Curator of Exhibitions and Student Engagement in Riverside, California at University of California, Riverside
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Job Description
Overview
Job ID 37062020
Category Campus Administration and Operations
Organization College of Humanities Arts & Social Sciences
Department UCR ARTS Dept
Location Riverside Area
Salary $79,000 - $127,124
Date Posted June 17, 2026
Application Deadline Open Until Filled
Schedule 8AM - 5PM
Full/Part Time Full-time(100%)
Level of Supervision General Supervision
Personnel Program Code Professional & Support Staff
Other Information Qualifies for Employee Referral Bonus: No
UC Internal Job: No
Position Information
UCR ARTS encompasses the California Museum of Photography (CMP) and the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts (Culver Center), and is part of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS) at UCR. Situated three miles from UCR’s main campus, the CMP and the Culver Center are located in adjacent historical buildings in downtown Riverside. The CMP promotes understanding of photography and visual media by providing access to one of the most comprehensive photographic resources in America. As a vital extension of the university, UCR ARTS provides faculty and students with hands-on opportunities for innovative teaching, original research, and interdisciplinary learning. //Founded in 1973, the CMP is one of the most significant photography museums in the United States. The CMP stewards more than 500,000 photographs and photographic artifacts and is nationally recognized for its commitment to photography and lens-based media as fields of artistic, historical, and critical inquiry. As part of a leading public research university, UCR ARTS supports undergraduate and graduate teaching, faculty research, and public scholarship through exhibitions, collections access, publications, and academic programs. The museum collection is a cornerstone of this mission, offering exceptional opportunities for object-based learning, research, and critical engagement with the history of photography. The Curator of Exhibitions and Student Engagement balances three equally weighted areas of responsibility: (1) management and development of collections; (2) facilitation of student- and faculty-driven research and exhibitions; and (3) development of academic programs, including lectures, symposia, and related interpretive initiatives. The role aligns with the Senior Museum Scientist classification, requiring independent judgment, advanced curatorial expertise, and leadership within a complex academic museum environment. This position requires working some weeknights and weekends to support programs and exhibitions. The appointment is a 100% full-time position for 3 years. This position is funded by a private foundation and is contingent on receiving funding. The position may be extended or end based on funding. The salary range for the Curator of Exhibitions and Student Engagement is $79,000.09 - $127,123.89 annually, However, the expected budgeted pay scale for this position is $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 annually. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs. Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff.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.
Requirements
Educational Requirements
| Degree | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree with specialization in art history, photography, visual studies, museum studies, or a related field. | Required |
| Advanced degree (MA, MFA, or PhD) in art history, history of photography, visual studies, or a related discipline. | Preferred |
| Experience | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional curatorial experience in a museum, academic gallery, or research collection, including at least six (6) years in a leadership, supervisory, or project-management capacity; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. | Required |
| Demonstrated advanced experience working with photographic collections of historical significance, including collections-based research, interpretation, and scholarly use. Proven ability to develop, manage, and interpret exhibitions drawn from historical photographic collections. | Required |
| Demonstrated experience supporting academic research, teaching, and curriculum-connected programs through direct engagement with original works of art. | Required |
| Experience in scholarly or curatorial focus on nineteenth- and twentieth-century photography and/or photographic modernism and its legacies. | Preferred |
| Experience working with rare or primary-source photographic materials, including early processes and archival collections. | Preferred |
| Experience working in an academic museum or university-based collection with a strong teaching and research mission. | Preferred |
| Experience contributing to grant-funded projects or external partnerships. | Preferred |
| Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the ability to engage critically with the histories of representation, power, and exclusion embedded in photographic collections, and to advance inclusive, ethical, and accessible approaches to collections care, exhibitions, research access, and programming. | Preferred |
| Special Condition | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Overtime | Required |
| Occasional travel for university related business meetings, conferences and/or professional development. | Required |
| Excellent verbal and written communication skills.Excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills appropriate to scholarly, academic, and public audiences. |
| Adherence to deadlines and strong follow through. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. |
| Proficient in Microsoft Office products (on both Mac and PC). |
| Ability to achieve cross-functional teamwork and a strong desire to function in a team environment. |
| Extensive knowledge of the history of photography from the nineteenth century to the present, including historic photographic processes, techniques, and materials. |
| Thorough knowledge of museum standards, collections management practices, and professional and ethical guidelines. |
| Record of sustained collaboration with faculty and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. |
| Demonstrated leadership in developing lecture series, symposia, publications, or similar academic programs. |
| Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the ability to engage critically with the histories of representation, power, and exclusion embedded in photographic collections, and to advance inclusive, ethical, and accessible approaches to collections care, exhibitions, research access, and programming |
Additional Information
In the Heart of Inland Southern California, UC Riverside is located on nearly 1,200 acres near Box Springs Mountain in Southern California; the park-like campus provides convenient access to the vibrant and growing Inland region. The campus is a living laboratory for the exploration of issues critical to growing communities' air, water, energy, transportation, politics, the arts, history, and culture. UCR gives every student, faculty and staff member the resources to explore, engage, imagine and excel.
UC Riverside is recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the country boasting several key rankings of which we are extremely proud.
- UC Riverside is proud to be ranked No. 12 among all U.S. universities, according to Money Magazine's 2020 rankings, and among the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, according to the 2019-20 Center for World University rankings.
- UC Riverside is the top university in the United States for social mobility. - U.S. News 2020
- UCR is a member of the University Innovation Alliance, the leading national coalition of public research universities committed to improving student success for low-income, first-generation, and students of color.
- Among top-tier universities, UC Riverside ranks No. 2 in financial aid. - Business Insider 2019
- Ranked No. 2 in the world for research, UCR's Department of Entomology maintains one of the largest collections of insect specimens the nation. - Center for World University Rankings
- UCR's distinguished faculty boasts 2 Nobel Laureates, and 13 members of the National Academies of Science and Medicine.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.
For information about our generous employee benefits package, visit: Employee Benefits Overview