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Specialist (Staff Curator of Ornithology) - Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

Position overview

Position title: Staff Curator of Ornithology
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2024-25/july-2024-scales/t24-b.pdf. The current base salary range for this position is $90,000-$188,200. "Off-scale" salaries, which yield compensation that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: January 2, 2025

Position duration: The initial appointment is for 1 year with a possibility of renewal based on performance and availability of funding.

Application Window
Open date: July 29, 2024

Most recent review date: Monday, Aug 12, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.

Final date: Wednesday, Aug 28, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) at the University of California Berkeley seeks a Staff Curator of Ornithology. MVZ's Ornithology collection consists of approximately 200,000 bird specimens, including study skins, skeletons, fluid-preserved specimens, taxidermy mounts, eggs and nests, and frozen tissues.

The MVZ is a center for research and education in the biology of vertebrates. Founded in 1908, the museum's mission is to document and to increase understanding of the diversity of vertebrates. It retains its historic emphasis on western North America, although the collections and current research programs are global in scope. The heart of the museum is its superb collections, encompassing over 700,000 total specimens.

Research within the museum combines extensive field studies with modern laboratory techniques and analytical methods to generate a comprehensive, synthetic understanding of vertebrate zoology. Our goals are to remain at the forefront of international research on evolutionary biology from the perspectives of systematics, ecology, behavior, functional and developmental morphology, population biology, and genomics, and to lead the way in using natural history collections for research, education, and solving problems in biodiversity conservation.

The position comprises curation and research components. The Staff Curator will oversee day-to-day operations of the ornithology collection, including preparing and integrating (accessioning, cataloging, installing) new specimens, maintaining and improving specimen records in the Arctos database, keeping the collection updated taxonomically, processing incoming and outgoing loans, receiving visitors and responding to inquiries, assisting with class and public tours and other events, participating in museum digitization projects, helping with permits, writing grants in support of the collections, and facilitating use of the collection for research and education. The Staff Curator also will train and supervise volunteers, undergraduate and graduate students, and represented staff personnel, and will collaborate with other curators to manage shared space and facilities and oversee pest management. The applicant is expected to have an independent, specimen-based research program that includes a field component, contributes to growth of the MVZ bird collection, and generates publishable results based on field and museum data sets.

Department: https://mvz.berkeley.edu/

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Bachelor's degree (or equivalent international degree)

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

• PhD (or equivalent international degree)
• At least two year of professional experience

Preferred qualifications

• PhD in Ornithology or Evolutionary Biology (or equivalent international degree)
• Experience with undergraduate and/or graduate student training and mentorship
• Familiarity and experience with relational databases and collection management tools
• Involvement in one or more professional societies (e.g., AOS, Systematic Biology, Evolution, SPNHC, etc.)
• Knowledge of avian taxonomy
• At least one year of museum experience managing collections, preparing and/or cataloging specimens, processing loans, working with tissues, or permitting
• Experience with specimen- and field-based ornithological research, specifically using voucher specimens

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Museum Statement - 2 Pages Maximum
  Prior experience working in collections, vision, role of collections in outreach and education
• Research Statement - 2 Pages Maximum
  Interests and accomplishments, summary of past field work and specimen collection, goals for the future.
• Statement on Contributions to Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including information about your understanding of these topics, your record of activities to date, and your specific plans and goals for advancing equity and inclusion if hired at Berkeley. More Information and guidelines.
  (Optional)
• Scan of Page from most recent Field Catalog (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04534

Help contact: bowie@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location
Berkeley, CA


To apply, visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04534