Preservation from the University of Delaware. He has worked in several positions at the local and state level in roles ranging from public history as the Coordinator of Delaware’s Historical Marker Program to working as an Architectural Historian for a Cultural Resource Management firm that took on large scale development projects along the East Coast. Most recently he has returned home to Delaware as the Preservation Planner for New Castle County where he organizes the County’s Historic Review Board (which includes transcribing all meeting minutes), works on strengthening the County’s preservation ordinances, and works with residents and developers to help them better understand, and hopefully get excited about, their historic resources.

He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Delaware Preservation Fund, which is a small non-profit organization that awards small grants for historic preservation. He is also a Committee Member for the Vernacular Architecture Forum’s Orlando Rideout Fieldwork Fellowship which supports students and VAF members in their field-based research and documentation projects.

His current research interest includes the historic landscapes of mushroom farms and the worker’s history embedded in them. In his down time, he is an avid knitter with a deep love of textiles who has been known to spin and dye his own yarn. He enjoys scouring thrift and antique stores for vintage lamps and lighters to restore. He’s also an incredibly slow runner with dreams of one day completing a marathon. 

Candidate for Meeting Director (two year term):

Rylan Nguyen graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Art History and a minor in Studio Art. She is especially interested in how art conservation, with material science, can support provenance recovery for at-risk objects from vulnerable communities with fragmented historiography. In her artistic practice, she investigates historical art materials and techniques in painting, papermaking, bookmaking, and printmaking, exploring themes such as the eternal return of history, the antithesis of self, and the Buddhist doctrine of Pratītyasamutpāda (interdependent origination). Rylan previously interned at Silklab (Tufts University), a biomedical engineering lab focused on silk biomaterials, and at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens (Miami, FL) for Collections Care. She will start her Nord Network Junior Fellowship in Conservation at the Cleveland Museum of Art in September 2026.

Appointed Board Member for Website Administrator

Liz Peirce is the Objects Conservator at the Library of Congress, where she cares for a diverse 3D collection ranging from 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets to contemporary plastics. After relocating to the DC area in 2021, she quickly became an active member of the Washington Conservation Guild (WCG). She has served in several capacities—including Meeting Director, Videographer, and Member Events Coordinator—and is eager to continue supporting the community as Website Administrator. Beyond the lab, Liz is likely found rock climbing, attempting to run, or curled up with a book and one of her cats. 

Appointed Board Member for Outreach Support

Kayla Henry-Griffin (they/them) considers themselves an audiovisual archivist and a time-based media conservator (and various other titles). They are a Media Collection Specialist for the Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative (AVMPI) located at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. They attended New York University’s Moving Image Archiving and Preservation (MIAP) program, where they studied preservation and conservation of audiovisual materials, community archiving, and video game preservation. Both Kayla’s personal interests and professional interests mesh well together- CRTs, memory, farming and fishing games, knitting patterns, music, and other related topics. Their personal research is extensive- covering memory’s ties to family roots to preservation of lore and mechanics in video games. Kayla’s preservation and conservation experience spans across a myriad of small and large collections- from cataloging and assessing magnetic media to conducting digital preservation on time-based media artworks.

The post Slate of Candidates for the 2026 WCG Board Elections appeared first on Washington Conservation Guild.

Pay/Hours/Benefits: This is a full-time, one-year term limited position (with the option for renewal, pending funding availability and completion of project objectives) with an annual salary of $85,447 – $93,994. A benefits program is mentioned in the advert but applicants requiring further details should contact the Hirshhorn’s HR department at HMSG-HR@si.edu.

Institution: Hirshhorn Museum Sculpture Garden

Application Deadline: May 18, 2026

Brief Description:

 The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) is a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the arts and artists of our time. We seek to share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences, and ideas converge. We enhance public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education and public programs, conservation, and research. In order to fulfill its mission, HMSG develops collaborative relationships with institutions and organizations within the Smithsonian, the United States, and abroad. The collection consists of approximately 13,000 objects of modern and contemporary art, consisting of paintings, sculptures, variable media, and works on paper.

The Project Conservator is responsible for conservation treatment and assessment of HMSG sculpture collections in offsite storage during a multi-year remediation project. The Project Conservator will conduct a survey of approximately 1200 sculptures, draft treatment proposals, propose recommendations for rehousing, and conduct treatment on a variety of artworks in various mediums.

This is a one-year term position with the option for renewal, pending funding availability and completion of the project’s objectives; located primarily in the Museum Support Center (MSC), in Suitland, MD. This job is not suitable for hybrid or remote work.

Contact Info/Link to Online Application: 

Apply on the museum’s website listing.

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