About the museum
The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at the University of California, Davis, is a contemporary art museum and cultural resource dedicated to making art accessible and approachable to all. It builds on UC Davis’ legacy of exceptional teaching and practice of the arts to offer engaging experiences and exhibitions that reflect and serve faculty, students and the community, now and for generations to come. The museum shares the university’s core values of innovative research, interdisciplinary experimentation and a commitment to educational programming: It’s a hub of creative practice for thinkers, makers and innovators.
The Manetti Shrem Museum is an environment that requires flexibility, initiative and the willingness and ability to problem-solve. Museum staff must be creative and enjoy working within a small, entrepreneurial team that is mission-driven, results-driven and community-oriented.
Manetti Shrem Museum’s DEAI Mission
We make an ongoing commitment to confront systemic racism in the Manetti Shrem Museum's culture and practices by understanding the fraught history of museums and breaking down barriers to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence.
Employment Opportunities
Candidates must apply through the UC Davis employment website to be considered for open positions.
Curatorial Assistant
Application deadline: April 24, 2024
The Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis seeks a curatorial assistant to join a small, nimble curatorial team at a contemporary art museum serving a top-tier public university. This position provides an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on curatorial experience by coordinating multiple administrative aspects of the museum’s exhibition and collection needs from start to finish, in addition to working on education program development, among other duties.
The Curatorial Assistant should function with minimal supervision and enjoy working within a small, innovative environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. Must have strong written and verbal communication skills, utilize good judgment in working across departments and with multiple constituents, and possess basic knowledge of fine art collection standards.
Read the full description for job #66500 and apply by April 24 at www.hr.ucdavis.edu.
Director of Museum Education and University Engagement
Application deadline: April 24, 2024
The Manetti Shrem Museum at UC Davis is seeking a full-time Director of Museum Education and University Engagement. Reporting to the Founding Director, and as a member of the senior leadership team, the Director fulfills the critical role of connecting the museum to the diverse campus communities that constitute the University of California, Davis. This is a special opportunity for a leader ready to stake a national claim by elevating already successful educational programs. This position assures the museum delivers on its mission to inspire new thinking and the open exchange of ideas by connecting to faculty teaching and research as well as directing a portfolio of programs designed to advance students’ understanding of their place in the world.
The ideal candidate is an experienced manager with at least 3 years’ experience leading and managing staff, experience overseeing an annual budget of at least $100,000; 5 years of sustained work developing successful programs at a museum or institution of higher learning; and demonstrated project management and organizational skills. Preferred experience includes an M.A./Ph.D. in education, museum studies, art history or cultural studies; experience working in art museums or university art museums, and bilingual in a language that relates to current UC Davis student demographics.
Read the full description for job #66501 and apply by April 24 at www.hr.ucdavis.edu.
Academic Liaison
Application deadline: April 24, 2024
The Manetti Shrem Museum at UC Davis is seeking a full-time Academic Liaison to contribute to making the museum a dynamic site for art and interdisciplinary programming serving faculty and students. The positions leads development of collaborative projects including classes, exhibits and collections-based programs, and works closely with the museum’s senior leadership team and museum staff and faculty to increase the museum’s integration into the fabric of the university and engage campus intellectual resources.
The ideal candidate must be creative and enjoy working within a small, entrepreneurial team that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. They should possess an M.A. degree or equivalent experience in related field of arts or humanities; a minimum of 3-5 years of experience in the museum field and/or higher education field; or a track record of developing and implementing collaborative programs in an art museum or other arts-based organization. Preferred experience includes a Ph.D. or experience teaching in a university environment. This position reports to the Director of Museum Education and University Engagement.
Read the full description for job #66503 and apply by April 24 at www.hr.ucdavis.edu.
Exhibitions Assistant
Application deadline: April 29, 2024
The Manetti Shrem Museum at UC Davis is seeking a full-time Exhibitions Assistant. Under general direction of the Head of Preparation and Facilities Manager, the Exhibitions Assistant performs a variety of skilled duties related to preparation, administration and design. The position will work in close partnership with curatorial and education staff to plan and develop forthcoming exhibitions. They will also work with collections staff to maintain current records as well as participate in planning and implementation of migration of the collections management database.
The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience in design and museum studies; experience reading design and construction plans, specifications, and diagrams; and experience working with faculty and students. Demonstrated ability to anticipate and proactively facilitate complex processes such as exhibition development and develop creative solutions is also a plus.
Read the full description for job #67526 and apply by April 29 at www.hr.ucdavis.edu.
Student Employment
Candidates must apply through the Handshake student employment website to be considered for open positions.
Currently there are no open positions at the museum.
Student Internships
Manetti Shrem Museum Summer Internship
Internship Dates: July 8–August 30
Apply by May 17, 2024
The 2024 Summer Internship is now open for applications. Applicants should be in good academic standing and pursuing studies related to some aspect of the museum’s work (projects and experience will include research, design, art history, communications, project management, writing, public presentation, leadership etc.). We will be selecting 4-6 interns to participate in this 8-week (30 hours/week) program, for which there is a $4,000 stipend. Academic credit is also a possibility.
The Manetti Shrem Museum summer internship is designed to build skills and knowledge that will position students for success in post-university careers. Through structured experiential learning, interns will be introduced to critical facets of museum work involving a range of proficiencies that are both broadly applicable and unique to museum careers. During the program, interns will work alongside museum professionals to learn about administration, exhibition development, education and interpretation, visitor services, and registration and collection management, among other topics. The internship falls during a closed “turnover” period at the museum and centers on summer activities undertaken in preparation for the academic year “reopening.”
Interested applicants should submit a one-page letter of interest and a resume by Friday, 5/17/2023.
Please send materials to Randy Roberts, Deputy Director (rcroberts@ucdavis.edu) and Cesar Chavez, Manager of Visitor Experience (cchave@ucdavis.edu).
- In-person interviews will be held in early June (dates TBA)
