Temp Casual Curatorial Assistant

Reporting To: Curator of Fishes & Mollusks
U Classification: Science/Engineering-Entry Lvl
Pay Range: $22.00
Working hours: <14/week
Working location: In-person based out of Bell Museum Scientific Collection, 100 Ecology Building, St Paul Campus

Position and/or Unit Overview: The Bell Museum ignites and sustains curiosity for nature and the universe. For over 140 years, the Bell Museum has collected, preserved, interpreted, and displayed the natural history of Minnesota as the state's official natural history museum. The Bell Museum Herbarium has over 950,000 preserved plant, fungi, lichen, moss, and algae specimens. There are also other large collections at the University of Minnesota, for example, the insect collection, housed in the Department of Entomology, which contains over 4 million specimens from all over the world. We have a special opportunity for University of Minnesota students to participate in curatorial activities related to the plant, fungi and/or insects collections.

More details: We seek assistance with curatorial tasks in the Bell Museum Herbarium and University of Minnesota insect collection. These are paid opportunities to gain professional experience with museum collections and also contribute to the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (https://bellatlas.umn.edu/).

Major Areas of Accountability. Various curatorial tasks including:

• In collaboration with supervisor, identify and implement an independent research project
  • Research projects can be focused on ichthyology and biological research
  • Examples include: a pilot project examining tuberculation in freshwater minnows; an analysis of dentition patterns in diverse groups of fishes; investigating the use of ct-scanning in fish research using native fishes
• Identify areas in the collection in need of maintenance
• Regularly monitor and maintain ethanol levels and jar organization
• Digital imaging of museum specimens
• Transcription and geo-referencing of museum specimen labels
• Data entry and/or editing
• Assist with filing and/or retrieving specimens in the research collection
• Miscellaneous other tasks
  
  

Required

• BA/BS or a combination of related education and work experience to equal four years
• Attention to detail
• Willingness to perform repetitive tasks such as data entry or specimen photography for long periods of time
• English language skills proficient in reading and transcribing information from labels of scientific specimens and in following detailed protocols
• Ability to work independently and on a diverse team
  

Preferred

• Interest in nature, natural history, or Minnesota history
• Previous or current coursework or interest in natural history, environment, biology, ecology, natural resources, or other natural sciences, or equivalent experience (Note: liberal arts students with an interest in these topics are also encouraged to apply).

Pay Range: $22.00 per hour

Retirement plan options are available for Civil Service, Faculty, Labor-Represented, Professional & Administrative, and Temp Casual classifications. Learn more about retirement plans.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

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