Job Listing: Senior Exhibits Cabinet Maker

Name of Organization – Colonial Williamsburg

Job Title – Senior Exhibits Cabinet Maker

Type – Full-time

Apply –  Senior Exhibits Cabinet Maker | MUSEUM, PRESERVATION, CONSERVATION, EDUCATION & RESEARCH

Summary –  Executes the museum’s cabinet shop operations, including designing, detailing, constructing and installing casework and structures in the museum’s exhibitions & public spaces.

Responsibilities –

1. Exercises the highest degree of creativity and professional museum exhibition planning and production to ensure all exhibits match specifications of client/donor and that of museum programming.
2. Creates and converts conceptual sketches and plans into finished display casework and structures for museum exhibitions.
3. Assists the exhibits installation team during transportation, installation and demolition of exhibition structures and components produced in the cabinet shop.
4. Coordinates the end-to-end bid process with exhibit design, museum design manager and exhibition project subcontractors’ exhibition project contractors, vendors, painters, electricians and maintenance personnel working on cabinet shop projects.
5. Schedules and prioritizes the cabinet shop’s workload to meet production goals and deadlines.
6. Create the budgets for the cabinet shop components.
7. Produce mock-ups, prototypes, and examples of display component details for review with exhibition designers and conservators.
8. Researches and specifies the appropriate construction and finishing materials & techniques for review with exhibition designers and conservators, as well as providing samples for testing.
9. Negotiates prices and production schedules and orders the materials and supplies to fabricate or oversee the fabrication and installation of exhibition structures.
10. Maintains the cabinetmaking shop’s central vacuum system, equipment, and tools, to include inspections, repairs, replacements &PMs, ensuring that the equipment is available for daily use.
11. Inspects, maintains, and repairs exhibition display structures and some finishes throughout the Art Museums.
12. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required and Preferred Education and Experience:

Required: A high school diploma or GED certificate, 10 years’ experience in design, exhibit design and construction, to include the facilitation of associated design trades such as upholstery, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, finishing and glazing to ensure timely deliveries that meet budgeting and schedule changes.

Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in design or related field, 10-15 years experience in design and exhibit design and construction, owned or managed a professional full-service cabinet shop, providing museum, commercial and residential clients with the highest quality products and services.

Qualifications: 

• Substantial knowledge and experience with current methods, materials, techniques and tools used to detail, construct, finish and install custom museum exhibition cabinetry and casework in museum environments.
• Ability to use exhibition production shop tools to construct unique exhibition environments, cases and furnishings.
• Ability to develop detailed sketches, plans, elevations, and sections, and effectively communicate those details to others.
• Substantial knowledge and experience constructing museum-quality exhibition display components using traditional and new, synthetic materials: plywood and composites, plastic laminates, metal faced panels, plastic sheets, starboard, steel and aluminum, and methods: cutting, forming, joining, finishing on time and within budget is required, generally gained through ten years of working on a variety of professional museum exhibition projects.
• Demonstrated ability to work simultaneously on multiple complex exhibition projects, and completing those projects on time and within budget is essential, generally gained through ten years of professional museum exhibition production shop experience.
• Demonstrated abilities and skills in teaching advanced cabinet-making skills to designated museum staff.
• Requires strong organizational skills, substantial verbal and written communication skills, and creative problem-solving skills are required, generally gained through ten years of museum exhibition production experience.
• Must be able to work as part of a team or individually, with limited supervision, meet deadlines, follow instructions, adapt to changing priorities, and work non-standard hours, including overtime, early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Must be OSHA certified to operate our warehouse forklift, have a valid Virginia Driver’s License, and be able to carry 50 pounds, use freight elevators, walk up and down stairs, work on ladders, scaffolds, aerial work platforms and dock levelers.