[NHCOLL-L:435] job posting - Collection Manager, Botany

[Mark Isaksen]

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES: COLLECTION MANAGER, BOTANY

The Biodiversity Group of the Academy of Natural Sciences (Philadelphia) is seeking a Collection Manager (CM) for the Academy's botanical collections. These comprise vascular plants (ca. 1.6 million specimens), bryophytes (16,000 specimens), diatoms (110,000 slides), other algae (9,000 specimens), cyanobacteria (5,000 exsiccata), and fungi (ca. 3000 specimens). The vascular plant herbarium is extremely important historically (over 60,000 types); our diatom herbarium is arguably the world's best. The CM will be responsible for caring for the collections, including processing and cataloging incoming material, maintenance of systematic order, identification, conservation and preservation of specimens, and keeping records of collections usage and growth that facilitate applications for grant funds. The CM will work at the direction of the curators of the Department (Drs Lucinda McDade [vascular plants] and Richard McCourt [algae]), and the Vice President of the Academy for Biodiversity (Dr Meredith Lane). The CM will interact with the local, national, and international scientific and amateur communities through specimen loans, response to inquiries, and working to maximize usage and utility of the collections, primarily through hosting visiting researchers and databasing specimen information for dissemination via the Internet. The CM will also contribute to the growth of one or more collection(s) through his or her own collecting efforts, supervise curatorial assistant(s), work-study students and volunteers, and participate in the Academy's public programs and other service activities. 

Qualifications include: At least a Master's degree (PhD preferred) in botany, knowledge of the vascular flora of the mid-Atlantic region and the eastern United States generally, familiarity with the use of computers and the Internet in collections activities, and five years experience working with museum collections in a position with similar responsibilities (with proof of sound training in collection management, recent graduates will be considered). 

Application materials should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three references. These should be sent to: 

Botany CM Search
c/o Mark Isaksen
Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia PA 19103
215-299-1028 (fax)      isaksen at acnatsci.org

Review of applications will begin 30 March 2000, and continue until a suitable candidate is identified.  Please refer to vacancy announcement #763 in your correspondence. 



Mark Isaksen
Administrative Director, Biodiversity Group
Academy of Natural Sciences
tel: 215-299-1180
fax: 215-299-1028