Job Title: Associate in Research - Curatorial 

 Duration: 1 year, with possibility of renewal for a second year, to begin August 2025 

Overview 

The Duke University Musical Instrument Collections (DUMIC) comprise of specialized collections and individual gifts of musical instruments. It was originally founded after the G. Norman and Ruth G. Eddy Collection of Musical Instruments was donated to Duke University in 2000. The collection has a particular strength in fortepianos from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, both English and American, as well as a wide array of woodwinds and brass. The Eddy Collection inspired further generous gifts and the acquisition of the Frans and Willemina de Hen-Bijl Collection of Musical Instruments, which arrived at Duke in 2003. While the Eddy Collection consists primarily of Western musical instruments, Duke’s de Hen-Bijl Collection includes over 200 musical instruments from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, 100 reel-to-reel field recordings, and 1000 slides of instruments from all over the world. The combination of these collections in addition to the individual gifts of instruments allows the collections to be geographically and historically diverse. The mission of DUMIC is to preserve, present, interpret, and share the objects in its care, in keeping with the Music Department’s and Duke’s greater goals and mission to provide a superior liberal arts education by promoting and enhancing students’ understanding of the many ways we create, comprehend, and perform music. For more information see our website. 

Description 

This position provides opportunities for curatorial and conservation work with historical musical instruments and supports scholarly research within the Department of Music at Duke University. The Associate will be fully integrated into the work ongoing in the Department. Time will be divided between general curatorial work including conservation, maintenance, and storage, and the presentation of the collection. The Associate will work directly with the curator of DUMIC, Prof. Roseen Giles, on the conception and execution of these projects. The ideal candidate will demonstrate experience and expertise in curation, digital browsing and cataloguing, museum storage and management, as well as a strong commitment to the conservation of musical instruments. 

Eligibility 

A graduate degree in a field relevant to the curation of musical instruments (e.g., organology, musicology, performance (especially historical instruments), history of technology and/or science, material culture studies). Experience in museum studies and curation, particularly regarding the care and preservation of historical musical instruments, is desired. Also desired is experience in creating digital platforms for museums, cataloguing, website management, and communication to diverse audiences both in person and online.

Application Procedure 

Deadline: 15 January 2025 

The application requires the following materials: 

• Cover letter 

• Full curriculum vitae 

• A statement not exceeding 1000 words explaining your areas of expertise and their relationship to DUMIC 

• The names of three references including their titles, and email addresses 

• A copy of a published paper or recent writing sample (optional) 

 Submit all applications through AcademicJobsOnline.org. Applications received by January 15, 2025 are guaranteed full consideration. However, the search will remain open until the position is filled.