Museum Fellow II, Conservation

George Washington University

United States, Virginia, Ashburn

Oct 24, 2025

I. JOB OVERVIEW

Job Description Summary:	The Textile Museum is an institution with a nearly one-hundred-year history, an established audience, and a respected collection of textile art representing six continents and five millennia. The museum's conservation department is one of the oldest in the US, beginning practice in the 1920s. Through exhibitions, programs, and academic courses, the museum integrates with diverse disciplines to enrich research, education, and cultural understanding across and beyond the university. The museum strengthens the established reputation of GW as a leader in training the next generation of museum professionals. The Museum Fellow II, Conservation supports post-graduate textile conservators at an early stage of their careers by advancing their exhibition and research skills. They will develop practical experience in project management, treatment and mount preparations, installation and de-installation, rehousing, experimental design and execution, and instrumental analyses. Responsibilities include: Lead conservator preparing an annual exhibition, generally 15 - 30 textile objects, to include treatment and mount planning and execution, rehousing, packing for transit, interdepartmental coordination, and installation and de-installation. Project management, workflow efficiency, and inter-departmental coordination skills will be developed. Assignments on other exhibitions may be added to support skill-building. Executing a research project utilizing the TM collection and/or the Avenir Conservation and Collections Resource Center's equipment. Research can be directed by the department, proposed by the fellow, or as a continuation of graduate thesis research. The fellow will utilize the lab's equipment, such as a wet cleaning system, freezer, anoxic system, dye machine, portable XRF, stereo and polarized light microscopes, multiband imaging system, and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy (FORS). Additional instrumentation may be available via GW Chemistry. The fellow will produce a technical report to document their research and will be encouraged to employ statistical analysis in processing collected data where appropriate, with support from the GW Libraries Academic Innovation department. Research findings will be disseminated through various outlets, and publication is highly encouraged. The fellow may collaborate with conservation interns or student positions to build supervision skills or aid the department in supporting other collections in the museum to build collaboration and time-management skills In some terms, the fellow will serve as an emerging professional's liaison for the lab, to support efforts for that cohort, including workshops. Performs other duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning additional responsibilities that are logically related to the position. Fellow will be eligible for research and conference-related travel support. The selected fellow would join the museum for a one-year term, with the potential for renewal. The position is full-time and will report to the chief conservator, with active supervision by two associate conservators. Work will primarily take place at the Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center on the Virginia Science and Technology campus (Ashburn, VA) with periodic work at GW's Foggy Bottom campus. Limited term 12 months with potential to renew.
Minimum Qualifications:	Museum Fellow I: Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant area of study. Candidate's professional training and research interest must correspond with the museum's current activities, research and academic engagement goals.. Museum Fellow II: Qualified candidates will hold a Master's degree in a relevant area of study OR will hold a PhD in a relevant area of study completed within the past two years. Candidate's professional training and research interest must correspond with the museum's current activities, research and academic engagement goals. Candidate's research interest must correspond to The Textile Museum Collection and its current research goals.
Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:	In the current cycle of the fellowship, applicants with research interests in wet cleaning or light assessment implementation are desired, but not required.
Hiring Range	$21.27 - $27.63
GW Staff Approach to Pay	How is pay for new employees determined at GW?

Healthcare Benefits

GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.

II. JOB DETAILS

Campus Location:	Ashburn, Virginia
College/School/Department:	Academic Affairs
Family	Museum & Performing Arts
Sub-Family	Museum and Arts
Stream	Service and Support
Level	Level 1
Full-Time/Part-Time:	Full-Time
Hours Per Week:	40
Work Schedule:	Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Will this job require the employee to work on site?	Yes
Employee Onsite Status	On-campus (in person)
Telework:	No
Required Background Check:	Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search
Special Instructions to Applicants:	Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status Travel between the Virginia Science & Technology (VSTC) and Foggy Bottom, Washington DC Campus. The Limited term of this appointment is one year from the start date, with the potential of one renewal. Total of 2 years only from the start date. Individuals may hold an appointment for no more than two consecutive years.
Internal Applicants Only?	No
Posting Number:	S013849
Job Open Date:	09/30/2025
Job Close Date:
If temporary, grant funded, Sponsored Project funded or limited term appointment, position funded until:	10/01/2026
Background Screening	Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.
EEO Statement:	The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.