Our Mission: Since the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, our organization has aimed to connect people to the natural environment and human history.

The Field Museum is hiring a Collection Manager to manage its world-class insect collection!

The Field Museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of biological specimens. The Insect Collection’s holdings of worldwide Arthropoda (excluding Crustacea) rank fifth in overall size among North American collections with more than 12.5 million specimens and are of worldwide importance for many groups. The collection presently includes roughly 4.2 million pinned insects plus 8.4 million specimens or lots in alcohol or on microscope slides. In addition, there are more than 17,000 partially sorted “bulk samples” from traps or leaf-litter extractions. The collection receives heavy use by Field Museum scientists and US and international research visitors and borrowers as well as extensive educational use.

The Collection Manager reports to the Head of Zoological Collections and will supervise a team managing day-to-day activities in the Insect Collection, including permanent staff, temporary staff, and a large number of interns and volunteers. The Collection Manager works with Field Museum curators to set long- and short-term priorities for management of the Insect Collection as a member of the Collection Administrative Team. The Collection Manager also interacts with other collections areas, research scientists, exhibitions, and education staff. The Collection Manager is responsible for seeking funding for collections improvements and digitization. The successful candidate will be evaluated on their ability to promote, study, build, care for, and ensure accessibility to the great wealth of specimens in the collection. The Insects Collection Manager may represent Zoological Collections on the Collections Leadership Team as Head of Zoological Collections, a role that rotates among the six Collection Managers in Zoology. Upon approval, the Collection Manager may pursue research for up to 20% of their work time.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage digitization efforts, including transcription of label data, imaging specimens, georeferencing, species inventory, and development and evaluation of workflows and standards to ensure best practices.
• Recruit, onboard, and assess staff performance in the Insects Collection.
• Train, mentor, and supervise staff, interns, and volunteers in the collection to accomplish area objectives.
• Write and manage grants to support collection improvements.
• Oversee the incorporation of new material into the collection, preparing, sorting, and identifying specimens.
• Track and report metrics of collection use and growth.
• Manage the Insects Collection budget, identify vendors, and order supplies.
• Coordinate an active loan program and on-site use of the collection by researchers and visitors.
• Support the Museum’s public programming and promote the mission of the Museum and its fundraising goals.

Qualifications:

• Masters in Biology required, with an emphasis in Entomology
• A well-versed background in Entomology, including familiarity with other Entomology collections and research; knowledge of taxonomic principles and Entomology collection management.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities, including the capacity to balance competing priorities and multitask effectively.
• Demonstrated experience with collection databases (EMu preferred), biodiversity data standards, imaging systems, and data aggregators, as well as a strong history of managing digitization projects.
• Working knowledge of international and domestic regulations for shipment of specimens, requirements for packing loans, and permits.
• History of successfully building and managing a diverse team of staff, interns, and volunteers.
• Strong interpersonal and spoken and written communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively within the Museum and engage with external stakeholders, researchers, and the public.
• Experience preparing grant proposals is a plus.

Review of complete applications will start late December 16, 2024. The earliest start date will be January 13, 2025.

The Field Museum is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination, embracing diversity, and fostering mutual respect. We value the unique perspectives each team member brings, which empowers our ability to innovate and overcome challenges.

At the Field Museum, we are dedicated to making our career website and recruitment process accessible to everyone. If you encounter any difficulty when using or accessing our online application, or if you need a reasonable accommodation for completing your application, participating in interviews, or any other part of the selection process, please reach out to us at accessibility@fieldmuseum.org.