Research Collection Manager

How to Apply
A cover letter is required and should be attached as the first page of your CV. A 1-page Collection Management Vision Statement should describe the candidate’s motivation to become a collection manager, their skills and experience, and their vision on the roles and priorities of a world-class plant collection in the context of the Responsibilities and Qualifications listed below.

Summary
The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) is seeking a Collection Manager of Vascular Plants at the University of Michigan Herbarium (https://lsa.umich.edu/herbarium), located at the new Research Museums Center (RMC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Herbarium develops and maintains collections explicitly for use in research and education, benefiting science, society, and the university at large. The scientific role of the Herbarium is to train students and engage in systematic biology and biodiversity studies. These broad and overlapping fields entail the discovery and study of the diversity of organisms, their evolutionary relationships, and the processes that generate biodiversity. EEB has an outstanding, diverse and collaborative group of researchers in evolutionary biology, ecology, and biodiversity science.

The U-M Herbarium is worldwide in its geographic scope and is the second largest public university collection in North America, comprising about 1.75 million specimens. The collection is particularly strong in Michigan and the Great Lakes region, Mexico, and southeast Asia (esp. Sumatra, Philippines) and includes major holdings from all major plant and fungal groups; see also https://lsa.umich.edu/herbarium/collections.html.

We seek candidates with a strong commitment to a vision of the Herbarium Collection as a key resource for research and education within the University and to the botanical community nationally and internationally. The position offers exciting opportunities for mentoring, and career development, including limited research within the context of the Herbarium curatorial priorities.

Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

Responsibilities*
• Diversification, Conservation, and Digitization of the vascular plant collections, including dried specimens, genetic resources, and ancillary collections such as paper archives, field notes, and digital assets such as data records and photographs. Additional activities may include coordinating and contributing directly to digitization efforts, writing collection-based grants to support the Herbarium, and participating in regional or national botanical initiatives.

• Working with faculty curators to develop and implement policies, standards, and procedures. This involves, as necessary, developing/revising standard operating procedures for acquisition, accessioning, databasing, archiving, and use of new or emerging genomic, digital resources and other ancillary collections. Reviewing, updating, and enhancing the Herbarium collections management plan.

• Accessioning and cataloguing of new specimens, tissues and ancillary collections into the collection and the electronic database. This activity includes coordinating curatorial priorities with faculty curators, permit requirements with the Registrar, and the daily management of staff workers, workstudy students, graduate curatorial assistants and other personnel.

• Support of and coordination with faculty curators, student researchers and visiting collaborating researchers to plan and develop research projects utilizing the research collections and/or enhance collection resources.

• Training and supervision of volunteers, student assistants, and graduate curatorial assistants in all aspects of plant specimen preparation and conservation practices, data entry, geo-referencing and digital imaging of specimens and routine collections maintenance tasks.

• Coordinate and process inter-departmental and inter-institutional loans and exchanges. Activities include answering inquiries from researchers, maintaining transaction records, packing and unpacking of specimens, and working with the Registrar in complying with state, federal and international permit requirements when appropriate, as well as the electronic exchange of digitized information.

• Routine maintenance and updating of records in the Specify collection database and coordinating the Herbarium presence on regional, national, and international data portals.

• Development of plant genomic resources in the Liquid Nitrogen Facility. This activity involves the accessioning of new samples, database cross-referencing to voucher specimens, as well as development and maintenance of database records on genomic resources in the Herbarium.

• Maintenance of the collection areas and equipment to make them suitable for collection preservation, research, outreach, and use by visitors, either on site or remotely through online communication.

• Coordination of research visits and educational tours of the collections, including developing visitor and usage policies; participation in departmental, museum outreach, and professional community activities.

Required Qualifications*
An advanced degree (master’s or doctoral) in biology, plant systematics, or related fields with 3-5 years of herbarium curatorial experience and knowledge of herbarium procedures is required. Experience with database construction, use, and management. High level of organization and excellent interpersonal skills.
Ability to train and supervise a team of volunteers or students. Familiarity with research collections is required, as is knowledge of plant diversity; expertise in flora of the Great Lakes region is highly desirable.

Additional Information
As one of the world’s great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

To learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in LSA, please visit lsa.umich.edu/lsa/dei.

To learn more about LSA’s Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.

Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks.  Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

U-M COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

COVID-19 vaccinations, including one booster when eligible, are required for all University of Michigan students, faculty and staff across all campuses, including Michigan Medicine.  This includes those working remotely and temporary workers.   More information on this new policy is available on the U-M Health Response website or the UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint websites.

Job Detail
Job Opening ID
223925
Working Title
Res Museum Collection Manager
Job Title
Res Museum Collection Manager
Work Location
Ann Arbor Campus
Ann Arbor, MI

Full/Part Time
Full-Time
Regular/Temporary
Regular
FLSA Status
Exempt
Organizational Group
College Of Lsa
Department
LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Bio
Posting Begin/End Date
9/20/2022 – 10/20/2022
Salary
$54,000.00 – $62,000.00
Career Interest
Libraries & Museums
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