Museum Scientist
UCI Series Concepts - UCI SIZE-NEUTRAL SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDELINES
Class Specifications - I.25
Principal Museum Scientist (9721) SIZE-NEUTRAL
Senior Museum Scientist (9722) SIZE-NEUTRAL
Museum Scientist (9723) SIZE-NEUTRAL
Assistant Museum Scientist (9724)
November, 1976 -- SIZE-NEUTRAL MARCH 1995
SERIES CONCEPT
Museum Scientists perform and/or manage the curatorial, preparatory
and clerical work in general museums, research collection repositories,
botanical gardens, art galleries, fine arts related collections,
aquariums or similar areas with collections of natural, historical and
anthropological material that is educational, scientific or aesthetic
in purpose; and perform other related duties as required.
In the specific references to a complex museum or similar area within
the class concepts that follow, these definitions will serve as
guidelines: A complex museum or similar area is one that is multi-
operational covering research performed by faculty, scholars and/or
qualified students in many disciplines; formalized teaching programs;
publications; and public education programs. A general museum is one
dealing with several or all fields. A research collection repository
is one where materials or specimens, which have been the subject of
past or current research, are stored. The examples cited in the Class
Concepts are illustrative and do not preclude allocation to the series
of positions in museums not described within the disciplines given as
examples.
CLASS CONCEPTS
Principal Museum Scientist
Under general direction, incumbents are assigned responsibility for
the administration of complex general museums, research collection
repositories, botanical gardens, art galleries, aquariums, fine arts
related collections, or similar areas; and participate with the
curators, faculty or scientific community in formulating policy.
In a complex general museum or similar area, Principal Museum Scientists
coordinate the activities of the curatorial and technical staff in
accessioning and cataloguing, collections organization, inventory and conservation/preservation programs, and administrative support
activities; establish priority of work assignments for curatorial and
technical staff, and supervise the preservation and restoration projects;
direct library research relating to collections material; and supervise
the training and instruction of museum employees.
Additionally, Principal Museum Scientists represent the Museum Director
and the University in negotiating with donors, and independently examine
and accept donations on behalf of the museum; consult with the Director
as necessary on matters involving the formulation of museum policy; assist
in the planning and compilation of budgetary data, and make recommendations
to the Director for purchasing or collecting to meet the museum's needs;
conduct studies and prepare reports on all aspects of the museum's
operations; and serve as consultants to other professional museum personnel
on problems and projects requiring an extensive background in museology and
a detailed knowledge of museum administration and organization. Incumbents
also work directly with curators, faculty, scholars and/or qualified students
in planning and designing research and study projects to be carried out
using museum facilities; work directly with field collectors in establishing
types of specimens available for the museum's collections; and prepare research
outlines and maintain research bibliographies.
In a research collection repository, incumbents coordinate the
administrative aspects of instructional, research and public
service activities of a scientifically significant research
collection of materials or artifacts; make independent decisions
in implementing administrative policy; are assigned considerable
fiscal responsibility; and establish professional contacts with
other institutions and scientists, correspond and exchange data,
attend meetings, and otherwise seek the exchange of scientific
information.
In addition, incumbents may organize and conduct field parties or
oceanographic expeditions, oversee the research as well as other
scientific aspects of the work, gather scientific papers, select
personnel, secure support, and make necessary contacts with
officials of other jurisdictions; and oversee the assembly and
dissemination of data resulting from research done upon the
collection for which responsible.
Principal Museum Scientist positions are distinguished from Senior
Museum Scientist positions In that in addition to performing the
duties of a Senior Museum Scientist, incumbents are assigned
responsibility for the administration of complex general museums,
research collection repositories, or similar areas; and participate
with the curators, faculty or scientific community in formulating
policy.
Senior Museum Scientist
Under direction, incumbents oversee the curatorial, preparatory
and clerical work in complex general museums, research collection
repositories, botanical gardens, art galleries, aquariums, fine
arts related collections, or similar areas; or perform difficult
curatorial work in a museum or similar area and may take charge
of field parties; or organize and develop a departmental museum.
In a general museum or similar area, Senior Museum Scientists
ensure the quality and accuracy of overall collections documentation
through the design and implementation of specific ongoing library
and archival research projects (or in an aquarium, are assigned
responsibility for the maintenance and accuracy of acquisition,
mortality and longevity records and other specimen maintenance
records such as disease treatment,water quality and feeding);
assist Principal Museum Scientists or, in the absence of a Principal
level position, work with curators, faculty, scholars and/or students
in planning and designing research and study projects to be carried
out within museum facilities; train and orient museum employees; and
advise faculty of the potentialities of various collections or
specimens for study and research projects.
Incumbents may also select appropriate specimens for thematic or
topical display or loan; contribute to exhibition programs by
writing texts, and carrying out research in fields of specialized
knowledge; suggest exhibit themes, and in fields of specialized
knowledge prepare exhibit outlines for personnel involved in
exhibition programs; interpret and analyze materials sent to the
museum for that purpose by scholars and academicians; assist
Principal Museum Scientists or, in the absence of a Principal
level position, determine the need for new acquisitions of both
collections and individual specimens to be obtained in the field
or by purchase, and outline the substance and form of documentation
desired; represent the museum to the general public in matters
concerning the museum and its collections, operations and facilities;
or may direct field parties, taking complete charge of all material
aspects of field work other than research.
In a research collection repository, incumbents oversee sample
distribution, loans, public service and other activities,
receiving supervision only in matters of policy and fiscal
limitations; plan and assign tasks, advise on difficult scientific
problems other than research, check scientific accuracy of results,
serve as liaison between the technical workers and academic staff
workers, and secure equipment and supplies; supervise data
reduction and encoding so that data derived from research can be
processed into the data bank; coordinate work of investigators
and programmers to assure that the best data is available to the
scientific community; and conduct investigations with other repositories
regarding methods of curating, storage and data handling.
Incumbents may also assist senior scientists at sea or may serve as
delegated substitute Chief Scientists for specified oceanographic
collecting; supervise junior scientists or students and/or
technicians in the collecting and curating aspects of oceanographic
expeditions; or may serve as business managers and scientific
directors of field trips.
Museum Scientist
Under general supervision and at the operational level, incumbents
perform professional curatorial duties relating to incumbents'
field of specialized knowledge in general museums, research
collection repositories, botanical gardens, art galleries,
aquariums, fine arts related collections or similar areas.
In a general museum or similar area, Museum Scientists perform
independent research on collections material (in an aquarium
this includes research on problems relating to the health and
exhibition of living animals and plants); produce professional
reports, and prepare drafts for exhibition programs; accession
and catalogue any type of material, and assign and direct
activities of Museum Preparators in these activities; maintain
assigned collections; keep records current and in conformity
with museum standards; oversee conservation and restoration
projects; make recommendations for new acquisitions (in an
aquarium this includes the purchase or collection of living
specimens); select specimens for loan at the request of museum
officials; present lectures to various groups, and may serve as
docents for special visitors and groups; and may plan the routine
maintenance and activity of a museum, art gallery, or similar area.
In a research collection repository, incumbents study collection
material and organize reports of such study for use in research;
prepare indicies of available literature relating to collections
for use by students and other researchers; assist students in the
use of research tools, collections and related literature; perform
routine maintenance such as accessioning, filing, loans, exchange
and data management; answer request for identification and
information from other institutions, industrial organizations, and
the scientific community; and may assist senior scientists and/or
oversee junior scientists or technicians in the collecting and
curating aspects of oceanographic expeditions. In addition,
incumbents may be assigned responsibility for performing or
overseeing all internal handling, preparation, storage, sampling
and cross-content description of a division of a research
collection of marine geological core samples.
Assistant Museum Scientist
Under supervision, incumbents perform curatorial work, or work
relating to incumbents' field of speciality that requires a
definite though limited degree of independent judgment. The
duties are performed in general museums, research collection
repositories, botanical gardens, art galleries, aquariums,
fine arts related collections or similar areas.
In a general museum or similar area, Assistant Museum Scientists
accession, identify, classify and catalog specimens, with review
by and general assistance from the supervisor; answer requests
from the public or other institutions for identification or other
information concerning material or specimens; collect or assist
in the collection of material or specimens, and assemble the
collections for class use; send and receive loan collections;
recondition specimens; perform simple illustrating and map
making; and may assist students in the use of materials and
specimens, and related literature.
In a research collection repository, incumbents perform curatorial
work such as the preparation of storage areas, maintenance of
material containers, preparation of specimens, monitoring of use
rates of consumable supplies, and maintenance of equipment; assist
visitors desiring to inspect or view the collection, or requesting
information concerning sample distribution policies and procedures;
and participate aboard research vessels in the capacity of Curatorial
Representative.
Assistant Museum Scientist positions are distinguished from Museum
Preparator Positions in that incumbents apply a specialized academic
knowledge in the discipline involved, and perform curatorial work
involving identification, classification and cataloging of materials.
This is the entry level class for college graduates with specialization
in the discipline involved. Assignments are structured to provide
training experience under the supervision of higher level Museum
Scientists.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Principal Museum Scientist
Graduation from college with specialization in the discipline involved
and six years of experience in curatorial work, including two years in
a supervisory capacity; or an equivalent combination of education and
experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful
performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Senior Museum Scientist
Graduation from college with specialization in the discipline involved
and four years of experience in curatorial work, including one year in
a supervisory capacity; or an equivalent combination of education and
experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful
performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Museum Scientist
Graduation from college with specialization in the discipline involved
and one year of experience in curatorial work; or an equivalent
combination of education and experience; and knowledges and abilities
essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the
position.
Assistant Museum Scientist
Graduation from college with specialization in the discipline involved;
or an equivalent comb.ination of education and experience; and knowledges
and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties
assigned to the position.