Anissa and Paul John Balson II Senior Curator of Antiquities - J. Paul Getty Trust, The

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The J. Paul Getty Museum is seeking the next Anissa and Paul John Balson II Senior Curator of Antiquities to oversee curatorial and related scholarly and public activities at the Villa. The successful candidate will be responsible for the presentation and interpretation of the Villa’s collection of ancient art and antiquities, and associated activities, including a vibrant program of international loan exhibitions.

 

The Senior Curator plays a lead role in building, documenting, installing, and interpreting the display collection of some 1,300 antiquities (plus a study collection), and in coordinating the Classical World in Context program of visiting scholars and exhibitions. The successful candidate also participates in developing the Villa’s ambitious public programs (including the award winning Outdoor Classical Theatre series), in collaboration with other museum departments.

 

In 2013 the Museum initiated a series of exhibitions, supported by research, conferences, publications, and education programs under the rubric The Classical World in Context. The aim of this program is to provide a richer understanding of how the classical world interacted with the surrounding cultures of the Mediterranean, Near East, and beyond through trade, gift exchange, warfare, diplomacy, religion, and other modalities, having a crucial, and often reciprocal, impact on the cultural trajectories of those regions and peoples. On an approximately three-year cycle, each exhibition and its associated programming investigates the relations between the classical world and a particular non-classical culture/region. The underlying research is cross-cultural and interdisciplinary, utilizing a wide range of archaeological, textual, anthropological, and other evidence.

 

For the first such project, in the 2015-16 academic year, the Classical World in Context focused on Egypt and the Classical World from the Bronze Age to the coming of Christianity. The resulting exhibition Beyond the Nile: Egypt and the Classical World opened at the Getty Center in March 2018. The second exhibition in the series, following the pandemic, was Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World in 2022. Upcoming exhibitions will include Ancient Thrace: Treasures from the Classical World (2024-2025), Anatolia and the Classical World (2026), and Phoenicians, Philistines, and Canaanites: The Levant and the Classical World (2028).

 

In 2021, the position of Senior Curator of Antiquities was endowed by Anissa and Paul John Balson II. In recognition of this endowment the full title was changed to the Anissa and Paul John Balson II Senior Curator of Antiquities.

 

This position reports to the Museum’s Associate Director for Collections, and will work closely with the Museum’s Director, who is also a specialist in ancient art.

 

**Getty has engaged Koya/Diversified Search Group for this search. The full position profile can be found on Koya's site. Interested individuals should present their materials to Koya by visiting this link. Only candidates who express interest in this manner will be considered as part of this search.**

Major Job Responsibilities:

• Supervises a department of nine curators and support staff, nurturing staff development and reviewing their performance
• Provides intellectual leadership to the Villa curatorial staff on all curatorial, exhibition and research programs and related publications, both in-print and online
• Oversees the display and interpretation of the antiquities collection in the Villa Galleries
• Oversees the growth of the collection through purchases and gift
• Drawing on their well-established network of contacts in the international museum and academic communities, represents the Getty Villa, its programs, and collections to global audiences, furthering the goals of existing co-operative agreements with foreign governments and museums, and developing join projects such as exhibitions, conservation, and research 
• Leads the Villa Council, a group of supporters of the Villa, facilitating donations and appropriate loans to the collection
• Collaborates with the Department of Development on securing sponsors for exhibitions and associated programming
• Collaborates with Education, Publications, and other Museum and Getty departments to ensure public accessibility of the collections at the museum, in print, and online
• Administers the departmental operating budget of $1.1M

Qualifications:

• The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. or equivalent qualification in the archaeology or ancient art of the Mediterranean world.

• They will bring: experience of supervising staff and a desire and ability to work effectively as a team player in a collaborative environment.

• Experience in curating exhibitions.

• A network of international contacts within the museum and academic communities.

• Knowledge of the antiquities market.

• A record of scholarly research, publication and public presentation.

• Preference will be given to candidates who have a broad knowledge of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art, and demonstrated interest in interconnections between the classical world and other cultures of the Near East, Egypt and Eurasia.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• The ideal candidate will bring a good general knowledge of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art, from the Late Bronze Age to Byzantium, as well as specialized expertise in a particular period/aspect of the ancient classical world.
• Demonstrated scholarly knowledge of adjacent non-Classical culture/s is highly desirable.
• A deep commitment to the understanding, preservation, and interpretation of antiquities will be matched with a desire to engage with new and diverse audiences.
• They will be an inspiring leader able to demonstrate a genuine commitment to the principles and practices of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

Benefits and Perks:

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

 

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan – with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

 

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.  

Equal Opportunity Employer:We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.