Conservation Assistant II Grade D

Clerical and Technical generic job description

Family: Technical Support
Job Code: 749

Representative duties:

  • Determines methods, treatment proposals, time estimates, and photo documentation for work to be performed. Consults with users. Schedules work
  • Aids in instructing others in binding/conservation techniques
  • Treats paper by such methods as cleaning, washing, decidifying and mending, sizing, mylar encapsulation, mounting, matting, leaf-casting and enzyme treatment
  • Maintains and uses tools, equipment and supplies
  • Sets up, assembles, tests, repairs and operates machinery
  • Binds, disbinds, repairs, restores and makes protective enclosures for books
  • Performs a variety of tasks related to the conservation of books and paper, rare books and research materials
  • Maintains records
  • Performs technical functions incidental to conservation activities

The job duties listed above are representative and characteristic of the duties required and the level of the work performed in the job title. The duties will vary from incumbent to incumbent in the job title.

Required knowledge:

  • Specialized college-level coursework; detailed but narrow knowledge in one or several work-related areas; substantial knowledge of broader field of learning
  • Extensive knowledge of craft or trade
  • Limited acquaintance with business, accounting, or commercial procedures
  • Limited knowledge of University organizational policies and procedures generally; detailed knowledge of one or several narrow areas of University rules or procedures

Required skills:

  • Copies data form standard or easily understandable formats
  • Uses a dictionary
  • Files already labeled material using a straightforward alphabetical, numerical, or chronological system
  • Summarizes, revises, or makes limited use of complex, technical, or specialized literature
  • Writes simple internal memoranda, fills out complex forms
  • Regular, skilled use of more complex machines, including word processors or personal computers; responsible or basic troubleshooting and repair or manipulation of data using published software
  • Performs one or several moderately complex laboratory or scientific procedures that are not reversible and are not expensive to duplicate; records results as necessary

Office and administrative skills:

  • Keyboards forms, labels, and other simple material
  • Advises, screens, and refers callers and visitors

Experience, education, and formal training:

  • Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and high school level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate degree, or little or no work experience and a Bachelor degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education

Complexity and organization:

  • Wide variety of complicated job tasks requiring coordinating numerous processes/methods
  • Occasionally coordinates or organizes the work of others

Interpersonal relations:

  • Some involvement outside immediate work unit
  • Offers or obtains specialized information and provides assistance on general matters
  • Understands and evaluates what is being said and responds with complex answers that may take time to give

Supervisory guidelines:

  • Work is subject to general review on an occasional basis
  • Incumbent plans and schedules own work and/or work of others based on the understanding of broadly defined objectives and priorities, supervisor reviews work after completion
  • Instruction provided only in new situations, methods, procedures that are not clearly related to existing tasks and duties

Independent judgment:

  • Established procedures/policies govern many work situations
  • Regular exercises of independent judgment or initiative
  • Problems cannot usually be solved by following established procedures; solutions must be found independently

Leadership responsibility:

  • Occasionally provides general orientation to routine procedures/policies

Impact and consequence of error:

  • Work affects both outside the work unit and outside the University
  • Errors are not difficult to recognize and correct and only affect own work

Working conditions

  • Ongoing possibility of safety risks
  • Occasional conflicting demands, time pressures, deadlines, or emergencies
  • Regular sustained concentration
  • Considerable physical effort or a high degree of fine finger or hand dexterity

Example 1

General purpose:

Prepare works of art for exhibition, research, loan and storage including matting, framing, and housing construction. Manage and maintain preparation studio and equipment.

Essential duties:

  • Prepare artwork for exhibitions matting, framing, and housing construction. Communicate with exhibition personnel regarding exhibitions, installation and handling of the artwork to the highest museum standards
  • House and mount artwork from the general collection for research, exhibition and loan. Research and experiment with preparation materials deterring the optimum methods necessary to mount and house each object on a case-by-case basis. This work is done to the highest museum standards using the most recent technological advances
  • Paperwork, filing Xeroxing ordering and misc. activities related to the preparation and conservation studio

Experience and training:

  • Work in matting and framing or similar work in a related profession/discipline
  • Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and a H.S. level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate degree; or little or no work experience and a Bachelor’s degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Skills and abilities:

  • Good communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team
  • Physical stamina for exacting repetitive work under deadlines
  • Good manual dexterity and excellent eye-hand coordination
  • Preferred: Experience working in a museum/gallery/conservation laboratory doing: matting, framing, archival housing and exhibition preparation
  • Bachelor’s degree in studio art or a related field
  • Specialized knowledge of museum techniques of housing and storage methods and materials for artwork

Example 2

General purpose:

Under the supervision of the Chief Conservator, performs a variety of tasks related to the conservation of materials from Yale’s rare and special collections, concentrating on flat paper, maps and manuscript materials. Assists in determining appropriate treatments and repairs and carries them out according to specified standards. May assist in training others.

Essential duties:

  • Conserve library materials by returning them to a usable condition while retaining as much of the original information as possible
  • Treat and protect paper including dry cleaning, washing, deacidifying, enzyme treatment, bleaching, tissue mending, and encapsulation, matting and mounting
  • Propose appropriate treatment methods, gives time estimates and documents treatments performed
  • Make protective cases, including phase boxes, clam shell boxes and portfolios
  • May disbind, bind, and conserve bindings
  • Perform treatments with tools and equipment used for paper conservation and bookbinding. This includes hand tools, book presses, board shears, guillotine, ultrasonic welder, suction table and suction disk. May also perform maintenance on this equipment
  • Use chemicals to perform conservation treatments when necessary, following appropriate safety measures
  • Maintain awareness of current bookbinding and conservation techniques
  • May prepare library materials for exhibition
  • May assist in training others, following established techniques and procedures
  • Perform other duties as required

Experience and training:

  • Six years of directly relevant work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and a high school level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate Degree, or little or no work experience and a Bachelor Degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education
  • Preferred: One year experience in book conservation or repair in another institution or private practice. Experience in directing the work of others

Skills and abilities:

  • Demonstrated knowledge of the fundamentals, techniques and history of bookbinding and conservation
  • Excellent manual dexterity and sustained concentration with delicate work
  • Ability to create spreadsheets and word-processing documents
  • Effective organizational skills
  • References must indicate reliable attendance and punctuality, accuracy, attention to detail