Museum Conservator Jobs

Conservators protect the items in a museums collection and may take steps to “fix” damage to these items.

The skill set need to be an effective conservator includes knowledge of objects being conserved, chemistry, and restoration techniques. They specialize in the materials or the types of objects they conserve.

A good deal of a conservator’s time is spent advising others how to take care of their precious artifacts. Other time goes into inspecting items in the collection, cleaning them, and making repairs. This often involves applying technical tools to determining both the state of an artifact and a course of action.

An advanced degree is required and knowledge of a relevant language, in addition to English, is advised. This is a job where one is always learning new techniques and new equipment or tools.

Because of the high level of skills required, conservators enjoy an above average pay. And, projections for the next decade suggest that there may be more openings for conservators than there are qualified people to fill them.