Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Special Collections and Archives, the Exhibits and Art Curator actively collaborates with Cal Poly colleagues and other partners to deliver a robust library exhibits program. This program supports a collective vision for the library as a centralized place on campus to showcase creative activities across colleges and disciplines. Using exhibition as a mode of public presentation, the library exhibits program highlights campus research and scholarship, projects, and the unique and significant collections that distinguish Cal Poly and its library. The Exhibits and Art Curator will develop sustainable methods of exhibiting—formal, informal, physical, and digital. Through interpretation, the Exhibits and Art Curator will develop creative, meaningful exhibits in the library, expanding the university’s ability to communicate expressions of Cal Poly Learn by Doing and the Teacher-Scholar Model, build networks, and engage in social and cultural dialog on a wide range of subjects. The Exhibits and Art Curator also has primary responsibility for the stewardship of the University Art Collections, which includes acquisition activities such as overseeing the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for commissions of new art approved by the Art Acquisitions Committee, and the management, description, promotion, use, and display of these collections.

Review of applications will begin on May 6th and continue until the position is filled.

Department Summary

Special Collections and Archives (SCA) is a department in the Kennedy Library that collects, preserves, exhibits, and provides access to rare and unique cultural heritage materials that support the polytechnic curriculum and wider scholarship. These materials, which require curatorial stewardship, enrich and beautify the campus environment. SCA is comprised of university archives; personal and professional papers; organizational records; published works such as artists’ books, prints, and maps; photographs; and works of art. Subject strengths include California architecture and the built environment; graphic arts; and the documentation of the Central Coast and Cal Poly, including land development and use; environmentalism and conservation; tourism and promotion; and economic development and culture.  

Key Qualifications

• Leads the library’s exhibits program, providing strategic, creative and operational direction and oversight. Collaborates and coordinates with library faculty, teaching faculty, students, staff, and others to present exhibits to highlight research, scholarship and collections. With support from staff and student assistants, schedules, plans, organizes, designs, fabricates, prepares, installs, and promotes exhibits and related events. 
• Manages the development, use, and care of exhibit spaces in the library, and related display furniture, equipment, technology, and supplies. 
• Researches, recommends, updates, and maintains practices, procedures, policies, and forms to administer the program. 
• Researches, recommends, tests, and adopts software platforms and tools for digital exhibiting and publishing. Oversees and facilitates the creation of digital exhibits and digital publications such as illustrated catalogs based on physical exhibits. 
• Manages, describes, cares for, and promotes object based collections. 
• Supervises student employees, interns, and fellows who support program activities. 

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in fine arts or library science with applicable courses in the fine arts or equivalent training and experience, plus one year of related curatorial, library or teaching work. 

Salary and Benefits

Anticipated Hiring Range: $60,000 - $78,000 annually

Classification Range: $50,376 - $92,940 annually

Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information. 

Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally-ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit calpoly.edu.

Diversity Statement

At Cal Poly, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly's values of free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility.

Cal Poly's commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. Cal Poly is an equal opportunity employer. 

Supplemental Information

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with Cal Poly. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is not a sponsoring agency for staff positions (i.e. H-1B visas).

Positions are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days.