John Updike Curator at The Frick Collection

New York, New York, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

31 Jan, 26

Salary

130000.0

Posted On

02 Nov, 25

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Art History, Curatorial Experience, Research, Exhibition Organization, Communication Skills, Collaboration, Fundraising, Public Engagement, Language Proficiency, Scholarship, Management, Interpretation, Lecturing, Conservation, Acquisition, Networking

Industry

Museums;Historical Sites;and Zoos

Description

Description Full-time, Exempt Background Internationally recognized as a premier museum and research center, the Frick is known for its distinguished Old Master paintings and outstanding examples of European sculpture and decorative arts. The collection originated with Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919), who bequeathed his home, paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts to the public for their enjoyment. The institution’s holdings—which encompass masterworks from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century—have grown over the decades, more than doubling in size since the opening of the museum in 1935. A critical component of the institution is the Frick Art Research Library, founded in 1920 by Helen Clay Frick, daughter of the museum’s founder. Recognized as one of the world’s top art history research centers, it has served students, scholars, and members of the public free of charge for generations. The Frick has undergone a comprehensive renovation and was open in a temporary home, Frick Madison, from 2020 through early 2024, while renovations were underway at the mansion on 70th Street. In addition to special exhibition galleries and education spaces, we have added enhanced visitor amenities and accessible spaces. The Museum and Art Research Library reopened to the public in April 2025. Workplace culture At the Frick Collection, we pride ourselves on promoting an open and welcoming workplace culture that supports work-life balance. The Frick strives to provide our employees with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits in a beautiful and pleasant work setting, while offering an excellent opportunity to appreciate some of the world’s finest works of art. The Frick Collection provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to personal characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, or other characteristics protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Position Summary A key position on the curatorial team, the John Updike Curator specializes in early modern European art as represented in the Frick’s permanent collection, with particular expertise in paintings. Specialists in historic Dutch, Flemish, or French painting would be especially suited to the role. The John Updike Curator is responsible for care of the collection, including producing new research and scholarship on objects in the permanent collection; collaborating with conservators with regard to display, treatment, and ongoing care of works of art; organizing exhibitions and accompanying publications; delivering lectures, talks, and tours for a wide range of audiences; managing the interpretation of the collection through the mobile guide, website, printed material, and in-gallery texts; making acquisitions; and participation in activities related to fundraising, membership, press, marketing, and education and public engagement. The John Updike Curator reports to the Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator and supervises members of the curatorial team, including, occasionally, Curatorial Fellows and Interns. Candidates must have a robust scholarly record of publications and projects, excellent written and oral communication skills, and a background of judicious and effective interaction with colleagues across departments, professionals outside of the museum, members of the public and press, and high-level donors. Requirements Ph.D. in art history Minimum 5 years’ experience working as a curator having organized at least two substantial exhibition projects Proficiency in at least one European language pertinent to the Frick’s collection, especially French, Italian, Dutch, German, or Spanish The education and/or experience requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, Physical Requirements The candidate must be able to perform the essential functions of the position and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.Physical requirements are comparable to most office roles: the ability to interact in-person with colleagues and use common office tools and machines (computer, phone); and the ability to traverse throughout the offices and building(s) both inside and outside of the museum, and visit different levels of the building. Ability to carry/transport materials weighing up to 20 pounds. Employment Status and Compensation The salary for this full-time exempt role is commensurate with skills and experience with a starting annual salary of $120,000-$130,000. Benefits in Employment with the Frick Collection Paid Holidays: Full-time employees are eligible for 14 paid holidays, all federal holidays including Juneteenth, and Election Day and four floating holidays: two may be used in the first half of the calendar year, two may be used in the second half of the calendar year. Sick and Vacation time: Eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick and 12 vacation days their first year of employment. In subsequent years, eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick days and 25 vacation days/year. Paid Family leave: In addition to adhering to all federal family leave laws, we provide all eligible employees with paid bereavement and family leave. Health, Dental and Vision insurance: all full-time employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in employer sponsored benefits plans. Employees contribute to the cost of health insurance based on income level and type of coverage selected. Short and Long Term Disability and Life Insurance: the Frick covers the entire cost of these benefits for all full-time employees. The life insurance benefit is up to three times the employee’s annual salary. Retirement: The Frick supports all employees in planning for retirement by offering participation in a Tax Deferred Savings Plan – 403(b) and a defined benefit pension plan. We also offer retiree health benefits for retirees and their eligible dependents. Wellness Programs at the Frick include an Employee Assistance Plan, a discount on Citi Bike memberships and a discount on bike helmets. Additional benefits include discounted Metro Cards/Transit Checks, flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care and commuting costs. Application Process All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. Apply here or send resume and cover letter to: Curatorial Department Manager The Frick Collection 1 East 70th Street New York, NY 10021 This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment. Benefits subject to change and may differ based on employee status.

Responsibilities

The John Updike Curator is responsible for the care of the collection, producing research, organizing exhibitions, and managing the interpretation of the collection. This role involves collaboration with conservators and delivering lectures and tours for diverse audiences.