The Arnold Arboretum is Harvard University's museum of trees, with one of the world's most biodiverse collections of temperate woody plants, combined with world-class scientific resources and a commitment to diverse programming. As part of the Boston Parks system, free and open to all daily, we host three to four million visitors each year and were one of the few botanical gardens or arboreta in the world not to close during the height of the pandemic. We view ourselves as a key public health resource to the City of Boston and beyond.

We welcome interested applicants to view our website at: https://arboretum.harvard.edu to learn about our upcoming events at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/. Please read about our land acknowledgment at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/stories/early-indigenous-land-use and our statement on the legacy of slavery: https://arboretum.harvard.edu/about/our-history/the-arnold-arboretum-and-the-legacy-of-slavery/

The Curatorial Department administers record-keeping and documentation projects for all living and legacy plant collections, directs acquisition and collection development initiatives and facilitates the use of the collection by scholars. Of central importance is the annual inventory or field checking of roughly a fifth of the living collections.
Position Description:

The Curatorial Assistant I will assist the Manager of Plant Records in label adjustment, assessment, and production projects as well as conduct inventories of living plants in the Arnold Arboretum collections. This and related tasks involve:

• work outdoors to assist with the evaluation of individual plants and collections including the assignment of objective plant health conditions and associated notes
• production and adjustment of records and display labels
• collection of basic metrics and coordinate data
• creation and modification of records in the institution's database record, BG-BASE
• fulfillment of requests pertaining to the inventory and departmental projects as needed

The Curatorial Assistant I will also be required to acquire GPS data on plants and hardscape features. Lastly, as the Curatorial Assistant, I will process and complete data entry for several archival and recent data sets related to the Arboretum’s collections.
Please note:

• This is a 12-month term position, ending twelve months from the date of hire.
• This is a 100% on-site position

Education: High school graduate or equivalent with some related college background preferred.

• Prefer a minimum of one (1) year experience in a related field.
• The preferred candidate is self-motivated, communicates effectively, can multitask, works independently and collaboratively, and applies critical thinking and curiosity to solve problems.

• Must be able to conduct work outdoors in a variety of plant collections and habitats during all seasons.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to bend, reach, stoop, and lift up to 25 lbs. Must be able to walk and stand for up to two hours in indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor conditions.

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up to date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

We invite you to visit Harvard’s Total Rewards website to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Museum

USA - MA - Jamaica Plain

403078 Curatorial Assistant I

On-Site

Curation

Arnold Arboretum

Full-time

049

55 - Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers

Identity

Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.