Field Museum of Natural History: Collections Manager-Vertebrate Paleontology

FLSA Status

Exempt

Head of Geological Collections

Gantz Family Collections Center

Since the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, our organization has aimed to connect people to the natural environment and human history.

Join our team and enjoy a benefits package that truly supports your well-being and lifestyle:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage:
  Including medical, dental, vision plans, and even pet insurance.
• Financial Security:
  Life and disability benefits plus a 403(b) savings plan to help you plan for the future.
• Work-Life Balance:
  Generous paid time off, paid sick leave, and paid holidays to ensure you have time to recharge and spend with loved ones.
• Exclusive Perks:
  Enjoy great employee discounts and complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions.

We’re dedicated to enhancing your life both at work and beyond!

The Field Museum of Natural History has an immediate opening for a Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology. The Field Museum’s Fossil Vertebrate collections are world‑class and host an incredible diversity of specimens. These include our collections of fossil mammals (~73,000 specimens including a large collection of Oligocene‑Pleistocene mammals from South America), fossil fishes (~30,000 individuals ranging from the Ordovician to Pleistocene), and Paleozoic tetrapods from North America and South Africa (~3,500 specimens), among others.

The vertebrate paleontology collections also include materials from the Green River Formation (mostly fish, but also including rarer mammal, bird, and reptile specimens) and a dinosaur collection that houses important holotypes and other specimens (e.g., Brachiosaurus holotype, Cryolophosaurus holotype, SUE, Archaeopteryx). This is a full‑time position in the Gantz Family Collections Center reporting to the Head of Geological Collections. The Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology is responsible for managing the Museum’s world‑renowned fossil vertebrate collections and making them available for research, education, exhibition, and outreach.

Based on best practices, the individual in this role will oversee the direct care, organization, and management of more than 100,000 specimens—some of which are the Field Museum’s most high‑profile items. The successful candidate will be evaluated on their ability to care for, promote, study, build, and ensure accessibility to these collections. The Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology may supervise Collections support staff in Geology and may serve as Head of Geological Collections, a rotating role through which the Museum’s Geological Collections are represented on the Collections Leadership Team.

The Collection Manager will work jointly with curators to set long and short‑term priorities for the vertebrate paleontology collections. They will also interact with other collections areas, research scientists, exhibition developers, education staff, and fundraisers. The Collection Manager is expected to actively seek funding to support collections care and improvement. We are especially interested in candidates with a vision for making collections accessible through digitization and the next frontiers in natural history collections.

Candidates dedicated to collections care with demonstrated leadership experience are especially encouraged to apply. As part of our commitment to transparency, we wish to note that we are not able to sponsor new H‑1B visas at this time. This policy does not affect current H‑1B employees.

• Establishes priorities for collection care and management in coordination with the Head of Geological Collections and relevant curatorial and research staff and develops and updates policies and procedures
• Manages the day‑to‑day activities for the vertebrate paleontology collections, including organizing and maintaining the specimens on display as well as those in the relevant collection ranges: the fossil fish range, the fossil amphibian and reptile range, the oversize vertebrate paleontology range, the fossil mammal range, and a range housing mounted vertebrate skeletons that are not on display
• Works with other…