Employment
Information on job, internship, and other opportunities to work at the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art.
Staff positions
There are no open staff positions at this time. Please check back again later.
Art Design Chicago Engagement Fellow (Temporary)
For its 50th anniversary, the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art has commissioned South Side Chicago artist Robert Earl Paige (b. 1936) to create a multi-part installation derived from his fabric motifs for both a site-specific artwork and world-spanning public art project that takes Paige’s idea of total work of art to its global apogee. Working with the Smart Museum of Art’s Director of the Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry and Head of Education, Meg Jackson Fox, and in collaboration with Curator of Public Art, Laura Steward, and the artist, Robert Earl Paige, the Art Design Chicago Engagement Fellow will have the opportunity to assist in coordinating, co-creating, and implementing a variety of innovative, engaging programs that respond to the installation Robert Paige: Give the Drummer Some!.
The Art Design Chicago Engagement Fellow will be supported through a stipend, resources at the Smart Museum and the University of Chicago, and an opportunity to build collaborations with other creative professionals and organizations in Chicago and across the University of Chicago’s global centers. The Fellow will be closely integrated into the Smart’s collaborative culture by participating in key team meetings and goal-settings, working together with others on establishing thoughtful partnerships and meaningful programs, contributing to the shared institutional initiative to ally academic and community engagements, and gaining from the routine mentorship of museum colleagues and community partners.
Responsibilities
- Coordinates, co-creates, and implements arts programs that expand experiences with Robert Paige: Give the Drummer Some!, including such programs as art-making workshops or musical performances, public art learning tours and activities, family day programs, artist talks, or other community building opportunities.
- Proactively builds relationships and collaborations with students, faculty, staff, and organizations across the University of Chicago and its global centers to support engagement with Robert Paige: Give the Drummer Some! and the Smart Museum.
- Serves as project liaison for engagements with Robert Paige: Give the Drummer Some! between the Smart Museum and Chicago partners, collaborating artists and teaching artists, and community members.
- Collaborates on outreach strategies and building positive relationships with collaborators before and during Robert Paige: Give the Drummer Some!
- Prepares and proofreads related content for social media, the website, and other communications materials.
- Organizes administrative tasks related to Robert Paige: Give the Drummer Some!, including coordination, calendaring, paperwork, databases, and communications.
- Regularly attends meetings, learning and engagement programs, and community events with the Smart Museum.
- Participates in conducting assessments and developing reports on related learning and engagement initiatives.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies
- Strong interest in a career in arts and cultural organizations, nonprofits and/or community organizations, or educational institutions.
- Working knowledge of strategies and techniques for developing and implementing community engagement programs.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and to fostering a workplace of belonging.
- Strong written/oral communication, organizational, and time management skills.
- Work independently as well as collaboratively within a team setting and across departments.
Compensation and hours
This is an approximately 15 hours per week, temporary, part-time, grant-funded position with an estimated start in late July 2024 and end date in late June 2025. Pay rate is $22–24 per hour, depending on experience.
To Apply
Review the posting details and submit your application through the University of Chicago's career portal using posting #JR26274. Current UChicago employees should search and apply through Workday.
Posted May 28, 2024
University of Chicago student positions
The following jobs and internships are only available to University of Chicago students.
Undergraduate Internships
The Smart Museum of Art supports undergraduate internships across museum departments. Over the summer interns support the critical work of stewarding the Smart Museum’s collections, exhibitions, and programs. In addition to gaining valuable experience, interns have the opportunity to build community with museum professionals throughout Chicago through outings, brown-bag job talks, and professional development workshops.
There are no internship opportunities posted at this time. Please check back again later.
Smart Scholars
Each year, the Feitler Center for Academic Inquiry at the Smart Museum of Art welcomes proposals from University of Chicago undergraduates in any field of study for research projects resulting in an original creative work (of visual art, music, dance, writing), program, or scholarly essay. Students propose their own projects grounded in academic research into one or more objects in the Smart Museum’s collection.
Browse the archive of Smart Scholars projects »
Smart Undergraduate Research Associates
Presented in partnership with the College Center for Research and Fellowships, Undergraduate Research Associates work closely with a mentor—Smart Museum curators, educators, registrars, or conservators—to provide art-related research for specific Museum projects that are already in the planning stages and are scheduled to take place during the term of the student’s position, such as exhibitions or related programming.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information, please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Academic job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773.702.5671 or email ACOppAdministrator@uchicago.edu with their request. Staff job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773.834.1841 or email talentacquisition@uchicago.edu with their request.