Associate Exhibition Designer
The Exhibition Design department collaborates with curators and artists to shape the design and narrative of the permanent and special exhibitions that form the foundation of the Museum’s mission, identity and visitor experience.
Reporting to the Director, Exhibition Design, the Associate Exhibition Designer assists in the creation of innovative, impactful and inclusive designs for the Museum’s exhibition program through all phases of development and implementation. With demonstrated proficiency, the designer will assume increasingly independent responsibility for exhibitions’ design.
Responsibilities
- Assist senior staff with developing design concepts and studies, preparing art layouts, researching installation dimensions/specs/instructions.
- Assist senior staff with producing architectural design documents from schematics through construction, including egress reviews, millwork detailing and material specification.
- Produce design renderings, maquettes, study models and other presentation materials to convey design and exhibition scope to Curators, Director, and various other Museum departments and outside parties.
- Conduct daylight simulations to test design performance.
- Form and maintain productive working relationships across key departments: Curatorial, Exhibition Management, Production, Conservation, Registrar, Art Handling, Lighting, Multimedia, Security, Fire Safety, Facilities, Visitor Services, Education, and Graphic Design.
- As proficiency grows, assume design leadership of exhibitions with attention to aligning design with schedules and budgets, museum standards, and a safe, successful and accessible visitor experience.
- Assist senior staff with monitoring the quality and fidelity of casework fabrication, wall construction and other production activities during course of installation, as well as facilitating solutions and communication among various internal Museum departments.
- Produce drawings and specifications for mockups and prototypes.
- Assist in sourcing vendors, soliciting quotes, obtaining material samples. Maintain material library.
- Maintain department supplies and model area.
- Maintain accurate database of exhibition floor plans, design and construction documentation, 3D and 2D base models, and correspondence.
- Maintain digital collection archive and maquette library.
- Research and implement special initiatives that support exhibition design’s strategic plan.
- BA in Architecture, Exhibition Design or Set Design.
- 2-3 years’ experience in 3D design field (exhibition design, architecture, or set design)
- Ability to think abstractly and design creatively within distinctive architectural environment.
- Sound judgement and decision-making throughout design process, though most interactions will be supervised by a senior designer until employee has demonstrated proficiency.
- Creative problem solving and initiative to determine best design tools, presentation formats, and to meet deadlines.
- Ability to maintain confidential exhibition-related documentation, including calendars, exhibition checklists, and artist information.
- Familiarity with modern and contemporary art.
- Excellent organization and concern for details.
- Very good communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Ability to collaborate with diverse implementation team is essential.
- Ability to work in a flexible, fast-paced environment on simultaneous projects.
- Advanced 2D drafting skills, preferably Vectorworks; advanced 3D modeling skills, preferably Rhino and V-Ray, and fluency in Adobe Suite. Experience with daylighting simulation software a plus.
- Professional experience with millwork detailing, material specifications, and the production of Construction Documents.
- Familiarity with building code and public safety requirements.
Facility building study models. - Knowledge of best practices for improving sustainability in the design/build field.
Unusual working conditions
- Some light physical work.
- Physical model-making, maquette and prototype production.
- Weekend, holiday, and overtime hours may be required during exhibition changeovers.
- High tolerance for last-minute changes and extensive consensus-building.
- Hybrid work schedule with minimum four days/week in office.
- Salary Range is $67,626 - $70,000 and will be commensurate with experience.
- Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) elections
- Generous Paid Time Off benefits
- Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit
- Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
- Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike
- This position may be covered by UAW Local 2110
If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.
About the Whitney:
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.
EEO Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.